Finalists for Sweden’s Great Journalist Award Announced

The finalists in Sweden’s No. 1 journalism prize, the Stora Journalistpriset – the Great Journalist Awards – were announced in three categories: Storyteller of the Year, Innovator of the Year and Investigator of the Year.

Storyteller of the Year finalists

Thella Johnson, P3 Dokumentär, Swedish Radio, Sunday Bloody Sunday. “For the pitch-perfect portrayal of the British Empire’s final Sunday via a family’s fate.”

Maud Nycander, Swedish Television’s documentary department , Sluten avdelning (closed ward). “For opening up a closed psychiatric ward and showing the people behind the diagnoses.”

Michael Winiarski, Dagens Nyheter, Reporting from Haiti. “For brave and heart-felt reporting from a catastrophe.”

Innovator of the Year

Helena Bengtsson, Swedish Television, Victoria Gaunitz, Swedish Radio and Kristofer Sjöholm, Swedish Television, Valpejl Sveriges Radio/ Sveriges Television (Election tracker Swedish Radio/Swedish Television). “For an easily accessible database that has renewed political journalism and lets voters keep complete track.”

Lena Sundström TV4, Dom kallas rasister (They’re called racists). “For coming to grips with her antagonists in an unexpected fashion and letting them reveal themselves.”

Alexandra Hernadi, Kristian Lindquist, Tobias Olsson, Svenska Dagbladet, Realtidsgräv (Realtime backhoe). “For using new journalistic methods to show how investigation can be developed together with readers with complete transparency.”

Investigator of the Year

Hasse Johansson and Nicke Nordmark, Uppdrag Granskning (Mission check), Swedish Television, Den andra våldtäkten (The other rape). “For revealing how a victim was persecuted when an Internet mob got out of control and adults failed to respond.”

Bo Göran Bodin and Daniel Velasco, Ekot (The echo), Swedish Radio, Fallet Johan (The Johan case). “For a series on a 24-year-old’s death, the arrogance of the powerful and police brutality that didn’t end with Osmo Vallo.”

Nils Hanson and Janne Josefsson, Uppdrag Granskning (Mission check), Swedish Television, Muthärvan i Göteborg (The bribery mess in Göteborg). “For revealing the naiveté around everyday corruption in Sweden’s No. 2 city.”

 The winner of Lukas Bonnier’s Great Journalist Award will be announced at the awards ceremony on Nov. 25.

The finalists aren’t the only news for this year. A new website has been launched and the presenter for this year will be Swedish Television journalist Karin Hübinette.

The role of presenter goes to one of Sweden’s most talented journalists and interviewers, says jury member Stefan Mehr, responsible for the operation of the jury, who has been the presenter for the past 13 years.

“The idea is that it should be as prestigious as possible to be a member of the jury,” says Mehr. “We’re extremely happy that Karin is presenting this year, she did a wonderful job covering the elections. She was even heavily involved in choosing this year’s international guest for the awards ceremony in November, Misha Glenny.

Also new this year is an increase in the prize money, which has gone up to SEK 100,000 per category.