ITV Celebrates As BAFTA Recognises Excellence

ITV News at Ten has won the News Coverage Award at this year's TV BAFTAs for its programme broadcast on the night of the Cumbria Murders in June 2010.
The prestigious award win means that ITV News at Ten has now won the BAFTA for news three years in a row – in 2009 for its coverage of the China earthquake, in 2010 for Haiti and now in 2011 for one of the major home news stories in recent years.
ITV News International Editor Bill Neely has provided the top story for each of the award-winning programmes. This award is also achieved on the back of ITV News at Ten being named Royal Television Society Programme of the Year earlier in 2011.
The winning programme was anchored live from Whitehaven by presenter Mark Austin on the night that Cumbria and the rest of the UK was reeling from the murders committed by Derrick Bird.
Correspondents including Bill Neely, Emma Murphy, Stephen Douglas and colleagues from ITV Tyne Tees helped make the programme the definitive account of the day's events combined with sensitive reaction from the local community.
Collecting the award, ITV News at Ten presenter Mark Austin said: "All too often these awards are given for events of great human tragedy and this is no exception. It's humbling and heartening to think that those who matter think we're on the right track."
Deborah Turness, Editor of ITV News, said: "All of us at ITV News are hugely proud to win a BAFTA three years in a row for our coverage of the China earthquake, Haiti and now the Cumbria murders.
"It's testament to the strength of our journalism and ability to get to the heart of a story that ITV News at Ten has been named programme of year by the Royal Television Society and won a BAFTA in the same year."
ITN also produced another programme included in the shortlist for the BAFTA award, with Channel 4 News nominated for its coverage of Chile and the Congo. Meanwhile, one of the most-loved ITN veterans Sir Trevor McDonald was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship in recognition of his long and highly distinguished career.
(BMcC)