The International Media Awards is an annual awards ceremony held in London to celebrate high standards of Middle East journalism held by the International Council for Press and Broadcasting

International Council for Press and Broadcasting

The council is a subsidiary body of the Next Century Foundation, an organisation which deals primarily with conflict resolution issues and holds an annual International Media Awards in London...

, a subsidiary body of the Next Century Foundation

Next Century Foundation

The Next Century Foundation is an elite organisation that operates in various conflict zones across the globe. Originally established in 1990 to provide a forum for off-the-record discussions between Palestinians and Israelis, in addition to maintaining its original focus on the Middle East Peace...

.

The awards are presented at a ceremony every year to honour editors and journalists and are held in recognition of the vital role that the media can play in contributing to understanding, without which no peace process is possible. William Morris, Secretary General of the Next Century Foundation explained: "By publicly recognising the efforts of these editors and journalists, some of whom have put their careers and even their lives at risk through their commitment to reporting truthfully and responsibly, we hope to help raise the standards of journalism in reporting on the Arab Israeli conflict"

The awards are divided into several categories. The Peace through Media prizes are for senior journalists who have contributed to better understanding throughout their careers, consisting of the symbolic gift of an olive tree. The Cutting Edge prizes are for journalists recognised for their high standards of analysis and reporting, often in conflict situations, consisting of a cash donation. The Breakaway prize is for young journalists who have already begun to make an impact at the beginning of their careers.

The 2005 awards

The 2005 awards were held on the 19th April 2005 at the British House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

. For the first ceremony, only three awards were handed out and not divided into separate categories. The winners were:

• Richard Beeston, Diplomatic Editor of The Times
  The Times
  The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
  
  . In recognition of his high standards of reporting and the quality of his news analysis, which of itself promotes understanding.

• Ari Rath
  Ari Rath
  Ari Rath is an Austrian-Israeli journalist and writer.Rath was born in Vienna grew up there. After the Anschluss he came through a Kindertransport as a thirteen-year-old boy to Palestine. As one of the foeunders of the kibbutz Hamadia he lived there for 16 years and studied contemporary history...
  
  , former Editor and Managing Director of The Jerusalem Post
  The Jerusalem Post
  The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
  
  ; currently News Editor of Partners for Peace, the voice of the Copenhagen Group. His award is in recognition of a lifetime of achievement and tireless work for rapprochement and peace.

• Abdul Rahman al Rashed, Head of Al Arabia Satellite News TV, Dubai and former Editor-in-Chief of Al Sharq al Awsat. His award was in recognition of his efforts to maintain the highest standards of professional integrity in countering incitement and disinformation.

The 2006 awards

In 2006 the International Media Council Awards of the Next Century Foundation were presented at a ceremony on Thursday, 9 March 2006. The awards ceremony in 2006 was the first awards were divided into different categories and marked the introduction of the Cutting Edge prize.

The Main International Media Council Prize:

• Jihad al Khazen, Editor at Large, Al Hayat, for his significant contributions to informed and enlightened debate in the Arab media throughout a long and distinguished career.

• Danny Levi Rubinstein, Haaretz
  Haaretz
  Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
  
  , in recognition of his passionate engagement with Arab issues, and uncompromising editorial contributions.

• Peter David, Foreign Editor, The Economist
  The Economist
  The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
  
  , in recognition of the consistently original, well-sourced, informative Middle East coverage of The Economist.

• Caroline Hawley
  Caroline Hawley
  Caroline Hawley is a British journalist who has been a Special Correspondent for the BBC News channel since 2007.Hawley is the daughter of British diplomat Sir Donald Hawley, She was educated at Wycombe Abbey School, an independent school for girls in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, followed by...
  
  , BBC Television
  BBC Television
  BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
  
  , in recognition of her sober, balanced and informative reporting from Iraq, and her sensitivity to local culture and concerns.

• Salah Ali Sindi, Editor In Chief, Istithmar Al Arabia Magazine, in recognition of the consistently progressive and enlightened editorial policy of his increasingly influential publication.

Cutting Edge Awards:

• Mohamed Chebaro, Al Arabieh

• Yoav Stern, Columnist on Palestinian Affairs, Haaretz

• Martin Asser, BBC News Website Correspondent

• Mona Eltahawy, Freelance journalist, Asharq Al-Awsat columnist

• Jane Kinninmont, Middle East Editor, Business Monitor International

The 2007 awards

The 3rd International Media Awards was held in March 2007 at the British House of Lords and hosted by Lord Stone of Blackheath.

