TVNZ Presenter Earns Award Final For RWC Commentary

TVNZ Presenter Earns Award Final For RWC Commentary

18th November 2011

Five TVNZ journalists have been named as finalists in the prestigious Sir Terry McLean National Sports Journalism Awards.

The time period for eligibility was extended to include the Rugby World Cup.

Sport presenter, Andrew Saville is a finalist in the Sports Broadcast Feature category for his RWC commentaries including his call of the All Blacks beating France in the final. Saville was joined in the commentary box by former All Blacks Jeff Wilson & Taine Randell.

Senior journalist, Craig Stanaway is also a finalist in the Sports Broadcast Feature category. Stanaway’s portfolio included a long form current affairs story for SUNDAY profiling father of eight, Andrew Stroud whose day job is riding a Superbike at 300 km/h.

Saville and Stanaway are competing against broadcasting heavyweights – Sky TV’s lead RWC Commentator Grant Nisbett and TV3’s John Campbell for this award.

ONE News Pacific Island correspondent, Barbara Dreaver is a finalist in the Television Sports News Reporting category. Dreaver’s portfolio included stories on Jonah Lomu returning to Tonga after 15 years to promote the RWC, NZ Rugby League cancelling the test against the Cook Islands and the IRB warning the Tongan Rugby Union about political interference.

Dreaver is up against specialist sports journalists Michelle Pickles and Jim Keyes from TV3.

Two young, talented journalists from TVNZ are finalists considered for the Sir John Wells Sports Journalism Scholarship. Dunedin based reporter, Max Bania’s portfolio included the reaction of Ritchie McCaw’s home town of Kurow following the RWC final. Digital media journalist, Andrew Fernando’s portfolio included a story for ESPNcrickinfo on Black Cap Tim Southee and a humorous piece for tvnz.co.nz called "Too much pressure on Daniel Carter's groin."

Category winners are considered for the supreme award. Andrew Saville is a previous recipient of Sports Journalist of the Year, known then as the ‘T.P. McLean Award’.

ENDS

© Scoop Media