Older People in the Media Awards 2012

On 8 November 2012, in a special Awards ceremony in central London, Independent Age and Barchester Healthcare will be celebrating older people in all aspects of the media. We’ll be recognising the best examples of coverage concerning older people’s issues, as well as the best portrayals of older people in film or TV drama and some of the best examples of photojournalism.

Known as the Roses, the awards have been named after an incredible woman called Rose Hacker who became a journalist for the Camden New Journal at the tender age of 100.

At a special awards ceremony in central London, we’ll be awarding Roses for 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 award)
6. Best provision of advice and information through the media to older people (Independent Age award)
7. Best older person’s character in a film, TV or radio drama (voted on by the readers of Gransnet)
8. Best use of photography to illustrate older people’s issues
9. â€˜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

Nominations: We are now open for nominations. Nominations must have first appeared in the media after 1 September 2011. If you would like to recommend any entries for the Roses, let us know by completing the online form, which can be found on www.independentage.org   

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Independent Age, said: “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the contribution older people make the media. More broadly, we hope the Roses will encourage wider public debate about older people in society and the issues affecting them. This is our way of recognising and thanking those who have worked so hard to promote older people in a positive light, and to help bring some very serious issues to the forefront of public awareness.” 

Mike Parsons, Founder and Chief Executive of Barchester Healthcare, said: “Recognising and celebrating the journalists engaging with older people’s opinions and reflecting them without bias is what The Roses Awards are all about and Barchester is proud to be a part of this message.”