A large black number 30 is centered inside a stylized eye shape on a dark gray background, symbolizing the vision and insight of Journalism 2024.

30 To Watch:
Journalism 2024
Winners announced

30 to Watch: Journalism

30 to Watch: Journalism celebrates the most talented and influential young journalists across the United Kingdom.

Each year, 30 winners under 30 are chosen in recognition of their outstanding investigation, storytelling and impact. Gold winners are selected for each category, ranging from News to Culture, Entertainment & Lifestyle.

The awards are free to enter, and always will be.

Key Dates:
  • Entries open: 20th March
  • Standard deadline: 19th April
  • Extended deadline: 21st April
  • Winners announced: 23rd May
  • Awards ceremony: 29th May

Categories

You can choose one of these categories to enter. For those who didn't attend university, there is an option to be automatically entered into our 'Breakthrough' category.

City & Business

For journalists probing and investigating the biggest stories from the world the business. 

Culture, Entertainment & Lifestyle

For journalists writing features and news stories rooted in the cultural trends that are shaping everyday life for their audiences. 

Health

For journalists telling the most important stories from around the world of healthcare, from consumer health trends through to breaking pharmaceutical news.

International Affairs

For journalists who produced impactful reporting on events, trends and stories taking place outside of the UK.

News & Investigations

For journalists breaking the most incisive and revelatory public interest stories throughout the year.

Personal Finance & Consumer Affairs

For journalists who have produced outstanding reporting in the public interest across personal finance and consumer affairs, as consumers across the UK contend with rising costs and inflation. 

Production

For journalists working on the biggest stories via broadcast media, including TV, radio, podcasts and more. 

Science, Environment & Technology

For journalists reporting on innovation and intrigue across science and technology, covering anything and everything from AI through to climate change through to new trends in gaming. 

Sport

New for 2024 ahead of a huge summer of sport, this is for journalists that cover anything and everything from the sporting world, from live events and match analysis to the business of sport and emerging trends.  

Politics

For journalists breaking the biggest stories from around Westminster as we head towards a General Election.  

30 To Watch: Journalism

Entries have now closed

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2024 Judges

The #30ToWatch Journalism Awards are judged by leading figures from across the media industry. In its thirteenth year, we are delighted to share the judges of the 2024 awards.

A man wearing glasses and a suit with a tie looks at the camera with a neutral expression. His hair is tousled, and the background is blurred. The image is in black and white.
John Ryley
Former Head of Sky News
Laura Wilshaw, with straight, shoulder-length dark hair, poses for a professional headshot. She wears a light-colored top and looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is softly blurred.
Laura Wilshaw
Deputy Editor, Channel 4 News
Richard Frediani, dressed in a suit and striped tie, smiles at the camera. The black and white photo features a plain background.
Richard Frediani
Editor, BBC Breakfast
A woman with long hair, identified as Shivali Best, smiles at the camera. She is wearing a floral patterned top, and behind her is a decorative glass window. The image is in black and white.
Shivali Best
Executive Science and Tech Editor, MailOnline
Peter Campbell, wearing glasses, a suit, and tie, speaks into a headset microphone. The black and white photo features a dark background.
Peter Campbell
UK Political News Editor, The Financial Times
Black and white close-up photo of Anne Alexander, a woman with medium-length, twisted natural hair, a small nose ring, and a slight smile, looking directly at the camera against a plain background.
Anne Alexander
Head of Politics, GMB
Black and white portrait of Francesca Washtell, a woman with light-colored hair, wearing a dark top and small earrings, smiling softly at the camera against a plain background.
Francesca Washtell
Executive City Editor, Mail on Sunday
Daniel Hewitt, in a suit and white shirt, speaks while looking slightly to the side. He has short hair and is photographed against a plain background. The image is in black and white.
Daniel Hewitt
Investigations Editor, ITV News
John Stevens, in a suit and open-collared shirt, smiles slightly while looking to the side. The background is blurred, showing a large building and trees. The image is in black and white.
John Stevens
Political Editor, Daily Mirror
Black and white portrait of Jennifer Savin, a woman with long dark hair, wearing hoop earrings and a ruffled denim top, looking at the camera with a slight smile against a plain background.
Jennifer Savin
Features Editor, Cosmopolitan
Shekhar Bhatia, a man with short hair, wears a zip-up sweater over a collared shirt as he looks at the camera with a neutral expression against a plain background.
Shekhar Bhatia
Senior Reporter, MailOnline
Ben ODriscoll, a man with a shaved head and beard, smiles at the camera while sitting at his desk in a light-colored button-up shirt. Computer monitors with open windows appear in the black and white background.
Ben O’Driscoll
Executive News Editor, The Sun
Kerri-Ann Roper, a woman with light hair and bangs, wearing earrings and a polka dot top, looks at the camera with a slight smile. The photo is in black and white with a blurred background.
Kerri-Ann Roper
Head of Entertainment and Features, PA Media
Adam Crafton, a young man with short dark hair wearing a button-up shirt, looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. The black and white photo features a plain, light background.
Adam Crafton
News Reporter, The Athletic
Ben Wilkinson, dressed in a suit and patterned tie, poses for a formal black-and-white portrait against a plain background, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
Ben Wilkinson
Head of Money, The Telegraph
Colletta Smith, with long, straight hair, smiles and looks slightly to her left. She is wearing a dark top and appears in front of a plain dark background. The image is in black and white.
Colletta Smith
Cost of Living Correspondent, BBC News
Paul Morgan-Bentley, a man with short dark hair and a friendly smile, is wearing a dark polo shirt and sitting indoors near a wooden staircase. The black and white image captures his warm demeanor.
Paul Morgan-Bentley
Head of Investigations, The Times
Anthony France, wearing glasses, a suit, and a striped tie, smiles slightly while looking at the camera in this black-and-white image.
Anthony France
Senior News Correspondent, Evening Standard
Martyn Ziegler, a middle-aged man with a bald head, light beard, and serious expression, wears a suit jacket and collared shirt as he poses against a plain light background.
Martyn Ziegler
Chief Sports Reporter, The Times
A woman with short, light hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a striped top. The background features partial, blurred text and symbols. The photo is in black and white.
Kat Lay
Global Health Correspondent, The Guardian
Black and white portrait of Robert Guest in a suit and tie, looking at the camera with a neutral expression, set against a plain background.
Robert Guest
Deputy Editor, The Economist
Black and white portrait of Shaun Lintern, a man with short dark hair, wearing a suit, white shirt, and tie, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
Shaun Lintern
Health Editor, The Sunday Times

FAQs

When is the deadline for entries?
We have extended the deadline to end of day Sunday 21st April

What is the cost to enter?
The 30 To Watch: Journalism Awards are free to enter.

When should the supporting work be from?
Supporting pieces should have been published 12 months leading up to the closing date of 19th April 2024.

I entered / won last year, can I enter again this year?
Absolutely!

At what point do you have to be 30 to qualify for the awards?
You need to be 30 or younger when entries close, which is 19th April 2024.

How many categories can I enter?
It is one category per entry, however if you didn’t attend university and share that with us (via the drop down box) you will automatically be entered into our Breakthrough Award category.

Can I nominate someone else for the awards?
Yes, we welcome nominations! Check ‘I am nominating someone else’ at the top of the form and fill in your details.

If I nominate someone, will they find out it was me?
No – we will not tell them you nominated them. They will also not receive a trigger email, so won’t know they have been nominated.

Will my work be published?
If you are one of our 30 winners, your work will be on display during the Awards ceremony. We do not publish your work online.

If you have any questions about our 30 To Watch Journalism Awards please email [email protected]