The Basildon Echo and Granada were both winners at the 2008 Creative East Awards at the Theatre Royal, Norwich.
The awards celebrate the work of people in the creative industries in the Eastern region, and more than 400 people attended the night on 20 March.
The Basildon Echo’s political and investigations reporter Jon Austin picked up the best exclusive story award for his ‘Travellers: The Truth’investigation. The investigation, which also won Austin reporter of the year accolades at this year’s EDF Energy Awards for the East of England, and last year’s Regional Press Awards, exposed a community of Irish travellers who had illegally built homes in Basildon, arguing they were homeless. Austin found they were linked to other communities around the country who allegedly owned homes in Ireland.
Granada Anglia won the best broadcast production award for its observational documentary Living with half a brain, which examined the impact of major brain surgery on a child with severe epilepsy, and BBC Essex won best radio programme for Inside at Christmas, written by an inmate about how prisoners spend the Christmas period.
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Clive Anderson hosted the ceremony and was joined on stage by presenters from the showbusiness world and business leaders.
For the first time the event will be streamed at via www.creativeeast.co.uk.
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