Did you know the Walkley Awards are run by a Labor Union? - Michael Smith

Every time a journalist is introduced as a Walkley Award winner a bit of implied excellence gets transmitted.

When Hedley Thomas was hounding the Howard Government over Mohammed Haneef he was doing the Lord's Walkley Work (yes it is the same god) and he was Walkley eligible.

This year my spies tell me that pariah Thomas was spied lurking with unsuccessful intent at the 2012 Walkley dinner.

He was up for scoop of the year over he'd scooped up Nick Styant Browne's copy of the unredacted bits of Julia Gillard's exit interview with Slater and Gordon.

Bee-bong.   Union says no.

Last year a young and naive Michael Smith put in a certain interviewing incident with Craig Thomson.   Bee-bong.   A video of a 19 year old boy amourously engaged with a 19 year girl was scoopier.   I will have a few more hours for fishing every year hence, having lost several that I won't get back last year.

This year's Gold Walkley winner was congratulated and interviewed by Paul Murray on 2UE last week.   They all seem very focussed on "Exclusive" tags and recognition and the unfairness of it all.   I was like that too.  

I've learned more about life and role of the fourth estate in the few months I've had this blog than I did in the whole of the time on the radio.   Which was only a few years anyway so it's not that big a deal.   And if I ever thought it was Katarina would whack me and I'd laugh and stop being earnest.

Congratulations to everyone who won a Walkley.   They are the peak award for unionised journalism.

Now how do we recognise the non-unionised sector with similar elan?

WALKLEY AWARD WINNERS 2012:

Gold Walkley - Steve Pennells, The West Australian

Outstanding contribution to journalism - Peter Cave, retired ABC foreign editor

Journalism leadership - The Border Mail

Press photographer of the year - Justin McManus, The Age

Best three headings - Paul Dyer, NT News

Coverage of indigenous affairs - SBS online team, "The Block: Stories form a meeting place"

Sport Journalism - Richard Guilliatt, The Weekend Australian, "The Price of Glory"

Sustained coverage - Ruth Lamper and Stephen Drill, Herald Sun, "Cancer town"

Business journalism - Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker, 7.30 ABC and The Age, "RBA faces questions over bribery connections"

Investigative journalism - Linton Besser and Kate McClymont, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, "Exposed: Obeid's secret harbour deal"

Broadcast and online interviewing - Leigh Sales, 7.30 ABC, interviews with Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison and Christine Milne

Best scoop of the year - Steve Pennells, The West Australian, "Battle for Billions

International journalism - Matthew Carney and Thom Cookes, Four Corners ABC, "In Their Sights"

Best scoop of the year - Steve Pennells, The West Australian, "Battle for Billions

Print news report - Kate McClymont, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, "Thomson: New credit card claims"

Best broadcast camerawork - Gary Ramage, News Limited, "This is Afghanistan"

Commentary, analysis, opinion and critique - John Silvester, The Age, "Over coffee, Carl murdered the truth

Social equity journalism - Steve Pennells, The West Australian, "The untold story of the asylum boat tragedy"

Radio news and current affairs reporting - Nance Haxton, AM, PM and The World Today ABC radio, "Justice system fails disabled victims of sexual abuse"

Radio feature, documentary or broadcast special - Amanda Gearing, Louis Mitchell and Claudia Taranto, 360documentaries ABC radio, "The day that changed Grantham"

Television news reporting - Sharri Markson, Lee Jeloscek, Adam Walters and Michael McKinnon, Seven News, "The Cabinet leak"

Television current affairs reporting (less than 20 minutes) - Hamish Macdonald and Sam Clark, The Project, "Age of uncertainty"

Television current affairs feature or special (more than 20 minutes) - Mary Ann Jolley, Geoff Thompson and Mary Fallon, Four Corners ABC, "Unholy silence"

Best digital journalism - Stuart Washington, Tom Allard, Conrad Walters and UTS team, The Sydney Morning Herald, "Sky's the limit on political gifts"

Magazine feature writing - Jane Cadzow, Good Weekend, "The world according to Bryce"

Newspaper feature writing - Angus Grigg and Hannah low, the Australian Financial Review, "The Punters' Club - tax, totes and the boys from Tassie"

Daily life/feature photography - Nic Walker, AFR magazine, "The Kattle Run"

Sport photography - Phil Hillyard, The Daily Telegraph, "Sally - the race for gold"

News photography - Lukas Coch, Australian Associated Press, "Australia Day protest"

Photographic essay - Sam Ruttyn, the Sunday Telegraph, "Josh Carter, Super Boy"

Documentary - Celeste Geer and Rebel Films/ABC TV, "The the Wind Changed"

Book - George Megalogenis, "The Australian Moment"

Cartoon - Andrew Marlton, Crickey.com.au, "Drowning"

Artwork - Steven Grice, The Advertiser, "Titanic centenary"

Did you know the Walkley Awards are run by a Labor Union? - Michael Smith News: