TCD wins the Citizen Information sponsored Website of the Year at the Student Media Awards 2021

The 21st National Student Media Awards (Smedias) took place on Wednesday 2nd June. This year's Smedia Awards took place virtually via a YouTube and Facebook livestream celebrating the hard work and efforts of all the nominees. Despite a global pandemic, the awards went ahead for the 21st year with great enthusiasm and a 60% increase in student applicant entries.

Hosted by Oxygen.i.e, the Smedias allows students to showcase their work in Journalism, Radio and TV Production, Broadcasting and Writing. An impressive line-up of judges included award-winning director and screenwriter Robbie Walsh, social media star James Kavanagh and various editors and producers from Ireland's leading media organisations. Various high profile presenters such as Angela Scanlon, Maura Derrane, Muireann O'Connell, Richard Chambers, among others.

Citizen Information sponsored the Website of the Year and the award went to ‘Trinity News’ from TCD. This highly desired award was judged by Mark Kavanagh, Group Deputy Chief Sub Editor and Senior Member of the Editorial Team at Reach Ireland. Trinity News is Ireland’s oldest student newspaper. Their senior team is made up of Lauren Boland, Finn Purdy and, Jack Kennedy who work alongside a team of hardworking student writers. Lauren Boland is the newspaper's current eEditor.

Cathy Gerrard, Digital Content Manager, CIB added: “Congratulations to Lauren and the Trinity News team for winning Website of the year. As a former Trinity student, Trinity News looks very different now! Citizens Information specifically chose to sponsor this category to support students who make information accessible to their peers. Student journalism is incredibly important, both as a training ground for journalists of the future and to ensure the student body is fully informed. I was struck by the range and standard of the reporting on the website, from local student issues to global events and we wish all the journalists all the best in their future careers.”

Queen’s University Belfast came out on top this year, winning a total of seven awards. The University took home awards including Radio Documentary of the Year, Journalist of the Year – National Media, Radio Production of the Year – News & Current Affairs, Radio Journalist of the Year, Podcast of the Year, Iriseoireacht trí Ghaeilge – Raidió and the prestigious EPA Award for Journalism Relating to the Environment.

Trinity College Dublin were close runners up, winning a total of six awards, while TU Dublin, UCD and UCC followed with four awards each. Two being the highly sought after awards, the European Commission Award awarded to Alana Daly Mulligan and RSA Award for Journalism Relating to Road Safety was awarded to Stephen Moynihan and Molly Kavanagh from UCC.

UL and WIT made their mark on the night taking home three awards each. NUIG and BCFE took home two awards each. DCU, Griffith College, DKIT, DFEI, LCFE, LIT and DBS closed the gap with one award. LIT went home with this year’s People’s Choice Award.

DCU took home Newspaper of the Year for ‘The College View’. In addition, Mostafa Darwish from UL won Journalist of the Year, Editor of the Year, was awarded to Rebecca Daly from TU Dublin and Sports Writer of the Year, was awarded to Ivan Smyth from UL.

Ciara Mahon, Manager of Oxygen.i.e. said: ‘We are delighted to have another successful year of the Smedia’s, even in the unprecedented situation that we are all living in today. This year's standard was phenomenal and we were so impressed with the hard work of these students this year especially as we had a jump in entry submissions. I applaud each and every one of you who participated in the Smedia’s 2021’.