BBC NE and Cumbria’s Inside Out Special on Operation Sanctuary has won an RTS Award for Nations and Regions Current Affairs.
The judges said they were “blown away by the originality and the journalism” behind the story, which took two years to make.
They added:
“The small team had clearly invested heavily in this hard-to-tell story and overcame legal hurdles to ensure it was broadcast… a standout piece of journalism that raises important moral questions about the secret world of paid informers.”
They were the only regional winners for the north, despite Granada Reports being nominated in the Nations and Regions News category for its coverage of the Manchester Arena bomb; and BBC North West Tonight’s Roger Johnson nominated for nations and regions’ presenter of the year.
Sky News won the Breaking News award for its reporting of the Manchester Terror attack.
Judges said that they provided a “remarkable background exclusive within hours of the event happening.”
