Leaders election debates win broadcasting innovation award

The 2010 televised leader election debates, broadcast by the BBC, ITV and Sky, have received an innovation award in the Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) awards.

The annual awards, being presented to the winners today, are in their 37th year, covering categories across the television and radio industry.

The prime ministerial debates were the UK's first ever televised debates with the leaders of the three main political parties.

According to a release announcing the winners, the prize will be accepted by the three debate chairmen, Adam Boulton from Sky, David Dimbleby from the BBC and Alastair Stewart from ITV.

This is not the first time the debates have received recognition this year, in February the negotiating teams from the three broadcasters who worked on drawing up the historic agreement were given the Judges' Award at the Royal Television Journalism Award.

Other winners in the BPG awards today include Cutting Edge: My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, produced by Firecracker Films for Channel 4, which won best single documentary.

The Wonders of the Solar System picked up the prize for the best documentary series, a co-production by BBC Factual London and Science Channel for BBC Two, while its presenter Professor Brian Cox was named best TV performer in a non-acting role.

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