The International Media Council Prize:

• David Gardner - The Financial Times proposed by Abigail Fielding-Smith of IB Tauris Books

• Rafik Halabi - Channel 2 (Israel)
  Channel 2 (Israel)
  Channel 2 is an Israeli commercial television channel.- History :In 1990, after 13 years of deliberations, the Knesset passed a law that paved the way for the establishment of commercial television in Israel. The goal was to enhance pluralism and create competition. Channel 2 began broadcasting on...
  
  , proposed June Jacobs, The International Council of Jewish Women)

• Michael Binyon - The Times (proposer Adel Darwish of the Daily Mail)

The Cutting Edge Prize for an outstanding Newcomer to Journalism:

• Sami Abdul Shafi - The Independent (Proposer Turi Munthe, Rusi)

• Jack Hugi - Maariv
  Maariv
  Maariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...
  
  , Israel (Proposer Rafik Halabi, Israel)

• Louisa Brooke, Senior world affairs analyst, BBC, proposed by Mike Wooldridge of the BBC

The Patrons Award: - a special honorary award for lifetime achievement nominated and chosen by the Patrons

• Hassan Soussi, Arab News Network
  Arab News Network
  Arab News Network is a minor Arab news channel broadcast on satellite from London.ANN is owned by Rifaat al-Assad, the former vice president of Syria, and uncle of the current President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad...
  
   Satellite TV proposed by Ribal al Assad, Syria

The 2008 awards

The 4th International Media Councils Awards ceremony was held in The Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall on Wednesday 7 May 2008. The night was hosted by Lord Stone of Blackheath and Ms Dalia Salaam Risani of Hood Hood books.

The Peace Through Media Awards

• Yehuda Litani, Editor, Al Usbua, Channel 2 Israel and Columnist, Yedioth Aharanoth and Haaretz, the prize was presented by Ian Black, Middle East Editor, The Guardian.

• Roula Khalaf, The Financial Times. In recognition of her high standards of reporting and the quality of her news analysis. Prize presented by Ms Annie Henshaw, Director of Olives et al.

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Bernard Josephs, Political Editor, The Jewish Chronicle
  The Jewish Chronicle
  The Jewish Chronicle is a London-based Jewish newspaper. Founded in 1841, it is the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the world.-Publication data and readership figures:...
  
  . In recognition of his efforts to improve understanding of the Middle East as well as his work against disinformation and incitement to hatred. Prize presented by Rabbi Herschel Gluck.

Special Award for an outstanding contribution to broadcasting

• Damien Charton, France 24, for reporting during fighting in Gaza in 2007. Prize presented by William Morris, Secretary General The Next Century Foundation.

• Zeina Fayadh, Program editor and Presenter, ANB Satellite Television. Prize presented by Ibtisam Auchi

Cutting Edge Award

• Adel Darwish
  Adel Darwish
  Adel Darwish is a British journalist, author, historian, broadcaster and political commentator, specialising on Middle Eastern politics.Darwish is a veteran Fleet Street foreign correspondent and has written for The Daily Telegraph and The Independent, as well as maintaining his online blog and...
  
  , columnist, Daily Mail; TV commentator. Prize presented by Louisa Brooke, BBC
• Robert Tait, Iran Correspondent, The Observer. Prize presented by David Gardner, Financial Times.

Mina Al-Oraibi

Mina Al-Oraibi

Mina Al-Oraibi is an Iraqi journalist and commentator. She is currently assistant editor-in-chief of Asharq Alawsat and has appeared on international television networks contributing political analysis.-Life and career:...

, Sharq al Awsat. Prize presented Mrs Ibtisam Auchi.

Breakaway Award

• Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi
  Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi
  Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi to a Palestinian-Jordanian-Lebanese Muslim father and an Iraqi-Syrian Christian mother. He is co-founder and chairman of the British based organization, Arab Media Watch....
  
  , Arab Media Watch, Prize presented by Jihad Al Khazan Editor at large of Al Hayatt Newspaper.

• Wijdan Mahdi Ali Alsalih, columnist in Friendship magazine; freelance journalist based in Basrah.

