The Association of International Broadcasters (AIB) has revealed the winners of its 19th annual awards, the AIBs, at an awards evening in London. The awards recognise the best international journalism and factual productions across TV, radio, and digital platforms.
In his opening address, AIB chief executive Simon Spanswick said: “This competition is needed more than ever, as we face a world in increasing chaos and danger. In many areas, that chaos and danger threaten media freedom and the ability of journalists to hold power to account. That’s why journalists and producers need to shout about their work and remind everyone about the importance of journalism and the need to bring stories to global audiences.”
Collecting the award for the Specialist Factual TV/Video category was Sir Michael Palin, who was rewarded for his programme Michael Palin: Into Iraq. Commenting on the awards night, Sir Michael said: “I’m interested in news, and I’m interested in how people report on different places. What struck me tonight is the very difficult areas which these people have gone into, to reveal what’s really going on.”
Across the 20 categories there were commendations from the judges, and an overall winner:
NEWS COVERAGE: TV/VIDEO
Winner: The War in Ukraine, BBC News
Highly commended: Afghanistan after the Taliban, BBC News
NEWS COVERAGE: RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST
Winner: Partygate: The Inside Story, ITV News
Highly commended: The Death and Funeral of HM The Queen, BBC News Content for BBC News
SHORT FEATURE: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Hell on Earth: Darién Gap – The Deadly Migrant Route, ITN Productions for Channel 4 (Channel 4 News)
Highly commended: We CRASHED a BMW S1000 RR Superbike while filming with LEGEND Troy Corser, Deutsche Welle – DW
Highly commended: Eco-Warriors of Africa, VOA
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Eternal Spring (長春), Lofty Sky Entertainment
Highly commended: Murder in the Pacific, An Oxford Scientific Films production for BBC
SPORTS JOURNALISM: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Fault Lines: Blood Sport, Al Jazeera English
SPECIALIST FACTUAL: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Michael Palin: Into Iraq, ITN Productions for Channel 5
Highly commended: The East End Through Time with Jay Blades, Hungry Jay Media for Channel 5
Highly commended: Spike Milligan: The Unseen Archive, Yeti Television
SPECIALIST FACTUAL: RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST
Winner: Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On, BBC Long Form Audio
Highly commended: Finding Samantha, RTÉ
Highly commended: First Eat with Nakkiah Lui, Pipi Films for Audible Australia
INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY: TV/VIDEO
Winner: The Monkey Haters, BBC Eye/BBC World Service
Highly commended: Wayne Couzens: Killer in Plain Sight, Flicker Productions for Channel 5
INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY: RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST
Winner: The Shamima Begum Story, BBC News Long Form Audio
Highly commended: The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome, Project Brazen / Goat Rodeo
HUMAN INTEREST: RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST
Winner: Love, Janessa, BBC World Service and CBC Podcasts by Antica Productions and Telltale Industries
Highly commended: This Coal Life, Radio Workshop NPC
HUMAN INTEREST: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Lyra, Erica Starling Productions for Channel 4
Highly commended: Murder in Mayfair, BBC Arabic, BBC Current Affairs
Highly commended: Nazanin, 649 Media for Channel 4
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Under Poisoned Skies, BBC News Arabic
Highly commended: TechXplore Japan, Electric Eel Studios for BBC World Service
Highly commended: We Can Do Hard Things, Very! for CNA, Mediacorp Pte Ltd
NATURAL HISTORY: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Ningaloo Nyinggulu, Artemis Media in Association with Matter of Factual for ABC and Love Nature
Highly commended: 101 East: Mining the Pacific, Al Jazeera English
Highly commended: Australia’s Wild Odyssey, Wild Pacific Media for Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Arte France
POLITICS and BUSINESS: TV/VIDEO
Winner: India: The Modi Question, BBC Current Affairs
Highly commended: The Labour Files, Al Jazeera I-Unit
Highly commended: Sudan and the Long reach of Russia’s Ukraine War, CNN Worldwide
DOCUDRAMA: RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST
Winner: Before-After: Anna Lindh 2003, Swedish Radio Drama
DOCUDRAMA: TV/VIDEO
Winner: The Confession: ITN Productions for Amazon Prime Video
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
DOCUMENTARY: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Panorama: Mariupol – The People’s Story, Top Hat Productions/Hayloft Productions
Highly commended: Our World – I Call Him by His Name, International Current Affairs, BBC
Highly commended: The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper – The Trek: A Migrant Trail to America, CNN Worldwide
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
DOCUMENTARY: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Saudi Arabia Wields Cinema as a Tool of Soft Power, France 24 and Nicolas Bertrand
Highly commended: Kenya – Fighting for Water, Off The Grid – TRT WORLD
PRESENTER of the YEAR: RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST
Winner: Nicky Woolf
PRESENTER of the YEAR: TV/VIDEO
Winner: Clive Myrie
The 2024 AIBs are set to open for entry in April, with the awards event in London, shortly after the US Presidential Elections.
