Janet Street-Porter to host the Roses

Independent Age and Barchester Healthcare are thrilled to announce that journalist and broadcaster, Janet Street-Porter, is to host the Roses ceremony this November.

The Roses, which will be taking place in a special awards ceremony in central London on 8 November, is a celebration of the best examples of coverage, across all media, concerning older people's issues, from news reporting, through to photojournalism and the best portrayals of older people in films or TV drama.

The Roses are named after Rose Hacker, an inspirational lady who got her first job in journalism with the Camden New Journal at the age of 100. The awards will highlight the positive contribution made by journalists when reporting on issues affecting older people and nominations are sought for individuals and organisations which have positively portrayed older people in a way that is respectful, diverse and age sensitive.

Janet Street-Porter said, ''Older people are not a homogenous group. They have widely differing needs, interests and aspirations. We need to celebrate and recognise this huge section of our society in a meaningful and positive way. These awards are very important - they not only recognise and reward good journalism, but they will help offset the casual ageism that sadly is all too common throughout the media.''

Chief Executive of Independent Age, Janet Morrison, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Janet Street-Porter will be hosting the awards. Janet is an inspirational figure in the media and a great advocate of older people and their independence. She has already brought a great deal to the debate on older people’s issues and has fought the corner for a group which is so often marginalised and overlooked by mainstream media.”

Mike Parsons, Founder and Chief Executive of BarchesterHealthcare, said: ”It is through listening to the individual needs and thoughts of older people in today's society that communities can best care and make a meaningful impact on the lives of this generation and those that will follow. The media plays a huge part in forming the views of the nation and I am very proud that BarchesterHealthcare and Independent Age are able to celebrate the journalistic excellence that brings these issues to the forefront of the news agenda and will help to improve the levels of independence, dignity and choice available to us all.”

The Roses are now open for nominations. They will be recognising the best examples in the following categories:

1. Best factual newspaper or magazine article about older people’s issues
2. Best factual radio programme about older people’s issues
3. Best factual TV programme about older people’s issues
4. Best factual new media/social media content about older people’s issues
5. Best coverage of issues around dementia and/or social care (Barchester special award)
6. Best provision of advice and information through the media to older people (Independent Age special award)
7. Best older person’s character in a film, TV or radio drama (Gransnet special award, voted on by the readers of Gransnet)
8. Best use of photography to illustrate older people’s issues
9. ‘The Thorn Award’: worst example of stereotyping, factual error or misleading information in the coverage of older people’s issues.
10. Overall award winner, The ‘Rose Hacker Award’: best overall contribution to the debate on older people’s issues

Have your say and vote now through our online nominations form which can be found atwww.independentage.org Nominations must have first appeared in the media after 1 September 2011. The deadline for nominations is Friday 7 September.