The University Observer won their first ever Justice Media Award last month.
On June 11th, Adam Schmitz and Orla Mahon took home the Best Student Journalism award for their coverage of the UCD School of Medicine Sexual Assault and Image Based Sexual Abuse.
The awards, which were hosted by the Law Society of Ireland, were held in Blackhall Place in Dublin. On presentation of the award, the judges said, “From engaging with local representatives, requesting court documents and dealing with legal threats, these journalists highlighted an issue that their college would much prefer not to be reported on. This was hard-hitting public service investigative journalism.”
The judges said, “From engaging with local representatives, requesting court documents and dealing with legal threats, these journalists highlighted an issue that their college would much prefer not to be reported on. This was hard-hitting public service investigative journalism.”
The UO also picked up a merit certificate in the student journalism category, with Arpita Chowdury being recognised for her article ‘Gigged and Ghosted: How the Gig economy is failing young workers in Ireland’. The judges said “This was a strong entry, with clear and accessible reporting focusing on a system that fails young workers and undermines basic labour rights”. The Law Society in the University of Galway picked up the final merit of the category.
Elsewhere in the awards, former-UO editor Oisín Gaffey received a merit in the Best Newcomer category while RTÉ Radio 1 won the overall award for their podcast series, First Conviction.