For the sixth time, FHWien der WKW honored ten talents with the coveted prize for journalists in training. 84 works were submitted.
Vienna, Oktober 2, 2024 – The Journalism Young Talent Award 2024 was again awarded for investigating socially relevant topics such as soil consumption and work-life balance. With this award, FHWien der WKW promotes young journalists and offers them a platform to present themselves to the industry and a wider audience.
From a total of 84 entries, an expert jury selected the best works in the categories of Radio & Audio, TV & Video, Text and Multimedia. A special prize was awarded for the best thesis. The event was hosted by presenter and actor Patrick Sieber, himself a journalism student at FHWien der WKW.
Supporting young journalists at the beginning of their careers
The Journalism Young Talent Award is endowed with 500 euros per category and was awarded for the first time this year with the kind support of “Der Standard” and “Kurier”. The prize in the text category was sponsored by “Der Standard” and presented by its head of marketing Judith Zingerle. The prize in the multimedia category was sponsored by “Kurier” and presented by Marlene Auer, editor-in-chief of “Kurier-freizeit”.
Jury of journalists and experts from FHWien der WKW
The works were evaluated by an expert jury. The jury consisted of Daniela Süssenbacher, head of the FHWien der WKW study program, and the department heads Regula Blocher, Carola Leitner, Martin Reichenauer and Karina Schwann. The jury also included eight independent journalists: Bea Sommersguter and Matthias Däuble (both Ö1) in the Radio & Audio category, Christine Grabner (freelance TV designer) and Eduard Moschitz (ORF) in the TV & Video category, Regina Pöll (ORF) and Wolfgang Sablatnig (Tiroler Tageszeitung) in the Text category and Yvonne Widler (Kurier) and Robert Varga (APA) in the Multimedia category.
The winners of the Journalism Young Talent Award 2024 at a glance:
- Category Radio & Audio:
Benedikt Quinz for his radio report “Built up land, built up future?”, which he produced as part of his master’s thesis at FHWien der WKW. His work sheds light on the effects of soil consumption, in which Austria is the European leader. Based on the extreme weather conditions in the summer of 2023, he shows how climate change and uncontrolled soil consumption are exacerbating the situation and looks for solutions.
- Category TV & Video:
Victoria Hehle for her entry “How are news actually made?” In her video, she explains the news production process in a child-friendly way and visits newsrooms in radio, TV and print/online. She accompanies journalists at work and explains in an understandable way what is important in the production of news. Hehle also addresses the issue of fake news and shows how to recognize fake reports.
- Category Text:
The jury selected “Quiet Quitting – Resistance or Zeitgeist?” by Anke Mandl, Lisa Marie Wögerbauer and Katharina Darya Ressl as the best text. The article looks at where the demand for a better work-life balance comes from and why Generation Z is increasingly willing to assert this against their employers. Experts such as an occupational psychologist and employers provide insights, complemented by Gen Z reactions on social media and the voices of young adults in Vienna.
- Category Multimedia:
The best entry in the multimedia category was the group project “Uprooted: The last summer on the fields” by Afifa Akhtar, Amira Ali, Sebastian Deiber and Katharina Fallmann. The story follows an organic farmer from Lichtenwörth who is affected by the planned expropriation and construction of a bypass. While the mayor of Wiener Neustadt defends the project as a relief for the city center, traffic expert Günter Emberger criticizes the road as “outdated”. At the same time, opposition to soil sealing is stirring in the climate camp.
- Category Best Thesis (only for Alumni of FHWien der WKW):
This year’s Best Thesis Award went to Hannah Purner for her print dossier “Krawall” which originated from her Master’s thesis on the cancel culture. In her work, she examines the power of language in democratic debates and how that power is distributed. Purner shows that it is as much about the limits of what can be said as it is about who is heard. Democratic debate thrives on contradiction, but in an age of cancel culture, contradiction is often only tolerated in certain circles.
About the Journalism & Media Management study programs
For more than 20 years, the Journalism & Media Management study programs at FHWien der WKW have been offering practice-oriented study programs for a career in quality journalism. Three degree programs – two Bachelor’s and one Master’s – impart journalistic know-how in content production and media management. The focus is on the close integration of theory and practice. More than two-thirds of the faculty come from the media industry. They contribute their many years of professional experience to the classroom, ensuring that students receive a highly practical education.
Photo:
FHWien der WKW has honored ten talents with the Journalism Young Talent Award 2024. The photo shows the award winners with members of the jury.
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Copyright: Markus Hechenberger
FHWien der WKW – University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication
FHWien der WKW is Austria’s leading university of applied sciences for management & communication. Its Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs offer more than 2,800 students a practice-oriented academic education. Around 900 people are completing a continuing education program at FHWien. Two thirds of the lecturers come directly from the business world. The close cooperation with local companies in teaching and research optimally prepares students for their careers. Since its foundation in 1994, FHWien der WKW has already produced over 15,100 graduates.
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