Alex Crawford, Sky News

Crawford received the award in recognition of 'her significant contribution to reporting on the Middle East and in particular, Libya'.


Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford has received the James Cameron Memorial Award, presented last night at a ceremony at City University, London.

In an announcement the university said the award was given in recognition of "her significant contribution to reporting on the Middle East and in particular, Libya".

The accolade, which is awarded in memory of British journalist James Cameron, offers a prize of £1,000 from the James Cameron Memorial Trust. It was collected on Crawford's behalf by Sky's head of international news, Sarah Whitehead.

Crawford, who is based in South Africa, has recently been widely praised in the media for her coverage of the Libyan conflict. She was one of the first journalists to enter Tripoli with the anti-Gaddafi forces when they went in to take control of the capital, reporting live while sat in the back of a pick-up truck to a background of gunfire.

She was also named television journalist of the year earlier this year in the Royal Television Society's Television Journalism Awards for the second year running.

Responding to the news that she had received the James Cameron Memorial Award Crawford was quoted by City as saying: "it means a lot".

"James Cameron epitomises everything I aspire to be - a journalist of incredible integrity, grit and authority.

"Frankly, to be mentioned in the same breath as him is both astonishing to me and a massive honour. Thank you for this recognition."

Professor George Brock, head of journalism at City University London, who presented the award, said each year the recipient of the award is "a British journalist working on international affairs who, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates James Cameron's qualities in her or his work and shows professional integrity and moral courage".

He added: "During her career Alex has shown very great determination and courage.

"She has been arrested, detained, interrogated and faced live bullets and tear gas, going well beyond the call of duty in pursuit of the truth and the news.

"She is an outstanding role model for not only City journalism students embarking on their career, but for the sector as a whole."

The evening also saw the delivery of the Cameron Lecture by Wadah Khanfar, who recently stepped down as director general of Al Jazeera.
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