12 / 20
The AIBs
2016
SHORT FORM JOURNALISM
In
Brussels Divided: Molenbeek after
the Terrorist Attacks
,
The Guardian
has successfully helped its audience
understand the feelings of Belgium’s
youth as divisions between Muslims
and non-Muslims grew ever greater.
The judges said that the programme
offered a compelling connection with
the youth of a badly affected area
of Belgium, together with excellent
investigative work to get to the
heart of the story. The programme
benefited from intimate production
that thoroughly involved the viewer;
indeed, it almost felt like a mini-
documentary, our judges suggested.
The Guardian
CNN
Syria: Witness to an Airstrike
Competent, sequential story-telling marked this
piece out from the competition, showing the
stark reality of airstrikes on the civilian population
of war-ravaged Syria. The footage was at times
shocking, but it was skilfully edited and the reporting
measured, despite the risks and trauma.
VTM News
Train of Hope
This well-structured piece of journalism captured the
emotion of the moment from the perspective of the
refugees as the next stage of their journey across
eastern Europe suddenly becomes a reality. Great
journalism and an interesting story arc, the judges
said.
Highly commended
INVESTIGATIVE
“A fantastic investigation” is how our
judges summed up
ISIS: The British
Women Supporters Unveiled
for
the UK’s
Channel 4
. The programme
hit the mark in terms of risk taking
through incredible undercover
investigative journalism where the
reporter who went underground put
herself at real risk. The documentary
on how European Muslims are being
lured to Syria was fascinating and
compelling with highly creative use of
graphics and archive footage. What
also became clear to the audience is
that on the whole terrorism legislation
has failed in stopping the progress of
so-called ISIS on the streets of major
cities across western Europe. The
programme deconstructed the story
and kept the audience glued to their
television.
Channel 4
Al Jazeera English
101 East: Murder in Malaysia
A thoroughly well-prepared investigation that
manages in just 26 minutes to tell the story of a
blood-chilling murder and explore the inner workings
of modern Malaysia and its government. The
documentary uncovered a tragedy of Shakespearian
proportions, said one judge, while making the story
accessible to viewers internationally.
BBC Northern Ireland
Spotlight: Selling Northern Ireland
This was a comprehensive investigation into a
political and social scandal that was as compelling
for viewers with no knowledge of the subject as
it was for local audiences. There was great use of
secret filming to help the natural flow of the story as
it uncovered business malpractice where the public
are the losers.
Highly commended