Science Journalism Awards: NZME journalists among nominees announced for inaugural science media awards

Three Herald journalists are among the finalists announced in the inaugural Science Journalism Awards this year. Photo / Dean Purcell

Finalists for a new set of journalism awards recognising reporting excellence on science-related issues have been announced.

The inaugural Science Journalism Awards, by the Science Media Centre, reeled in 58 submissions from media outlets around the country. Entries included magazine features, television news, podcasts, digital interactives, videos and online news.

Among the nine journalists named as finalists are three whose works were published last year in NZME or Herald publications - including science reporter Jamie Morton, freelance multi-media journalist Sasha Borissenko and up-and-coming reporter Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai.

Te Rito Journalism graduate Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai has been nominated in this year's inaugural Science Journalism Awards. Photo / Julie Zhu

Tinetali-Fiavaai, who wrote her entry story while working at the Herald under the Te Rito Journalism cadet programme, is one of four reporters up for the Emerging Journalist award. Other writers nominated in this category are from the NZ Listener, The Press and The Spinoff.

The awards called for a single piece of science journalism that could also delve or explore into any aspect of science, technology, innovation and research including emerging technologies, environmental and climate impacts, natural hazards, medicine and health research or mātauranga (knowledge) Māori or Pacific traditional knowledge.

Tinetali-Fiavaai, who has a special interest in telling Pasifika stories or those impacting the Pacific community, highlighted the need for solid hygiene practices for traditional tatau (tattoo) artists in New Zealand in her entry. The article also touched on the very real - and deadly - consequences of such practices not being followed closely.

Herald science reporter Jamie Morton in the Antarctic, where he spent a month there in 2019.

Morton and Borissenko are both up for the Established Journalist award. They are vying against reporters from Radio New Zealand and NZ Geographic.

Morton is no stranger to awards, having been named as a finalist and winner - including best science reporter - in the prestigious Voyager Media Awards several times over the years.

Morton’s entry, a digital form piece, looked at the dramatic climate changes in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean over the last few years and the ongoing need for the rest of the planet to make changes to slow down global warming.

The piece also earned Morton a nomination for best innovation in digital storytelling at last month’s Voyager Media Awards.

Freelance multi-media reporter Sasha Borissenko is among the finalists in this year's Science Journalism Awards. Photo / Dean Purcell

Borissenko, who is also a columnist for the Herald and also writes for other media outlets, has been nominated for an episode on her Chewing The Facts podcast highlighting bariatric surgery.

The episode was part of a 10-part podcast series investigating the range of factors contributing to the rise in the New Zealand population’s weight - looking at issues such as increased access to cheap high-calorie foods and changes in work and urban environments.

Organisers of the inaugural awards said: “We have been blown away by the calibre of the work nominated this year.”

The winners will be announced at an event on June 19 in Wellington.