About The Awards
We are delighted to announce that this year’s Mental Health Media Awards will be held on Wedesday October 10th at BAFTA, London.
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Press Releases |
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Winners 2005 |
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Winners 2004 |
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Endorsement Quotes |
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Photo Gallery (opens in new window, requires Flash) |
The reach and the appeal of the Awards continue to go from strength to strength. In 1994, the first year of the Awards, we had three categories – now we have eleven, which speaks volumes about the changing coverage of mental health issues in every genre of the media. Whether it’s children’s programmes, the news or an article in a magazine, all the winners successfully challenge the misinformation and stereotypes that surround mental health. And most importantly, they include the voices of people who have experienced mental health problems.
Paul Abbott congratulating Joe Penhall (writer) and John Simm (actor) for Blue Orange
The Awards have rapidly risen in profile and are well attended and highly respected in the world of broadcast and now the press. This is our first year of a new Print Award and who better to introduce the evening than Alastair Campbell. Alastair Campbell has seen it from all sides – a career in the thick of journalism, probably the most high profile press job in Britain to date and a breakdown which he refers to as his ’24 carat crack up’ which was lived out and survived in the full glare of the media.
“The very existence of the Awards has made broadcasters think more carefully about what issues are involved and about what impact programmes … can have on the formulation of better policies in the treatment and management of mental health and on the well-being of survivors.” Jenni Murray, Woman’s Hour, Radio 4 (judge)
Jessie Wallace with the Award for Eastenders character Kat Slater
Last year saw an exceptional number of entries – 117, nearly double previous years. Jeremy Paxman gave the keynote speech; Paul Abbott championed the new Young Person’s Media Award and The Channel 4 News team walked away with 3 awards.
This year we are looking for entries that are innovative, challenging, well made and inspiring. If you have made a programme or written an article which focuses on mental distress or if you know about an excellent example, please let us know. These Awards celebrate the contribution broadcasters and journalists can make to the way we understand mental distress. The best of these programmes have an enormous impact on people and deserve to be rewarded for bringing understanding, respect and hope.
“This is a tremendous honour. Mental health is one of the most neglected areas of society…neglect that is mirrored in the mainstream press. We at Channel 4 News are delighted to have made some contribution toward remedying this, but there is still so much more to be done, and we shall try to do more.” Jon Snow, Channel 4 News
