Most journalism awards are a somewhat cynical bid to raise revenues by catering to journalists’ egos. This can be lucrative: tables at the Press Awards last week started at £3,450 + VAT for the basic option.
One notable exception is the Paul Foot Awards, named for the crusading left wing investigative reporter who died in 2004. They don’t charge an entry fee, attendance at the awards night is free, and the shortlisted hacks and winner even receive a cash prize.
This largesse was, for most of the awards’ history, thanks to the generosity of Private Eye and the Guardian. But as Eye editor Ian Hislop grizzled – twice – at the ceremony, the Guardian, “now down to its last billion pounds”, no longer feels able to financially support the awards, leaving Hislop with the bill.
So when the – very worthy – winners were announced, Patrick Butler and Josh Halliday for a series on the scandal of the government prosecuting carers, it came with a slight sting in the tail. Hislop would have to hand over an envelope full of cash to two journalists… from the Guardian.
So apparently aghast was he at this development that Hislop forgot to hand it over, requiring another Private Eye staffer to chase down the winners with the envelope before they left the event to make sure they got it.
