15th Anniversary of UCD Smurfit Business Journalist Awards Champion Female Voices
29th August 2022
Entries are now being sought for the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Business Journalist Awards, Ireland’s only awards that specifically showcase and celebrate the best of business journalism in Ireland.
The awards, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, will feature seven categories and culminate in a prize giving ceremony in December. For 15 years, the Business Journalist Awards have offered a unique opportunity to shine a light on the important role business journalists play in helping society understand complex issues that have an impact on our daily lives.
This year also sees a new ‘Women in Business Journalism Award’ which celebrates consistent excellence from a female business journalist for work that fosters a greater understanding of business and economics, shows outstanding writing, reporting, analysis or commentary. The award celebrates female role models in journalism.
Business journalists from across online, print and broadcast are invited to submit entries, or nominate a colleague, via www.smurfitschool.ie/bja by Thursday, September 8, 2022.
Entries to the awards, which are run in conjunction with the Business Journalists Association of Ireland, can be submitted by nominees themselves, editors or peers. The winning entry of each category will be honoured at an awards ceremony and receive a €1,000 prize.
There are seven categories open this year:
•Business News Story of the Year
•Audio Story of the Year
•Business Feature of the Year
•Business Analyst of the Year
•Business Interview of the Year
•NEW Women in Business Journalism Award
•Upcoming Journalist of the Year
In addition to these entry-based categories, the judging panel may also award an Outstanding Achievement Award.
Speaking at the launch (26.8.22) Oliver Wall, Chief of Staff and Head of Group Corporate Affairs, Bank of Ireland said: “We are proud to support the UCD Smurfit School Business Journalist Awards, which recognise excellence among business journalists in their reporting and analysis. Great journalism provides insight, context and objective analysis on the important issues and developments which impact our lives. Quality business journalism is a critical component of a thriving business community, so it is important that we acknowledge those who excel in their profession.”
Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business said: “UCD Smurfit School aims to actively inspire and co-create a better future for students, staff, alumni and for business and society in Ireland and the world. The past few years have highlighted how interconnected our world is and how events in one location have ripple effects that impact us all. Business journalists play an integral role in helping us to understand how these events not only impact business, but on how society operates and chooses to move forward. The expertise needed to analyse and report with clarity and integrity has never been as important.”
“On the Business Journalism Award’s 15th anniversary, we are proud to recognise and celebrate the outstanding standards of excellence in Irish journalism.”
Professor Gerardine Doyle, Director of UCD Smurfit School and Associate Dean of UCD College of Business added: “Our 15th anniversary presents an opportunity to look back on what has been achieved in the world of business journalism, and also a call to action on where we would like to go in the next 15 years. We are therefore proud to introduce the new ‘Women in Business Journalism’ category which is designed to promote diversity in the media so that all voices are represented in an equal and fair society, and to inspire the next generation of business journalists.”
Pictured (l-r): Professor Gerardine Doyle, Associate Dean of UCD College of Business and Director of UCD Smurfit School; Breege O’Donoghue, Judging Panel Chairperson, Primark Brand Ambassador and Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business School.
