A Walkley Award For Tracy Grimshaw
A Current Affair leads the field in broadcast interviewing
Tracy Grimshaw, host of Channel Nines A Current Affair, last night won the 2009 Walkley Award for Broadcast and Online interviewing.
The award, her first Walkley, is testament to a television journalism career that has spanned almost 30 years, during which Grimshaw has consistently been one of Australias most respected, talented and versatile journalists.
Arguably at her peak, Grimshaw shone in 2009 as she tackled some of the most divisive issues of the year and most controversial of her career.
A string of hard-hitting, exclusive interviews this year created headlines across the country and set the agenda for the nations talk radio stations in the days that followed.
Standouts among them were her groundbreaking interviews with swimmer Simon Cowley and the fellow swimmer who assaulted him, Nick DArcy.
In May, Grimshaw chaired what was undoubtedly the most compelling television interview of the year, when she probed former Cronulla Sharks player Matthew Johns and his wife in relation to allegations of group-sex.
Walkley Award judges commented: When Matthew Johns sat down to talk to Tracy Grimshaw, we all sat down. It was compelling television as we watched a mans career crumble. A tense and difficult interview, with the reporter also under particular pressures, but Grimshaw proved the expert interviewer.
Tracy has hosted the Nine Networks A Current Affair since January 2006. Her career began as a general reporter in Nines Melbourne newsroom in 1981. She has fronted a host of programs for the network including Nine News, Midday and Today.
The annual Walkley Awards, which were established in 1956, recognise excellence in Australian journalism across all media including print, television, radio, photographic and online.
More than 1300 entries are submitted in the prestigious awards each year. The awards are the culmination of a year-long process with 34 awards presented each November.
