Call for Nominations: Mental Health Media Awards 2024 – Ireland

The Awards recognise excellence in media coverage of mental health issues, celebrating those whose work brings to light challenging stories of mental ill health. With 10 categories, the Awards highlight work from all media platforms across local and national media.

The focus is on stories, topics or issues in, about or related to mental ill health. Special categories have been added to recognise the decision makers behind the scenes who facilitate and encourage impactful, inclusive and informed stories.

Objectives

• The objective of the awards is to give national recognition to published works or broadcasts which:
  • Foster greater public understanding of mental health issues.
  • Challenge stereotypes and stigma associated with mental health difficulties with the highest standard of journalism.
  • Inform and educate audiences as to the lived experience of people living with mental health difficulties.
  • Disclose practices or procedures needing reform so as to encourage the development and modernization of Ireland’s mental health services.

Categories

• Print & Online National: For a single print or online news report or feature, published in a national news outlet, that deals with stories related to mental health.
• Print & Online Special Interest: For a feature article (550 words or longer) published in print or online that deals with stories related to mental health.
• Broadcast Long Form: For a factual, long form feature/documentary, broadcast on television or radio, that deals with stories related to mental health.
• Student Journalism Award: For a piece of media, including radio, digital or print made by a student as part of a course at a university or third level institute, that deals with stories related to mental health. Entries may also be included from student publications or stations, provided that entry did not receive any professional editorial oversight.
• Refugee Mental Health Award supported by UNHCR and Irish Red Cross: For a piece of media, across print, broadcast or digital, that deals with current stories related to the mental health experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland.
• Print & Online Local: For a single print or online news report or feature, published in a local or regional news outlet, that deals with stories related to mental health.
• Digital Content: For podcasts, interactive online features, apps, interactive documentaries and other digital technologies that use creative, innovative techniques and content to enhance understanding of and engagement with mental health.
• Broadcast Short Form: For a factual, short form, news clip/segment/interview, broadcast on television or radio, that deals with stories related to mental health.
• Special Recognition Award: For people with lived experience of mental health challenges who share their story with the media to help and educate a wider audience.
• Shine Audience Choice Award: The “Shine Audience Choice Award” will reward a piece of Irish media (an article, a factual TV or radio programme or podcast) that has impacted the Irish public and/or shaped public conversation on mental health in Ireland.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entrants for the Student Award must be a current student of a third level course (i.e., diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate) or have recently graduated (within 2024).
• Where a student is one of several collaborators on a piece they nominate or are nominated for, nominees/nominators must give a detailed account of the student’s role on the nominated piece of media (i.e., researcher, writer, presenter, producer), and why their input makes the piece worthy of awarding.
• The volume of nominations will not have an impact on the judges’ decision. A piece of work with 10 nominations will be considered in the same light as a piece with one nomination.
• The bursary will be made available to winners who take up the newsroom placement only.
• Work that has received professional editorial oversight should not be entered. For example, work that was completed during a work placement for a professional publication or outlet.
• Entries may also be included from student publications or stations, provided that entry did not receive any professional editorial oversight.

For more information, visit Headline.