MaltaToday wins three awards at Malta Journalism Awards

MaltaToday executive editor Matthew Vella won the Best Print Journalism award and in a joint submission with The Times, the Best Investigation at at the 31st edition of the Malta Journalism Awards.

Deputy online editor Nicole Meilak won the Best Upcoming Journalist award.

The best investigation award was a joint submission by MaltaToday and Times of Malta. Vella, Jacob Borg and Ivan Martin lifted the lid on Malta's criminal underworld in a joint investigation.

The awards ceremony was held in the Grand Salon at the Archaeology Museum in Valletta.

The ceremony acknowleded and honoured journalistic works published or broadcast in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The awards are organised by the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM). The event was not held in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The submissions were judged by two sets of independent panels, who between them analysed a record 335 submissions from practically all media houses in Malta.

1          Sports Photography Award

1st: Dominic Aquilina, The Malta Independent (Valletta FC vs Tarxien Rainbows FC photo)

2nd: Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters (Ħamrun Spartans fans celebrations)

3rd: Lovin Malta (Neil Agius)

2          Audio Journalism Award – Radio/Podcast

1st: Charmaine Attard, 103 Malta's Heart (Nisma' stejjer tal-waħx mill-ħabs - mart priġunier)

2nd: Gabriel Lia, 103 Malta's Heart (Kulħadd qed ibigħ ruħu biex jgħaqqad il-miljun” – Peter Paul)

3rd: Andrew Azzopardi, 103 Malta's Heart (Jekk neqirdu l-ambjent, neqirdu l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna. Taqbel?)

3          Online Journalism Award

1st: Jacob Borg, Times of Malta (Revealed: China energy negotiator in Enemalta deals is behind Macbridge)

2nd: Ivan Martin, Times of Malta (Investigator forced out of Daphne case holidayed with Yorgen Fenech)

3rd: Matthew Vella, MaltaToday (Numbers tell a different story: it’s the State that must not neglect migrants and our communities)

4          Sports Journalism Award – Print

1st: Simon Peter Farrugia, The Malta Independent (50 Shades of Greats)

2nd: Valmhor Camilleri, Times of Malta (The Maltese physio behind Joshua’s rise to success)

5          Audiovisual Journalism Award – Footage

1st: Karl Andrew Micallef, Times of Malta (Welcome to Comino, island of deckchairs and umbrellas)

2nd: Karl Andrew Micallef, Times of Malta (Maltese man in Romania opens hotel to Ukrainians)

3rd: Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters (Sea-Watch 3 rescues migrants burnt in boat fire)

6          Photojournalism Award – News/Current Affairs

1st: Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters (Exhausted migrants struggle to stay afloat)

1st: Miguela Xuereb, Newsbook (Immigrant falls ill after fire broke out in Marsa Open Centre)

2nd: Jonathan Borg, Times of Malta (CPD personnel rescue family of four in Salina during flash floods)

8          Features Journalism Award – Online/TV/Radio

1st: Karl Andrew Micallef u Mark Laurence Zammit, Times of Malta (Key moments in Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder saga)

2nd: Karl Andrew Micallef u Claudia Calleja, Times of Malta (Bernice Cassar told friend she ‘wanted to cry’ night before murder)

3rd: Albert Galea, The Malta Independent (Nicholas Camilleri: Overtaken by schizophrenia, failed by the system, but still loved by his family)

9          Sports Journalism Award – Online, TV, Radio

1st: Lovin Malta (Bertu)

2nd: Lovin Malta (Long swim home)

3rd: Malta Daily (All in – Rolex Middlesea race)

10        Photojournalism Award

1st: Jonathan Borg, Times of Malta (Jellyfish)

2nd: Matthew Mirabelli, Times of Malta (University students moneygrab)

3rd: Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters (Man falls of ġostra)

11        Features Journalism Award – Print

1st: Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters (The first photo I took of my daughter, and the last)

2nd: Claudia Calleja, Times of Malta (Catherine’s kids)

3rd: Noel D’Anastas, Media.Link Communications (Żmien il-Milied fi Strade Stretta fil-bidu tas-snin Erbgħin)

13        Specialised Journalism Award

1st: Kevin Saliba, Illum (Darb’oħra, Oliver)          

2nd: Daniel Tihn, Times of Malta (Carmen reviewed: Malta’s aura painted with simple strokes)

3rd: Matthew Agius, MaltaToday (Daphne Caruana Galizia murder compilation of evidence and trial coverage)

14        Opinion Articles/Editorials Award

1st: Manuel Delia u Louiselle Vassallo (When They Come Undone)

2nd: Victor Vella, Union Print (Il-mewt ta’ 48,000. Fejn hu l-valur tal-ħajja umana)

3rd: Tim Diacono, Lovin Malta (12 key questions we need answered before Daphne’s case can close)

15        Audiovisual Journalism Award – News

1st: Karl Andrew Micallef u Mark Laurence Zammit, Times of Malta (The Marsa junction scandal explained in five minutes)

1st: Karl Andrew Micallef u Fiona Galea Debono, Times of Malta (Welcome to Comino, the island of deckchairs)

2nd: Karl Andrew Micallef, Times of Malta (Woman stuck in flat for nine months)

16        Upcoming Journalist Award 

1st: Nicole Meilak, MaltaToday

2nd: Sasha Vella, Lovin Malta

17        Print Journalism Award – News

1st: Matthew Vella, MaltaToday (Steward €100 million penalty leads to recession case)

2nd: Mark Laurence Zammit, Times of Malta (I barely had money to live: How food couriers fell into their employer’s trap)

3rd: Jacob Borg, Times of Malta (Joseph Muscat was wired thousands of euro by Swiss firm linked to VGH players)

18        Human Interest Story Award

1st: Sarah Carabott u Karl Andrew Micallef, Times of Malta (I was raped 15 months ago. I have yet to be questioned by the police)

2nd: Mark Laurence Zammit, Times of Malta (The teenage boys accused of being terrorists)

3rd: Mario Micallef, PBS (Għalija miraklu li rkuprajt)

19        Award for best use of Maltese Language - written Sephora Francalanza (Newsbook)

20        Award for best use of Maltese Language - broadcast Liam Carter u Claire Preca Taroum (PBS)

21        Award for Journalism that promotes rights of persons with disability

1st: Malta Daily (Louisa Fenech)

2nd: Sarah Carabott, Times of Malta (Trapped inside a body of a child with non-verbal autism)

3rd: Claudia Calleja u Karl Andrew Micallef, Times of Malta (I was diagnosed with Parkinson's at 50. This is how I deal with it)

22        Best Investigation Award

1st: Matthew Vella, Ivan Martin u Jacob Borg, MaltaToday u Times of Malta (Malta’s mystery: gangland wars and no justice)

2nd: Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Lovin Malta, Times of Malta, MaltaToday, The Shift News, The Malta Independent, The Guardian u Dossier Center (Passport Papers)

3rd: Jacob Borg, Times of Malta (Yorgen Fenech's 17 Black made millions off Enemalta deal in Montenegro)