Competing for Student Journalist of the Year Award

Final year students Liam Ketcher and Elen Davies are competing for the Ed Townsend Student Journalist of the Year Award at the Wales Media Awards.

The event, organised by the Journalists’ Charity, will be held at the Mercure Holland House Hotel, Cardiff on Friday 23 March 2018.

The Wales Media Awards recognise journalistic success in a number of different categories including television, newspaper and magazine reporters while the Ed Townsend Award, sponsored by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), is given to a student journalist.

The award was created in memory of a member of the Journalists’ Charity committee who played a significant role in re-establishing the Wales Media Awards. The awards night raises money for the Charity, which supports journalists in need. It provides advice, grants and other forms of financial support to those who are still working or retired.

Stars of the future

Liam is studying for a BA in Welsh. Currently, he is the Editor of Cardiff University’s newspaper, Gair Rhydd, and a co-founder of the CMCC – a platform for Cardiff’s Welsh language student media which gives a voice to their journalistic voices. Liam’s role as editor of the weekly newspaper, alongside his work as a researcher on a homelessness-themed episode of Wales This Week, and his contribution to the Llais y Maes project at the National Eisteddfod, are the foundation of his nomination.

Elen is a joint-honours student studying for a BA Welsh and Journalism and secured her nomination based on her portfolio of news reports created following a number of work experience placements during her degree study. The portfolio included print and digital articles on themes such as black cab ethics in Cardiff and Wales and the Welsh Settlement in Patagonia and Welshness. Elen’s work on the Welsh Settlement for BBC Cymry Fyw followed a period of work experience in Patagonia, which was funded by a School of Welsh Santander scholarships.

While Elen is studying jointly with the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, Liam is a beneficiary of the flexibility of the School’s programme portfolio and the diverse module selection on offer. An important element of the journalism provision is the practical experiences offered to students to apply their taught skills to a number of different professional contexts, including production, broadcasting and journalism. These experiences, hand in hand with strong Welsh language skills, lay an excellent foundation for a bright future and career.

Liam said: “It is wonderful to be nominated alongside one of my fellow students. Elen is an incredible journalist and I look forward to celebrating with her on the night. I would also like to thank Sian Morgan Lloyd, my tutor in the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, for her guidance and arranging so many invaluable professional experiences.”

Elen added: “I’m very proud that my work has been recognised by professional journalists. It is a huge boost for me to continue to develop and achieve my goal of being a news reporter.

“I’m very much looking forward to attending the awards evening.”

Angharad Naylor, a lecturer in the School of Welsh, said: “I would like to congratulate Liam and Elen on their highly-deserved nominations in the Wales Media Awards.

“As a School, we are proud of their success and wish them every success during the awards evening. Both of them have a very bright future ahead and we are grateful to them for their excellent contributions to the activities of the School and the University.”