The Trashies winners to be announced at Byline Festival 2-4 June

The Trashies – think a news media equivalent to Hollywood’s Razzies – were created because we believe in the importance of a free, fair and representative press.

These awards challenge journalism that’s lazy, bigoted, ill-researched and misinforming. It’s easy for writers to avoid reading the comments and to swerve their critics on Twitter but we want audiences, especially audiences of colour, to come into the conversation and discuss the problems of journalism that makes space for racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia.

You’ve made your nominations over the last couple of months, and we’ve had the traumatic experience of reading them all. Now it’s time to cast your votes for the Trashiest Publication, Trashiest Writer and Trashiest Article awards.

Vote below and be sure to share what you think on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll be presenting the accolades at the inaugural Byline Festival, on 2-4 June in Essex, tickets are still available here if you want to come jeer with us in the flesh.

The Whistler Presents Gavin MacFadyen Memorial Award

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The Whistler, a whistleblowing support organisation co-founded by the CIJ's late Founder Director Gavin MacFadyen and Eileen Chubb, Director of Compassion In Care, was at the Byline Festival last Saturday to announce the winner of an award in Gavin's memory.

The Gavin MacFadyen Memorial Award will be presented annually to a publisher or journalist who has helped a whistleblower expose the truth. The intention of the award is to honour Gavin's life and achievements and inspire other journalists.

Eileen Chubb and Christine England of the Whistler spoke alongside Gavin's wife, Susan Benn, at last weekend's Byline Festival where they presented the inaugural award to Private Eye for its work with whistleblowers over the years.

Opening the presentation ceremony, Susan Benn said "Gavin would be delighted to have his name associated with this award to celebrate Private Eye's commitment to publishing the work of courageous whistleblowers in the public interest. He and Eileen founded The Whistler to offer legal, emotional and psychological support to whistleblowers from all walks of life. The need is greater than ever as more and more people are standing up to expose wrongdoing in the public interest.

"The Whistler aims to encourage generous public-spirited lawyers, psychologists and psychiatrists to offer their support to whistleblowers at times they need it most. I hope this award will encourage people who can help to come forward."

Watch the Whisler's short video for more about Gavin and the award in his honour.

The Whistler supports whistleblowers and helps them to bring their stories to light through exemplary journalists like Gavin.  http://www.thewhistler.org/ @Whistler_News

We will be honouring the memory of Gavin MacFadyen at the #CIJSummer Investigative Journalism Conference 2017. Do not miss the inaugural Gavin MacFadyen Memorial Lecture delivered by a corageous Mexican journalist Anabel Hernandez on Sat 24 June. 

The Daily Mail came out the overall winner at the inaugural “Bad Press Awards” and “The Trashies” presented by comedian John Cleese on Saturday night at the Byline Festival in East Sussex.

Editor Paul Dacre, and writers Katie Hopkins and Toby Young, led Daily Mail and Mail Online to five of the seven awards: the Most Misleading Headline, the Least Accurate Article, the Trashiest Writer, the Trashiest Publication and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Dacre.

TIMELINE

JUNE 6, 2017 Byline festival round-up: Tales of tabloid wild west, why journalism is like the NHS and reporting on Islam MARCH 21, 2017 Byline seeks £15k to defy Mail editor Dacre's legal letter demanding retraction of 'defamatory allegations' Most of the awards were voted for by the public on the websites of Byline and The Trashies at Media Diversified (a group which seeks to “cultivate and promote skilled writers of colour”).

Dacre’s prize was the only one to be voted for in a “public boo” on the night. After a “re-boo” to confirm his slim lead, Dacre took the award from runners-up, Kelvin MacKenzie and Rebekah Brooks. However, MacKenzie also came away with an award for the Trashiest article: “Why did Channel 4 have a presenter in a hijab fronting coverage of Muslim terror in Nice.”

The first award of the night went to The Daily Mirror, for the Most Obvious Sponsored Content. None of the winners were there on the night to receive their awards.

The Bad Press Awards and The Trashies, held in a drafty festival tent pitched precariously on a slope in the East Sussex countryside, was the most attended event at last weekend’s inaugural Byline Festival.

Byline Festival joint organiser, Peter Jukes, said of the awards: “It is designed to be a celebration of the worst of British journalism which we hope will eventually make money we can spend on encouraging good journalism.

“It will particularly support underrepresented or misrepresented groups in the media, either by funding people to attend the festival – this year 50 Turkish journalists were able to attend – or mentoring them into journalism.”

We're already talking nominations now for the bumper year of 2016. If you're not ready to nominate yet, please share some suggestions and discuss possible contenders for the four categories already announced

Most Misleading Headline

Least Accurate Article

Most Incorrigible Columnist

Worst Sponsored Content

And feel free to suggest new categories: we're developing our own ideas on Migrant Hatred, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Homophobia and downright Bad Reporting and Awful Writing. But do please share your own thoughts at the regular comments section open below