We where thrilled and honoured to take home the prestigious award for a second time, we received the initial recognition at the inaugural Asian Media Awards back in 2013, so to be awarded it again was so humbling.
Journalists, film makers and media professionals from across the country were honoured at the fifth Asian Media Awards.
The ceremony was held at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate (Wednesday 25 October).
Writer Yasmin Alibhai-Brown was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Media Award.
Director Gurinder Chadha was honoured with the Sophiya Haque Services to British Media Award.
Broadcaster and presenter Anita Rani was named Media Personality of the Year.
The MMU and Routes into Languages Journalist of the Year award went to Nelufar Hedayat who also picked up the Best Investigation award for her eight part series ‘The Traffickers.’ The series was produced by Lightbox for Fusion.
BBC Midlands reporter Audrey Dias was presented with the Regional Journalist of the Year award and the Independent’s Shehab Khan won the Outstanding Young Journalist category.
The TV Report of the Year award was won by an ITV News piece – ‘Former members of banned terror group meet at far-right training camp’ by Rohit Kachroo.
BBC 5 Live and BBC Asian Network presenter Nihal was named Radio Presenter of the Year and Sunrise Radio won Radio Station of the Year for the second year running. The Panjabi Hit squad were named Best Radio Show and Leicester based Sabras won the Regional Radio Station of the Year.
The Best TV programme / Show was the two-part BBC series ‘My Family, Partition and Me India 1947’ and Star Plus regained the TV Channel of the Year accolade.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown said, “This is an honour I did not expect in my lifetime. It is for me and all those Asian women and men who now shine in the media today.
“Many are friends and mentees. I know how hard it is- how much Asian and black talent has to strive to get noticed, get the breaks, to get where they want and deserve to be. This is a celebration of all that. There is still a long way to go.
“Don’t expect me to retire any time soon. I will still be writing and broadcasting and making a nuisance of myself!”
Journalist, Nelufar Hedayat said, I am humbled, honoured and thrilled to be winning this award.
“I can’t quite explain what it means to me as a British Asian woman to be recognised in this way. I want to thank everybody for the support they have shown me and the other people in the category who stood along side me.
“To be in the company of such strong, proud resilient journalists is such an honour. As this industry progresses, it gets harder and harder to make these films.
“If we journalists are passionate and giving and want to tell these stories, there will always be someone willing to allow us. “
Gurinder Chadha said, “I want to thank you all at the Asian Media Awards for giving me this wonderful award and recognising my work in the media.
“It has been quite a long time since I have been working in the media.
“I started off as a BBC local news reporter in the West Midlands in Radio WM and worked my way through television to movies and back into television which I love.
“I think that this is a time when it is really important that we are out there.
Speaking from Mumbai where she was filming, Anita Rani said, “Thank you so much for this award. It means a huge amount from the bottom of my heart.
“I have had a fantastic year and I have been able to make a programme about partition. As you know it is something so deeply personal for me. Also I have had an opportunity to tell a story about millions of people.
“That is what working in television is all about. It is about being to tell our stories. The things that unite us and bring us together rather than divide us.”
In PR and marketing, Ethnic Reach won their first AMA and the campaign surrounding the exhibition #Iamyezedi secured the Creative Media Award for 2017.
Arika Murtza was named the Media Professional of the Year.
The Best Video Channel Award went to 24-year-old Rucksar Naaz for ‘Brown Girl Problems 1.’
The Best Stage Production award was won by the compelling play ‘Combustion’ and the Best Live Event award went to the Magic Lantern Festival.
There was double joy for Birmingham as both DESIblitz and The Asian Today won the Best Website and Publication of the Year Awards respectively.
For first time in five years the Best Blog category featured an all-female shortlist and was won by Taran Bassi who now writes for the Metro.
The Asian Media Awards were held at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate on Wednesday October 25 2017.
The University of Salford were premier sponsors and partners to the event include ITV, MediaCom, M.E.N, Press Association Training & Primesight.
The official Charity Partners for 2017 are Sightsavers.
The event is also supported by Manchester Metropolitan University, Routes Into Languages, AMT Lawyers, Hilton Manchester Deansgate, Tauheedul Education Trust, Supreme Dream Events, Payal and Cleartwo.
FULL WINNERS LIST:
Publication of the Year – The Asian Today
Best Blog – Taran Bassi
Best Website – DESIblitz.com
Best Video Channel – Rucksar Naaz for Browngirl Problems1
Best Live Event – Magic Lantern Festival
Best Stage Production – Combustion, Written and Co-Produced by Asif Khan (AIK productions); Co-Producer: Jonathan Kennedy (Tara Arts); Directed by: Nona Shepphard; Designed by Mila Sanders Featuring: Mitesh Soni; Nigel Hastings; Shireen Farkhoy; Rez Kempton; Beruce Khan
Media Professional of the Year – Arika Murtza
Creative Media Award – ‘I Am Yezidi’ Exhibition Campaign
Media Agency of the Year – Ethnic Reach
Best TV Programme/Show – My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947
AMA Best Newcomer – Bhavin Bhatt
TV Channel of the Year – Star Plus
Best TV Character – Bhavna Limbachia as Rana Nazir in Coronation Street
TV Report of the Year – Former Members of Banned Terror Group Meet at Far-Right Training Camp – By Rohit Kachroo, Producer: Becky Kelly for ITV News
Best Radio Show – Panjabi Hit Squad, BBC Asian Network
Regional Radio Station of the Year – Sabras Radio
Radio Presenter of the Year – Nihal, BBC Asian Network and BBC Radio 5 Live
Radio Station of the Year – Sunrise Radio
Regional Journalist of the Year – Audrey Dias, BBC Midlands Today
Outstanding Young Journalist – Shehab Khan, The Independent
Best Investigation – The Traffickers, Nelufar Hedayat for Lightbox
Journalist of the Year – Nelufar Hedayat
Media Personality of the Year – Anita Rani
Sophiya Haque Services to British Television & Film Award – Gurinder Chadha
Outstanding Contribution to Media – Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
