BBC Look North’s Harry Gration MBE was named regional presenter of the year at the Royal Television Society’s Television Journalism Awards last night.
The judges explained:
“Our winner is a Yorkshire institution, and in the past year he showed he remains on top form. His emotional involvement with Yorkshire’s biggest moments – notably Le Tour de France – really connects with viewers; but he is also trusted by his audience on major news stories such as the tragic murder of a Leeds schoolteacher. His range and his authority are admirable.”
The ceremony recognised those working within news and current affairs at a regional, national and international level.
However, ITV rivals, Calendar, couldn’t complete a Yorkshire double, with their coverage of the Tour De France Grand Depart, losing out to BBC South East Today in the Nations and Regions News category.
The BBC’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup was recognised in the News Technology section. The RTS judges said that the data network it created in Brazil was a “hugely impressive technological achievement.”
“The boffins at the BBC created a mesh network – in effect a private wi-fi cloud – over Copacabana, enabling the corporation to provide its reporters with rock-solid live reporting capability, not only along the entirety of the 4 kilometre beach, but from the top of the Sugar Loaf mountain as well.”