ABC Tasmania’s April McLennan: Championing the public interest

April McLennan. Image supplied

Investigative journalism can be an intense and challenging career path, but representing the public interest is an area in which ABC Tasmania’s April McLennan clearly thrives.

It’s been quite the month for the triple j Hack reporter, last week named Young Australian Journalist of the Year as the Walkley Foundation handed out its mid-year Media Prizes.

McLennan – previously the Investigative Reporter for ABC Tasmania – also won the categories of Public Service Journalism and Coverage of Community & Regional Affairs.

It comes hot on the heels of the MEAA Tasmanian Media Awards, where McLennan was named Journalist of the Year.

The Walkley Foundation judges said “April’s work shows tenacity, dedication, strong investigative and research skills, and a laudable commitment to difficult public interest journalism.”

The ABC won six awards overall.

Multi-platform reporter Lia Walsh (pictured above) took home the award for Innovative Storytelling, for her social media reports on the US election.

Coverage of community and regional affairs:

Alistair Bates, ABC Pilbara

April McLennan, ABC Tasmania (Launceston) – WINNER

Innovative Storytelling:

Alex Lim, ABC News

Lia Walsh, ABC News TikTok and Instagram accounts – WINNER

Visual storytelling:

Briana Fiore, ABC News, YouTube, ABC Instagram

Public service journalism:

April McLennan, ABC News – WINNER

Women’s Leadership in Media Prize:

Ladies, We Need to Talk team, ABC Listen

Our Watch Award for Excellence in Reporting on Violence Against Women:

ABC News Breakfast team, ABC – WINNER

Fiona Pepper (pictured above), ABC Radio National; ABC News

Media Diversity Australia Prize:

Tahnee Jash & Stephanie Boltje, ABC News, ABC Tik Tok and Instagram

Arts Journalism & Arts Criticism Prize:

Rudi Bremer, Teresa Tan, Daniel Browning, ABC Indigenous and ABC News Story Lab – WINNER

*Images ABC website and supplied