ITV took home five awards at the RTS Television Journalism Awards last night, including multiple honours for ITV News UK Editor, Paul Brand.

Paul Brand was named Political Journalist of the Year, with the judges commenting that: “In an eminent field, the winner’s work this year stood out.” They continued, “The winner had an amazing array of scoops, and in one case didn’t just get the story…but the video as well.”

Scoop of the Year also went to ITV News, for Paul Brand’s Partygate story, with the jury noting “the winning entry was the product of painstaking nurturing of sources, producing not just one but multiple scoops. The judges praised it particularly for its impact – including being followed up by the entire news media. They were also impressed that the journalism contrasted the behaviour at the heart of government with the way the general population was expected to act.”

The Partygate story also won the News coverage - Home category. The jury said:
“There were many examples of exceptional journalism in this category. One standout entry, however, consisted of a succession of scoops which sparked headlines around the world and changed the very course of British politics.”

ITV’s award wins also included success in the Current Affairs – Home for The Crossing, and Nations and Regions News which was awarded for coverage of the Manchester Arena Inquiry.
ITV’s Exposure film, The Crossing, made by DM Documentary Productions for ITV1, was honoured by the judges, who said, “It was a vintage year for this category, but one programme stood out. The jury agreed it was a stupendous piece of film-making, displaying great bravery and compelling storytelling. The topic itself was not new but this treatment offered an original insight into the migrant journey and the evil forces behind people smuggling.”

ITV News Granada took home the award for Nations and Regions News, for their reporting on the Manchester Arena Inquiry and the emergency response. The jury said, “The finalists all produced exceptional programmes with impressive story-telling that shone a light on controversial and contentious issues. The winner, however, made the jurors angry because the cold hard facts were barely believable. The jury agreed it was simply an outstanding, powerful, and well-constructed watch.”