Two Awards were not presented this year but postponed until next year. The winners were prevented from leaving the war zones on which they report:

• Mr Sami Abdul Shafi, Gaza Correspondent, The Independent and The Guardian.

• Saif Al-Khayat, Correspondent, Elaph, Baghdad.

The 2009 awards

The 5th International Media Awards ceremony was held at the London Athenaeum on May 11, 2009 and hosted by Lord Stone of Blackheath.

The Peace Through Media Awards

• Dr Badrakan Al-Sindi, Editor in chief Al-Ta’akhi Newspaper ( Iraq ).

• Mark Urban
  Mark Urban
  Mark Urban is a British journalist, author, broadcaster and orientalist, and is currently the Diplomatic Editor for BBC Two's Newsnight.-Education and early career:...
  
  , Diplomatic Editor, Newsnight, BBC.

• Mick Fealty
  Mick Fealty
  Mick Fealty is a journalist and the founding editor of the acclaimed Northern Ireland-based blog Slugger O'Toole.Fealty was born in Belfast and grew up in Holywood, County Down, but now lives in Dorset, England...
  
  , Editor and writer of Slugger O’Toole Blog ( Ireland ).

• Paul Staines
  Paul Staines
  Paul Staines is an English-born Irish right-wing political blogger. Writer of the pseudonymous "Guido Fawkes' blog of parliamentary plots, rumours & conspiracy", which had as of February 2009, 118,000 visitors per month, his political blog has been described as "one of Britain's leading political...
  
  , aka blogger Guido Fawkes.

Lifetime Achievement Award (Honorary)

• Khaled Kishtainy, Iraqi journalist of Sharq Al Awsat newspaper.

• Kamran Karadaghi, Iraqi journalist of Al Hayat newspaper.

Cutting Edge Award

• Oren Yakobovich, Israel's B'Tselem
  B'Tselem
  B'Tselem is an Israeli non-governmental organization . It calls itself "The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories"...
  
  's "Shooting Back" Programme.

• Shlomo Eldar, Channel 10 Israel whose live broadcast many believe contributed to the end of Israel's recent Gaza campaign.

• Faisal J. Abbas, a journalist of Sharq al Awsat and blogger for The Huffington Post. He was the first Saudi Arabian to win this award, this has generated much coverage in the Arab media.

• Jaafar al-Ahmar, Lebanese journalist of Al Hayat.

Breakaway Award

Two Breakaway Awards for most promising new talent.

• Abdulrahman Abdulla, Al Sharqiya Satellite TV.

• Potkin Azarmehr, blogger for a secular democratic Iran.

The 2010 awards

The sixth International Media Awards ceremony was held at a gala night in central London on Saturday 8 May 2010.

Outstanding Contribution to Peace Award

• Mossi Raz
  Mossi Raz
  Moshe "Mossi" Raz is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Meretz between 2000 and 2003.-Biography:Born in Jerusalem, Raz studied economics and accounting at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and chaired the Council for Students' Associations...
  
   & Maysa Siniora joint Israeli and Palestinian winners for All For Peace Radio, a joint Israeli-Arab radio station.

The Peace through Media Award

• Ian Black Middle East Editor of The Guardian

• Samia Nakhoul, Reuters
  Reuters
  Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
  
   Middle East Editor

• Akiva Eldar
  Akiva Eldar
  Akiva Eldar is an Israeli journalist and author, currently a chief political columnist and editorial writer for the liberal Israeli national daily Ha'aretz. His columns also appear regularly in the Ha'aretz-International Herald Tribune edition, as well as in the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun...
  
  , Chief Political Columnist for Haaretz

• Patrick Cockburn
  Patrick Cockburn
  Patrick Cockburn is an Irish journalist who has been a Middle East correspondent since 1979 for the Financial Times and, presently, The Independent....
  
  , Foreign Correspondent The Independent and contributor to London Review of Books
  London Review of Books
  The London Review of Books is a fortnightly British magazine of literary and intellectual essays.-History:The LRB was founded in 1979, during the year-long lock-out at The Times, by publisher A...
  
  .

Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting Award

• Ben Wedeman
  Ben Wedeman
  Ben Wedeman is an American journalist. He is CNN senior correspondent in Cairo, Egypt who was based in Jerusalem. Before Jerusalem he lived in Egypt where he was CNN's Bureau Chief. Prior to that, he was CNN's Amman Bureau chief. He was originally hired by CNN as a local Jordanian employee...
  
   is CNN’s Senior International Correspondent based in Cairo.

The Cutting Edge Award

• Itai Anghel
  Itai Anghel
  Itai Anghel is an Israeli news correspondent. He was a staff reporter for Uvda, a television news program on Channel 2. Anghel teaches a course about world conflicts at the Tel Aviv Open University.-Journalism career:...
  
  , senior correspondent for the weekly current affairs program “UVDA” on Israel’s Channel 2 television

• Moeen Al Hilou, Gaza Producer for Israel's Channel 10 TV, as well as being a director for the Hebrew News Department at Palestine TV

The Breakaway Award

• Ranj Alaaldin, Middle East political and security risk analyst based at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He contributes to The Guardian and various other print and online publications.

Outstanding Contribution to New Media (The Bloggers’ Award)

• Benny Ziffer
  Benny Ziffer
  Benny Ziffer is an Israeli author and journalist.-Life and career:Ziffer was born in Tel Aviv. His parents, Heinz and Nira , immigrated to Israel from Turkey in 1949. Ziffer studied French literature and political science. He is married to Irit, and they have three children...
  
  , literary editor of Haaretz since 1987. More recently his blogs “Lo BeBeit Sifrenu” and “Dressed to Provoke” have risen to prominence in the Hebrew blogosphere.

MBI Lifetime Achievement Award

• Jim Muir, BBC Middle East Correspondent. Having begun his involvement with the region in Beirut in 1975, he is now based there again, focusing on issues both within Lebanon (particularly Hezbollah) and in the wider Middle East, traveling regularly to cover Iraq.

The 2011 awards

The seventh International Media Awards ceremony was held at a gala night in central London on Saturday 9th April 2011.

Outstanding Contribution to Peace Award

• Linda Menhuin is a founding member of the Society for Peace with Syria and an advisory board member of the Smart Middle East Forum

The Peace through Media Award

• Daoud Quttab is founder/general director of AmmanNet and director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University

• Dov Alfon
  Dov Alfon
  'Dov Alfon' is a French-Israeli journalist and editor. From 2008 to 2011, he was editor in chief of Haaretz, the oldest newspaper in Hebrew and one of the most respected newspapers in the world. Before that he was the chief editor of Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir, the biggest literary publishing...
  
   is Editor in Chief at Ha’aretz

Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting Award

• Jackie Rowland is a field correspondent for Al Jazeera English

The Cutting Edge Award

• Falah Al Thahabi is an Iraqi journalist and the current managing director at Alhurra
  Alhurra
  Alhurra is a United States-based Arabic-language satellite TV channel funded by the U.S. Congress that broadcasts news and current affairs programming to audiences in the Middle East and North Africa...
  
   TV

• Dilawar Khan Wazir is the BBC Urdu Service Correspondent for the tribal areas and Waziristan

• Nada Abdel Samed is a Beirut based broadcaster for BBC Arabic
  BBC Arabic
  BBC Arabic may refer to the Arabic-language radio station run by the BBC World Service, as well as the BBC’s Arabic-language satellite TV channel, and the website that serves as an Arabic language news portal and provides online access to both the TV and radio broadcasts.The radio service is...
  
  

• Ayman Mohyeldin
  Ayman Mohyeldin
  Ayman Mohyeldin is an Arab-American journalist based in Los Angeles for NBC. Previously he worked for Al Jazeera and CNN, Ayman was one of the first western journalists allowed to enter and report on the handing over and trial of the deposed President of Iraq Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi Interim...
  
   is a correspondent for Al Jazeera
  Al Jazeera
  Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
  
  

• Adel Zanoon works for AFP & ANN, Gaza

The Breakaway Award

• Alice Fordham is a Baghdad based freelance journalist working for The Times, Christian Science Monitor and as a correspondent for The Economist

The Press Freedom Award

• Feras Kilani is a journalist for BBC Arabic

• Goktay Koraltan is a cameraman for BBC Arabic

• Chris Cobb Smith is a production co-ordinator for BBC Arabic

Photos from the event can be viewed at http://internationalmediaawards2011.blogspot.com/