Abstract
British Journalism Review's Cudlipp Award for excellence in popular journalism – also embracing campaigns and investigations in any UK national newspaper – was presented as part of the British Press Awards on April 10.
The judges congratulated all entrants on the high quality of submissions reflecting the spirit and innovation of the great editor and editorial director Hugh Cudlipp's journalism. They were especially impressed by The Sun's inspired “United against Isis” front page, which was included in the judges’ deliberations despite not being officially entered in the category – a quirky right the Cudlipp judges have always reserved. The Daily Mirror's “Kids in crisis” was praised for the health editor, Andrew Gregory's, lucid and penetrating text when revealing failings in the treatment of mentally ill children, maintaining one of Cudlipp's old paper's vigorous campaigning spirit. The entry was highly commended.
However, out in front was the overview of one man's tenacious and much-praised investigation into the grooming of young girls for sexual exploitation, which led to resignations, suspensions, police investigations and Rotherham council being branded “not fit for purpose”. The judges said: “It was superb investigative journalism of which any paper would be proud.”
The Cudlipp Award winner for 2014 was Andrew Norfolk of The Times for “My battle for the lost girls of Rotherham”.