Young Australian Journalist of the Year

Established in 2008 by the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, the Young Australian Journalist of the Year award complements the prestigious Walkley Awards (Australia’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize).[1][2] It recognizes exceptional work across five categories by journalists aged 26 and under:

Print
Television
Radio
Online
Photography

Category winners compete for the overall Young Australian Journalist of the Year title, selected by the Walkley Board.^[1]

Key Updates (2018–2024)

New Category (2021): Added Student Journalist of the Year for university-level talent.^[2]
Age Limit Flexibility: Extended to 30 during 2020–2022 due to COVID-19 career disruptions.^[3]
Diversity Emphasis: Recent juries prioritize First Nations, regional, and climate reporting.^[4]
Digital Expansion: Online category now includes podcasting and interactive storytelling.^[5]

2008

The awards were announced on 24 July 2008:

Inaugural: Sophie McNeill of SBS-TV^[6]
Print: Ben Doherty, The Age
Television: Sophie McNeill
Radio: Michael Atkin, Triple J's "Hack"
Online: Asher Moses, a reporter on the Sydney Morning Herald's website, for his story about politicians editing Wikipedia^[7]
Photography: Andrew Quilty, The Australian Financial Review

2009

The awards were announced on 25 June 2009:

Young Australian Journalist of the Year overall winner: Julia Medew, The Age
Print: Julia Medew, The Age
Television: Yaara Bou Melhem, SBS-TV
Radio: Michael Atkin, Triple J "Hack"
Online: Nic MacBean, ABC Online
Photography: Sandie Bertrand, The West Australian

References

^ "Award's website". Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
^ "How and Why to Launch a CSD Student Ethics Contest". Blog post Digital Object Group. 8 September 2021. doi:10.1044/2021-0908-ethics-contest. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
^ Skryl, Tatiana V.; Gregoric, Marina (2022), "Tourism in the Post-COVID Age", Post-COVID Economic Revival, Volume II, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 239–254, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-83566-8_15, ISBN 978-3-030-83565-1
^ not provided, greenfastdietsharktankreviews (18 November 2021). "[RETRACTED] SCAM ALERT!! Guardian Botanicals Blood Balance Australia – Does Guardian Botanicals Blood Balance Australia Really Work? v1". doi:10.17504/protocols.io.bz6sp9ee. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ "Walkley, David B.", Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Oxford University Press, 31 October 2011, doi:10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.b00193851, retrieved 15 July 2025
^ "2008 Young Australian Journalists of the Year Winners". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
^ "Herald journalist gonged"

[home-1] "Award's website". Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2008.

[2] "How and Why to Launch a CSD Student Ethics Contest". Blog post Digital Object Group. 8 September 2021. doi:10.1044/2021-0908-ethics-contest. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

[3] Skryl, Tatiana V.; Gregoric, Marina (2022), "Tourism in the Post-COVID Age", Post-COVID Economic Revival, Volume II, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 239–254, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-83566-8_15, ISBN 978-3-030-83565-1

[4] t provided, greenfastdietsharktankreviews (18 November 2021). "[RETRACTED] SCAM ALERT!! Guardian Botanicals Blood Balance Australia – Does Guardian Botanicals Blood Balance Australia Really Work? v1". doi:10.17504/protocols.io.bz6sp9ee. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[5] "Walkley, David B.", Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Oxford University Press, 31 October 2011, doi:10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.b00193851, retrieved 15 July 2025

[6] "2008 Young Australian Journalists of the Year Winners". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2008.

[7] "Herald journalist gonged"

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