After a record number of entries, the best work of everyone involved in the media in Kent has been celebrated at the tenth annual Kent Press & Broadcast Awards (KPBA).
Organised by Kent PR and marketing agency Maxim, the not-for-profit award scheme recognises and rewards the media’s commitment to serving local communities.
The awards ceremony took place at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury on Friday 26 July and was hosted by BBC news presenter Martine Croxall.
The 2024 winners were selected from among 163 entries received across 16 categories by a team of eight independent judges.
New for 2024, the sponsors were joined by charity partners Demelza and Leas Lift, two local organisations selected by the Maxim team as deserving special recognition for their positive impact on their communities.
There were also four new categories: ‘Broadcast Presenter’, ‘Investigation’, ‘Making it Happen’ and ‘Story of the Year’. Each new category was created following a survey of previous entrants and discussions with the independent judges to ensure that KPBA continues to remain relevant for the county’s media.
This year, two further awards were presented for entries that really stood out, but which didn’t win the category they were shortlisted for.
The ‘Golden Pen’ was awarded to Kathy Bailes of The Isle of Thanet News, and the ‘Golden Microphone’ was presented to kmfm for its ‘Tonnes of Tins’ campaign, which secured the equivalent of 16,000 tins of beans for 18 food banks across the county.
Maxim was joined in supporting KBPA by Caxtons, CPL Films, East Kent Colleges Group and Gallagher Group, as well as Kent Cricket, Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, MHA, Port of Dover, Shepherd Neame and Stagecoach South East.
Maxim director Rachel Knight said: “This year’s awards – which took place a little later than usual due to the General Election – demonstrate that the standard of journalism continues to be strong in Kent. Congratulations to everyone who attended the Kent Press & Broadcast Awards 2024, and to the worthy winners.
“We also need to thank the generous sponsors, who recognise the important role that the press plays in our communities. As KPBA is a not-for-profit event, we really couldn’t run these awards without them.
“And last but definitely not least, these awards wouldn’t have been possible without our judges, who give up their free time and we are grateful for their support.”
Recruited from across the media, the 2024 judging panel comprised Adrian Wills, former newspaper and broadcast journalist; Anthony France, national and international journalist and editor; Elaine Bruce, former television senior journalist and news and features producer; John Warnett, former journalist and radio presenter; Leo Whitlock, a local newspaper journalist for more than 20 years, much of which was spent at the KM Media Group; Rebecca Smith, former senior editor for Kent Regional News and Media; and Sian Elvin, national journalist and editor and a former KPBA Kent ‘Young Journalist of the Year’.
During the ceremony, Susie Boniface, a national journalist known as Fleet Street Fox, was presented with a gift in recognition of her 10 years of serving on the judging panel.
The 2024 results in full are:
‘Kent Broadcast Journalist of the Year’, sponsored by Eurotunnel Le Shuttle
Winner: Christine Alsford, ITV News Meridian | Highly commended: James Dunham, ITV News Meridian | Finalists: Kit Bradshaw, ITV News Meridian; Phil Harrison, BBC Radio Kent
‘Kent Broadcast Presenter of the Year’, sponsored by CPL Films
Winner: Claudia Sermbezis, BBC South East | Highly commended: Abby Hook, KMTV | Finalists: Adam Dowling, BBC Radio Kent; Dominic King, BBC Radio Kent
‘Kent Designer of the Year’, supported by charity partner The Leas Lift
Winner: Rhodri Andrews, KMTV | Highly commended: James Black, KM Media Group | Finalists: Lizzy Tweedale, Brightside Publishing; Lorna Morris, Sideways Media
‘Kent Feature Journalist of the Year (Broadcast)’, sponsored by Shepherd Neame
Winner: Jo Burn, BBC Radio Kent | Highly commended: Derek Johnson, ITV News Meridian | Finalists: Tony Green, ITV News Meridian; Gabriel Morris, KMTV
‘Kent Feature Journalist of the Year (Print & Online)’, sponsored by MHA
Winner: Megan Carr, Sittingbourne News / Sheerness Times Guardian | Highly commended: Keely Greenwood, KentOnline | Finalists: Max Chesson, KM Media Group; Rhys Griffiths, KentOnline
‘Kent Investigation of the Year’
Winner: Kit Bradshaw, ITV News Meridian | Highly commended: Max Chesson, KM Media Group | Finalists: Joe Coshan, ITV News Meridian; Megan Carr, Sittingbourne News / Sheerness Times Guardian
‘Kent Magazine of the Year’, sponsored by Stagecoach South East
Winner: Broadstairs Beacon / Folkestone Foghorn / Margate Mercury / Whitstable Whistler | Highly commended: Bygone Kent | Finalists: ‘Cene Magazine; Kent Staycation
‘Kent Making it Happen Award’, sponsored by Gallagher Group
Winner: Toby Winson, ITV News Meridian | Highly commended: Viv Oliver, KMTV | Finalists: Niki Jacobs, CommunityAd; Roni Glasthal, KMTV
‘Kent New Journalist of the Year’, sponsored by East Kent Colleges Group
Winner: Abby Hook, KMTV | Highly commended: Max Chesson, KM Media Group | Finalists: Oliver Leonard, KentOnline; Ruth Cassidy, KentOnline / Kentish Gazette Series
‘Kent News Website of the Year’, sponsored by Port of Dover
Winner: KentOnline | Highly commended: KentLive | Finalists: Local Authority, The Isle of Thanet News
‘Kent Newspaper of the Year’
Winner: Folkestone & Hythe Express | Highly commended: Kentish Gazette | Finalists: Kentish Express, Kent Messenger
‘Kent Print & Online Journalist of the Year’, sponsored by Caxtons
Winner: Millie Bowles, Kentish Gazette Series / Thanet Extra / KentOnline | Highly commended: Ed Jennings, Local Authority News | Finalists: Brad Harper, KentOnline, Hedi Mehrez, KentLive
‘Kent Programme of the Year’
Winner: The Huddle, BBC Radio Kent | Highly commended: News Nuggets, KMTV | Finalists: BBC South East Today, Who’s Caring for the Carers?, ITV Meridian Special; Tonnes of Tins, kmfm
‘Kent Story of the Year’, sponsored by Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
Winner: Ruth Cassidy, KentOnline / Kentish Gazette Series | Highly commended: Millie Bowles, Kentish Gazette Series / Thanet Extra / KentOnline | Finalists: Kathy Bailes, The Isle of Thanet News; Megan Carr, Medway Messenger / Sittingbourne News / Sheerness Times Guardian
‘The Neil Bell Kent Sports Journalist of the Year’, supported by Kent Cricket
Winner: James Dunn, BBC South East | Highly commended: Matt Cole & Ben Watts, BBC Radio Kent | Finalists: Bartholomew Hall, KMTV; Christian Fuller, BBC South East
‘Kent Voices Award’, supported by charity partner Demelza
Winner: Brightside Publishing, Clare Freeman | Highly commended: Davina Jethwa, KentOnline | Finalists: Megan Samrai, ITV News Meridian; Ruth Cassidy, KentOnline / Kentish Gazette Series
