AIPS Sport Media Awards build invaluable legacy for younger generations

Swiss sports photographer, Patrick Kraemer is in the Top 3 of the Photography - Portfolio category of the first AIPS Sport Media Awards

Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam, AIPS Young Reporter, Nigeria

 

LAUSANNE, January 19, 2019 - The AIPS Sport Media Awards are perfectly poised to inspire a lasting legacy that will benefit the profession, especially its new generations, and the inaugural finalists of the Awards understand this too.

 

“For the new generation of journalists the AIPS Awards will be a model that will inspire them; an incentive to grow professionally, and a way to create good and original content to prove that sports journalism can also produce exceptional work. These AIPS Awards will be a safeguard for the integrity and quality of the profession,” says José Ignacio Pérez Hernández, who is from Spain’s leading sports newspaper Marca and is in the top three of the Writing – Colour Piece category.

 

Ubaldo Scanagatta, whose life has been deeply rooted in the coverage of tennis for many years believes that enthusiasm has to be reawakened in sports journalism. “These are not easy times for our profession. Years ago there were many more enthusiasts about our profession than nowadays. Whatever can be done to get it back is great,” points the Italian journalist, who reached the final three of the Journalistic Weblog category.

 

REWARD

Then, there is also the reward for hard-work. In the words of Swiss sports photographer, Patrick Kraemer: “Like an Olympic medal for an athlete, the AIPS Sport Media Awards can be a motivation for sports photographers and sports journalists to work hard all the time. Uphold your own quality standards. There is nothing better than being nominated for the Top 3 by proven experts,” he said.

Aaron Kearney, one of the nominees in the Audio category added: “With so much focus on data-driven journalism and populist metrics, high-quality, in-depth and important stories often lack support. The AIPS Sport Media Awards will give new value to such work and important recognition to the industry’s bravest and most-innovative practitioners.”

Meanwhile Antje Windmann, who is one of the top three nominees for Writing – Best Colour Piece, has this piece of advice: “I would encourage especially young journalists to trust their feelings of what they think makes a story special. I sometimes have the impression that in sports journalism things have this set routines. The real good stories to me are the once which change perspectives and enrich peoples minds.”

   

INSPIRATION

Russia’s Igor Rabiner is a co-founder of a private school of sports journalism that has existed for seven years, and his students (both former and current) congratulated him on his nomination into the top three of the Writing – Best Column category. “I hope, the fact that the column of their teacher was selected from so many works and nations by the AIPS’ jury will inspire them to go to the profession and to try to get the same achievement. It shows them that everything is possible.”

As a follow up to the Awards ceremony, Rabiner is already preparing a workshop where he will tell his students this: “Just derive happiness from the fact that you have had such a privilege to make your passion your profession, and keep this feeling through years. Don't lose your curiosity and desire to discover something new every single day, finding unusual in usual. But at the same time, don't stop and think that everything is achieved after this kind of recognition. Because if you say to yourself that now you know everything in sports and sports journalism, your sports writing career dies the same day.”

 

NEW GENERATION

The AIPS has shown its commitment to ensuring a better future for sports journalists and the sports media industry. The successes recorded so far with the AIPS Young Reporters Programme, for instance, remains one true reflection of this drive.

At this point, it worthy to note that a one-time AIPS Young Reporter is among the finalists of the inaugural edition.

Two years ago, Pierre Esquer from France participated in the AIPS Young Reporters Programme at the UEFA Women’s Euro in the Netherlands. He, alongside his friends Anthony Audureau and Thomas Thomas Larabi, are now getting ready to feature at the inaugural Awards ceremony in Lausanne on January 21, after their entry reached the top three in the Video – Athlete Profile category.

Speaking on behalf of the trio, Audureau said: “We think it is inspiring for the new generation of journalists because it shows the diversity of sports journalism. This kind of Award encourages young people to take their chances and propose their own stories since every journalists can apply to the AIPS Sport Media Awards.”

 

BENCHMARK

Xu Liu, who is representing one of the biggest and most influential media organizations in China, Xinhua News Agency, in the finals believes that the Awards will set a standard for sport journalism. He said: “The AIPS Sport Media Awards make a new benchmark for sports news. I think it will be the most important judgement in sports reporting. All the young journalists will learn from the Awards. The values of these Awards will deeply influence the new generations.”

Adam Pretty, who is also a finalist in the same category as Liu (Photography – Portfolio) shares the same sentiment: “As a young photographer looking at awards books and exhibitions was one of the best ways of seeing the most current work and the benchmark or pinnacle of that work. I believe an awards platform really helps raise the bar, especially for a newer generation as it pushes them to find a new perspective or angle, and pushes the industry further.”

 

EXPOSURE

The AIPS Sport Media Awards allowed a maximum of two submissions per participant and renowned Italian journalist, Emanuela Audisio, was the only one who saw her both her entries reach the final in Video – Documentary and Video – Athlete Profile. To her, the Awards are an opportunity for exposure. “It gives a stand to be heard,” she said. “It puts you in a world contest and it says that a lot more can be achieved. But it’s important that someone stands behind you and give you the faith that this profession has a lot of humanity and a lot of hidden stories that need to come out. So young generations don’t give up. We need your contribution.”

Diego Hurtado from the Olympic Channel added: “Awards like this are a phenomenal way for any working professional to get personal recognition and gain exposure for their projects.”

The inaugural AIPS Awards ceremony will be held on January 21, at the Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland. The 24 finalists across eight categories will grace the occasion alongside the recipients of the special awards categories (Investigative reporting and A life in Sport).