Arab Spring coverage earns Al Jazeera English top award

Al Jazeera English has been named news of the channel of the year at the Royal Television Society television journalism awards.

The broadcaster was praised by judges for its coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings, including reports from Cairo's Tahrir Square and for breaking the news of the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The Al-Jazeera English social media programme, The Stream, which relies heavily on social media and Skype interviews, received the innovative programme award.

AJE managing director Al Anstey said in a release: "Al Jazeera English has had the most incredible year: a year where people took to the streets in protest, the economic crisis unfolded across Europe, and the world witnessed the devastating impact of the tsunami in Japan.

"Al Jazeera English was there to capture every moment, and it is an even greater privilege for our reporters and bureaus across the world to receive this award in recognition of our great work."

Sky News's coverage of last summer's riots in England won the home news award, and its reports from Libya won the foreign news prize. Alex Crawford won journalist of the year for the third year in a row, and Anna Botting was named presenter of the year.

The BBC's Newsnight was named news programme of the year, and its economics editor Paul Mason won special journalist of the year.

The full list of winners

Camera Operator of the Year
Stuart Webb, Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 News

Current Affairs – Home
Panorama: Undercover Care, BBC Current Affairs for BBC One

Current Affairs – International
Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, ITN for Channel 4

Innovative News
The Stream: Bahrain, Al Jazeera English

Nations and Regions Current Affairs and News Event
Insight: The Resurrection of Brendan Smyth, UTV Insight

Nations and Regions News Programme
Calendar, ITV Yorkshire

News Channel of the Year
Al Jazeera English

News Coverage – Home
UK Riots, Sky News

News Coverage – International
Libya, Sky News

News Programme of the Year
Newsnight, BBC Two

Presenter of the Year
Anna Botting, Sky News

Scoop of the Year
Panorama: Undercover Care, BBC Current Affairs for BBC One

Specialist Journalist of the Year
Paul Mason, Newsnight, BBC Two

Television Journalist of the Year
Alex Crawford, Sky News

The Independent Award
Somali Olympic Dreams, Jamal Osman for ITN/Channel 4 News

Young Journalist of the Year
Joe Casey, BBC Panorama, BBC Current Affairs for BBC One

Judges’ Award
NHK for the Japan Tsunami coverage

Lifetime Achievement
Sir David Nicholas of ITN.

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