{{Short description|Australian journalism awards}} {{redirect|Kennedy Foundation|American foundation started in 1946|Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation|the American journalism award|Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{use Australian English|date=August 2022}} The '''Kennedy Awards''', also formerly known as the '''NRMA Kennedy Awards''', are Australian awards for journalism based in Sydney, New South Wales, run by the '''Kennedy Foundation''', and named in honour of Indigenous Australian journalist Les Kennedy, who died in 2011.<!---redirects for him target this article until article is created.---> {{as of|2022}} there are 34 categories in the annual event, with the main prize being The Kennedy Prize – Journalist of the Year, while a Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded each year as well.
==History== Commencing in 2012, named in honour of Indigenous journalist Les Kennedy<ref name=foundation/> (1958–2011)<ref>{{cite web | last=Brown | first=Malcolm | title=Kennedy, Les (1958–2011)| website=Indigenous Australia| publisher=Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University | date=10 August 2011 | url=https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/kennedy-les-16702 | access-date=13 August 2022| others= Originally published in ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 10 August 2011}}</ref> in the year after his death, the intention was to stage an event in NSW equivalent to journalism awards in other states and territories. However the Kennedy Awards quickly grew to being a national event. The Kennedy Foundation was created as a charitable organisation on 7 March 2014 in order to attract funds for the awards and other endeavours, including providing scholarships for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander journalists.<ref name=foundation/>
The awards have been run annually without interruption since 2012.<ref name=honourroll>{{cite web | title=Kennedy Awards Honour Roll | website=The Kennedy Awards | url=https://kennedyfoundation.org.au/kennedy-award-winners | access-date=2023-11-20 }}</ref> In 2021 they were also referred to as the NRMA Kennedy Awards, being sponsored by the NRMA.<ref name=mw2021>{{cite web | title=2021 NRMA Kennedy Awards: Full list of winners and nominees | website=Mediaweek | date=11 November 2021 | url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/2021-nrma-kennedy-awards-full-list-of-winners-and-nominees/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=tv2021>{{cite web | title=Kennedy Awards 2021: winners | website=TV Tonight | date=20 December 2021 | url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2021/11/kennedy-awards-2021-winners.html/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> There were 34 categories in 2022.<ref name=age2022win/>
In 2021–2022 the Kennedy Foundation entered a sponsorship deal with an organisation calling itself the Australian Journalists Association, which was exposed as a front for an organisation of dubious integrity, the Journalists First Inc., a small group of conservative political operatives based in Queensland which spread anti-vaccination and other controversial information.<ref>{{cite web | title=Roundup: NBCUniversal content battle, Kennedy Awards controversy | website=Mediaweek | date=22 May 2022 | url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/roundup-nbcuniversal-content-battle-kennedy-awards-controversy-masked-singer/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> The foundation ceased its association with this organisation in May 2022.<ref>{{cite web | title=Kennedy Awards make right decision to cut ties with fake union | website=MEAA | date=27 May 2022 | url=https://www.meaa.org/mediaroom/kennedy-awards-make-right-decision-to-cut-ties-with-fake-union/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>
==Kennedy Foundation==
The foundation is a strong advocate for cultural and gender diversity in media. {{as of|August 2022}} the foundation is chaired by accountant Carl Dumbrell;<ref name=foundation>{{cite web | title=The Kennedy Foundation | website=The Kennedy Awards | date=10 July 2021 | url=https://kennedyawards.com.au/kennedy-foundation/ | access-date=13 August 2022 | archive-date=13 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813021035/https://kennedyawards.com.au/kennedy-foundation/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> in 2021 the chair was Rocco Fazzari.<ref name=mw2021/>
==Awards==
The awards take place in Sydney.<ref name=mw2021/> The main prize is Journalist of the Year (won by women in seven out of the nine events after 2012). Five of its awards are named after outstanding journalists, in several categories: Sport (Peter Frilingos); Indigenous Affairs (John Newfong); Outstanding Columnist (Peter Ruehl); Les Kennedy (Outstanding Crime Reporting) and Outstanding Foreign Correspondent (Tom Krause).<ref name=foundation/>
