What it Takes: Video News
A news clip might last 90 seconds. A live‑shot sometimes flashes by in barely 30. What the viewer sees, however, is only the polished tip of an iceberg of planning, access negotiations, risk assessments, script drafts, picture edits, fact checks and—in breaking situations—split‑second editorial calls that can literally save lives.
Whether documenting a Prime Minister’s press conference, unravelling organised‑crime finances, or chronicling a sporting fairy‑tale, today’s video journalists fuse technical precision with editorial judgement under unforgiving deadlines. Their tools range from 4K shoulder cams and drones to encrypted messaging apps and satellite backpacks, yet the craft remains stubbornly human: verify, illuminate, witness.
Award juries world‑wide continue to spotlight those who raise the bar. The 2025 RTS Television Journalism Awards saluted BBC teams who remained calm and accurate throughout the Trump‑assassination attempt; the Association for International Broadcasting honoured the undercover doggedness of China‑in‑the‑UK; and PRIX EUROPA crowned investigators who traced mafia money through shell firms set up in addicts’ names.
This is not stock footage for machine‑learning datasets. It is primary‑source evidence captured by trained camera crews, editors, reporters and producers—work that deserves both remuneration and the legal protection the NMC keeps pressing for in copyright and AI‑licensing debates.
Below we present a rolling digest of award‑winning work. Each entry shows what it really takes to make pictures that move—and move audiences.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Europe
Investigation – The Straw‑Man Cartel: A Service for the Mafia
– Rundfunk Berlin‑Brandenburg/ARD • PRIX EUROPA, Best European Video Investigation 2024
News Video Explainer: A 44‑minute road‑movie investigation following reporters Adrian Bartocha and Jan Wiese from a Polish border town through Germany to uncover how addicts and homeless people are registered as dummy directors of shell companies used for multi‑billion‑euro laundering schemes.
Documentary – Secrets & Power: China in the UK – Quicksilver Media for Channel 4 • AIB Best Domestic Documentary 2024
News Video Explainer:Dispatches’ team employed a mix of open interviews and discreet filming to probe alleged Chinese political influence in Britain; the film first aired 29 Nov 2023 and went on to top the AIB documentary category.
Sports – Why I Love Arsenal: Interview with Prime Minister Keir Starmer
– AFTV • SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, Content‑Creator Exclusive of the Year
News Video Explainer:Fan‑channel AFTV secured the sitting Prime Minister for a one‑take, three‑camera YouTube interview about club loyalty—an example of non‑traditional outlets breaking political exclusives.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
North America
Politics – Storming of the Capital
– ITV News • Rose d’Or & Foreign Press Association Awards
News Video Explainer:Reporter Robert Moore and camera‑operator Mark Davey filmed inside the rioters’ route on 6 Jan 2021, providing the only network footage from within the mob; the piece has since amassed 11 million Twitter views.
War Documentary – 20 Days in Mariupol– Associated Press & PBS Frontline • Sundance Audience Award, two Pulitzer Prizes, Oscar for Best Documentary
News Video Explainer: AP journalists Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka and Vasilisa Stepanenko were the last international reporters in the besieged city, filming for almost three weeks under fire before smuggling 30 hours of footage out.
Culture – Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games
– ESPN Films • Edward R. Murrow Award, Excellence in Video
News Video Explainer: Directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson trace the cultural lineage of playground hand‑games and their influence on US music and dance; festival run includes Tribeca win and Cinema Eye Honours.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Africa
Society – On Assignment: The Enyobeni Tavern Tragedy
– ITV News • One World Media Awards, News Category
News Video Explainer:Correspondent Rohit Kachroo travelled to East London, South Africa, investigating why no charges followed the deaths of 21 teenagers; the film pieces together conflicting causes reported locally.
Politics – Mayor on the Frontline: Democracy in Crisis
–BBC Africa • AIB International Media Excellence Awards, Video/Politics
News Video Explainer:Shot over a year, the 60‑minute film follows Freetown mayor Yvonne Aki‑Sawyerr through an intimidation‑filled re‑election battle, offering rare longitudinal access to Sierra Leonean politics.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Australasia
Investigation – The Bishop of Broome
– Seven News • Walkley Award, All‑Media Investigative Journalism 2024
News Video Explainer:Chief reporter Chris Reason spent four years—often working solo in remote Western Australia—verifying abuse and financial‑misuse allegations against former bishop Christopher Saunders.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Arctic
Geopolitics – Why Russia is Resurrecting a Ghost Town on Norwegian Soil
– ABC Foreign Correspondent • Walkley Award, Television Camerawork 2024
News Video Explainer: Cameraman Matthew Davis braved −20 °C conditions on Svalbard to capture the geopolitical stakes of Russia’s mining settlement at Pyramiden—footage recognised by Australia’s top journalism jury.
