Trifecta of awards for NZBS journalism ākonga

_{Maddy Mansfield (4th from left) in the middle of a media conference while producing content for Ara's Metro News}

New Zealand Broadcasting School (NZBS) Bachelor of Broadcasting Communications (Journalism) student Madaleine Mansfield has scooped a trifecta of awards for investigative and visual journalism as she prepares to start her dream work placement at Sky TV.

The latest was coming runner up in a leading Australian investigative reporting competition run by Democracy’s Watchdogs.

Ara Institute of Canterbury second year journalism tutor Jeff Hampton, who submitted the entry on Mansfield’s behalf, said her highly commended work exemplified the purpose of public interest journalism.

He said strong investigative reporting skills were critical for emerging journalists, but only when built on a solid foundation.

“We develop students who are curious and willing to dig deep, but they also need the core broadcast skills to tell those stories well. It’s that balance that makes good journalism.”

Reflecting on Mansfield's work, the Democracy’s Watchdog judges emphasised that investigative journalism should have impact.

They explained: “Madaleine’s story about university students earning rewards for promoting illegal overseas gambling on their social media sparked an investigation by the New Zealand Government. She then wrote another story examining the Government’s response and found it wanting.”

_{Left: Maddy's sights have long been set on becoming a sports reporter Right: With TVNZ’s Newsgathering Editor Laura Barnsley afer winning the Ross Stevens prize}

The recognition follows two major scholarships awarded to Mansfield during her studies at Ara. These included the $10,000 Rotary Down Under Journalism Scholarship and TVNZ’s Ross Stevens Scholarship for the most promising visual storyteller in her Ara Institute of Canterbury cohort.

Hampton said the combination of investigative depth and visual storytelling highlighted Mansfield’s strengths as an emerging journalist.
“This type of recognition just goes to show the versatility and skill that Maddy has,” he said

Mansfield said she was grateful for the support and guidance of her tutors.

‘‘Jeff always wants the best out of everyone he teaches. He still emails or messages me now with opportunities for sports journalism or communication,’’ she said.

Now in the third year of her studies, she's due to start her Sky TV industry placement in Auckland next week - a long held ambition she has worked towards throughout her training.

"I first emailed Sky TV when I was in high school asking how I could get involved in some work experience and they suggested I go to broadcasting school – so that’s exactly what I did.’’

Sports have always been where she wanted to be.

‘‘Anything I did in class, I was always trying to see how I could make it sports-related; that’s where my passion is.’’