===Past winners=== ;The Kennedy Prize – Journalist of the Year: *2012: Kate McClymont, ''The Sydney Morning Herald''<ref name=honourroll/> *2013: Joanne McCarthy, ''Newcastle Herald''<ref name=honourroll/> *2014: Adele Ferguson, Fairfax Media, ABC TV<ref name=honourroll/> *2015: Caro Meldrum-Hanna, ''Four Corners'', ABC TV<ref name=honourroll/> *2016: Adele Ferguson<ref name=honourroll/> *2017: Chris O'Keefe, ''Nine News''<ref name=honourroll/> *2018: Sharri Markson, ''The Daily Telegraph''<ref name=honourroll/> *2019: Anne Connolly, ''Four Corners'', ''7:30'', ABC TV<ref name=honourroll/> *2020: Nick McKenzie, of ''60 Minutes'', ''The Age'', ''The Sydney Morning Herald''<ref name=2020win/> *2021: Samantha Maiden, of news.com.au<ref name=mw2021/><ref name=tv2021/> *2022: Nick McKenzie<ref name=smh2022win>{{cite web | last=Berry | first=Jamie | title=Kennedy Awards: Nick McKenzie takes top honour for SMH, AGE reporting | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=12 August 2022 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/mckenzie-claims-journalist-of-the-year-honours-as-herald-age-make-mark-at-kennedy-awards-20220812-p5b9gh.html | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=age2022win>{{cite web | last=Graham | first=Jackson | title=Age's Nick McKenzie wins journalist of the year at NSW awards | website=The Age | date=13 August 2022 | url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/age-s-nick-mckenzie-wins-journalist-of-the-year-at-nsw-awards-20220813-p5b9ko.html | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> *2023: Neil Chenoweth and Edmund Tadros, of ''The Australian Financial Review''<ref>{{cite web | title=AFR sweeps the Kennedy Awards for PwC tax leaks | website=Australian Financial Review | date=2023-08-18 | url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/afr-sweeps-the-kennedy-awards-for-pwc-tax-leaks-20230818-p5dxsa | access-date=2023-10-20}}</ref><ref name=mw2023>{{cite web | last=Manning | first=James | title=2023 Kennedy Awards: All the winners for excellence in journalism | website=Mediaweek | date=2023-08-20 | url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/2023-kennedy-awards-all-the-winners-for-excellence-in-journalism/ | access-date=2023-10-20}}</ref> *2024: John Lyons<ref name=abc2024>{{cite web | last=Hilton | first=Aoife | title=John Lyons named Journalist of the Year at 2024 Kennedy Awards | website=ABC News | date=17 August 2024 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-17/john-lyons-named-journalist-of-the-year-at-2024-kennedy-awards/104238242 | access-date=17 August 2024}}</ref> ;Lifetime Achievement Award: *2013: Harry Potter, ''Ten News''<ref name=honourroll/> *2014: Philip Cornford<ref name=honourroll/> *2015: Ian Heads {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}}<ref name=honourroll/> *2016: John Smith, ''The Daily Telegraph''<ref name=honourroll/> *2017: Ita Buttrose<ref name=honourroll/> *2018: Jana Wendt<ref name=2020win>{{cite web | title=Home | website=The Kennedy Awards | url=https://kennedyawards.com.au/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813021016/https://kennedyawards.com.au/ | archive-date=13 August 2022 | url-status=live | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> *2019: Brian Henderson<ref name=2020win/> *2020: John Hartigan<ref name=2020win/> *2021: John Laws<ref>{{cite web | title=Kennedy Awards: Herald and Age journalists recognised in 'bumper news year' | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=11 November 2021 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/herald-and-age-journalists-win-kennedy-awards-in-bumper-news-year-20211111-p5988f.html | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> *2022: Bruce McAvaney {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}}, of Seven Network<ref name=smh2022win/><ref>{{cite web | title=Kennedy Awards 2022: winners | website=TV Tonight | date=20 December 2021 | url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/08/kennedy-awards-2022-winners.html/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> *2023: Laurie Oakes<ref name=mw2023/><ref>{{cite web | title=Nine's journalists recognised at Kennedy Awards 2023 | website=9News | date=2023-08-19 | url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/nine-wins-in-kennedy-awards-2023/aed38903-13e3-4b43-b9e3-93f1cdb490cf | access-date=2023-10-20}}</ref> *2024: Tracey Grimshaw<ref name=abc2024/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official|https://kennedyawards.com.au/}}
{{authority control}} Category:Australian journalism awards Category:2012 establishments in Australia Category:2014 establishments in Australia