BEST USE OF MEDIA - WINNER

Ruth Fogarty, Kate Wild and Marian Wilkinson, Four Corners Broadband, “Tipping Point”

“Tipping Point” was a collaborative project between Four Corners and The Sydney Morning Herald to demonstrate the effects of global warming on the Arctic icecap. Using their online edition as a bolstered and more interactive version of the Four Corners story, the team examined the political, economic and environmental implications of the melt. Features included previously unseen interviews with eight climate specialists, an interactive map, a diary of the crew’s journey to the North-West Passage, plus video and photographs. This method of interactive storytelling brought to life some very complex issues in an engaging and compelling fashion. Ruth Fogarty is a web producer, journalist and video editor who has worked with Four Corners, managing its online content, for four years. In that time she has produced the award-winning Four Corners Broadband Editions, which supplement the to-air documentary with extended interviews and research. Prior to Four Corners, Ruth worked as a new-media producer and moderator on various projects, including Fat Cow Motel and the Degrassi online community. Sydney-based journalist Kate Wild has worked as a producer, researcher and writer with companies including the ABC, SBS TV and the Discovery Channel. She has worked on more than 20 individual documentaries, and on programs including Four Corners, Australian Story, Insight and the Chaser’s War on Everything. Marian Wilkinson is environment editor for The Sydney Morning Herald. She has previously worked in radio and television, including for Four Corners, where she was executive producer. She was also Washington correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and won the Walkley for TV Current Affairs Report in 1989.

Judges’ comments

“Tipping Point” offers a stunning multi-platform appraisal of the impact of global warming on the Arctic ice melt, incorporating unique vision and extensive interviews, as well as strong graphics. The entry combines solid reporting that avoids hyperbole and seeks to open a new realm in a complex issue for TV and online audiences, while employing a range of multi-media tools to add interest and value. Very well thought out.