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Johnson, Bowen star at media conference

BJR editor Bill Hagerty with Mayor Boris Johnson at Westminster University
Picture by Mike Maloney

The second media conference to be co-hosted by the BJR and the University of Westminster culminated in the presentation of the annual Charles Wheeler Award for Contribution to Broadcast Journalism and a keynote speech by Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The conference, which attracted academics from the UK and abroad as well as many journalists and students, was held at the University’s Regent Street, London, campus on June 8 and 9, with BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen receiving his award from Lady Wheeler, the late BBC foreign correspondent’s widow, on the second evening. Accepting the Award, Bowen said the BBC’s loss of self-confidence and introspection was not justified, and the corporation should be proud of its global and national status.

Mayor Johnson, formerly an editor of The Spectator still a columnist with The Daily Telegraph, spoke on the shifting power game between politics and media, wickedly challenging the BBC’s “lack of accountability” in not revealing the salaries paid to many top executives. Johnson said he asked Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman – winner of the Wheeler Award last year – how much he earns 14 times, but didn’t obtain an answer.

Both the University and the BJR again indicated that they hope both conference and award will be an annual event in the media calendar.

Paul Foot Award

Sponsored by Private Eye and The Guardian and supported by the BJR, the Paul Foot Award 2010, honouring campaigning journalism in the UK, is now open for entries. Submissions will be accepted for material that has been published in a newspaper, magazine or online between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2010. Individual journalists, teams of journalists or entire publications may enter. The winner will be awarded £5,000, with five runners-up each receiving £1,000, at a presentation in London on 2 November.

For a downloadable application form go to: www.private-eye.co.uk; for further information contact Margot Weale on 020 7361 7881 or email margot.weale@midaspr.co.uk.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the following organisations:

BBC	News International
Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday	Pearson
The Daily Telegraph	Prudential
The Economist	Trinity Mirror
The Guardian	Unite (T&G)