Channel 4’s Dispatches programme and ITV News have won International Emmys for news and current affairs.
Both broadcasters collected their prizes at the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards ceremony in New York last night.
ITV picked up the award in the news category for its eight-day coverage of the earthquake that hit China – the biggest in the country for 30 years – shortly before the Beijing Olympics last summer.
Judges presented the award to ITV after being impressed by its exclusive footage of the moment the earthquake struck and reports from its China correspondent, John Ray, of the aftermath.
David Mannon, editor-in-chief of ITV News, praised a remarkable double as ITV News also collected a Bafta in March for its coverage of the Chinese earthquake.
He said: “It is a tribute to everyone at ITN and another example of our international status as a world leader in TV news…We should not forget that many people were killed or seriously injured in this terrible disaster. It was our job to tell the complete story and we did that with exceptional professionalism.”
Channel 4’s Dispatches won the current affairs award for its film: Saving Africa’s Witch Children.
The show, which told the story of Nigerian children accused of being witches, was produced by Red Rebel Films and Oxford Scientific Films for Channel 4.
Kevin Suttcliffe, Dispatches editor, said: “Not only did the filmmakers bring the plight of the witch children to world attention, the film’s continued success is keeping the issue of child abuse in Nigeria in the headlines and affecting change.
“I am delighted that an important and powerful Dispatches investigation has been recognised on the international stage…This is a massive vote for foreign investigation and for independent filmmakers who take great risks to bring us stories that matter and demand to be told.”
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