Winners of the WorkWorld Media Awards announced

The winners of this yearís WorkWorld Media Awards were announced at a ceremony in central London tonight.

The WorkWorlds, which aim to recognise and celebrate journalism in the field of work, management, economics and business, are now in their 22nd year and were hosted by Will Hutton, executive vice chair of The Work Foundation. The guest speaker was Lord Currie, the chairman of Ofcom, the communications regulator, and the lifetime achievement award went to the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
The winners, with judgesí comments, are:
Reporter of the Year – Jonathan Rosenthal, The Economist

ëThis writer shows deep knowledge of business and combines it with what can only be described as a fantastic way with words. His copy is meticulous, well-researched and a pleasure to read.í

Commendation – Andrew Taylor, Employment Correspondent, The Financial Times

ëAndrew is a master of the employment beat and he is clearly having a good recession. We were impressed by the thoroughness of his work and the balanced way he tells a story.í

Journalist to Watch - Louisa Peacock, Personnel Today

ëOur winner has, not just flair, but the ability to dig up stories that get picked up elsewhere. Her exclusives, especially her John Lewis scoop, led to significant pieces in some nationals and other magazines.í

TV Programme – Channel 4 News, Channel 4

ëThe judges chose to honour a consistently high quality news programme with an intoxicating mix of edge, depth, difference and quality – not least in its business and economics reporting.í

Online Award – ëPestonís Picksí, Robert Peston, BBC News

ëOne blog stands out this year for its ability to move markets, both conventional and also the market of ideas – to the extent that some live in fear of his ability to brew up an economic crisis through what he writes.í

Feature of the Year – Andrew Saunders, Management Today

ëThis award is for one-off stand-out pieces. Our award goes to a well-established management journalist for a very nicely turned interview with the sage of the slump, Vince Cable.í

Commendation - Guardian Work, Liz Hollis

ëWe were impressed by the thoughtfulness of her piece on whistleblowing and the pros and cons of using incentives to encourage it in the Guardian Work section.í

Radio Programme of the Year - The World Service, ëThe Trouble with Moneyí

ëWe judged in favour of a beautifully crafted two-part documentary (presented by Michael Robinson and produced by Simon Watts) about the financial crisis, which combined real life and economic explanation superbly well.í

Columnist of the Year - Michael Skapinker, The Financial Times

ëA columnist we have long admired for his reflectiveness, his insight into work and business, his direct style and his breadth. You can turn to him and know you will get something with feet-on-the-ground authority - plus a twist for interest.í

Feature Journalist of the Year – Aimee Turner, Flight International

ëOur winner is a specialist who can bring things to the attention of the mainstream in a fascinating way – to the extent of terrifying the frequent fliers amongst us with the politics lying behind aircraft evacuations procedures.í

Broadcast News Journalism – Robert Peston, BBC News

ëThe judges felt there was one business and economics journalist who has made the historic events we are living through compellingly his own. He is today a significant player in what is currently happening in the UK and wise and authoritative journalist.í

Lifetime Achievement Award – Polly Toynbee, The Guardian

ëTo read Polly Toynbee is not just to encounter a wonderful, powerful writer, but someone who has the stamina to sustain passion, anger and engagement across two columns a week, 46 weeks of the year, without ever falling into the role of becoming a grumpy ranter. She has fantastic breadth: with a background in social affairs, she ranges across politics, media, religion and health, to become one of the most influential thought leaders of our times. Rarely for a journalist, she often shows real respect for academic research; but she also understands the limitations of academic research in getting to grips with human experience. That calls for the services of the great reporter she is. For her last book about work, Hard Work, she took a host of low-paying service jobs to paint a brilliant, bleak picture of low-pay Britain. She is a worthy winner of our lifetime achievement award.í

Will Hutton, chief executive of the Work Foundation, said: ëThere has been only one story during 2008: the financial situation and its effects of people and their jobs. It will play out across the rest of this year too. We are blessed with many very gifted interrogators of the nature of the crisis and I am pleased to say that, unlike the economy itself, economics and business journalism appears to be in very good health.í