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Seven News scoops international awards for Sydney Siege coverage

sydney siege seven newsSeven News has won three international awards from the Radio Television Digital News Assoiciation (RTDNA) for its coverage of the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege last December.

The network has been named as the regional recipient of three Edward R. Murrow Awards for the Large Market Television, Breaking News, Newscast and Continuing Coverage categories.

Seven’s studio’s directly opposite the Martin Place cafe are thought to have been the original target for Man Haron Monis, who took hostages on the morning of December 15 triggering a 17-hour standoff with security service, ending when police stormed the cafe with the death of two hostages.

While those Seven facilities were evacuated in the early stages of the siege one camerman was allowed to stay alongside a police sniper, whilst a static camera set up in a window also captured much of the event as it unfolded.

Network Director of News Rob Raschke said “It is difficult to accept accolades like this after such tragic circumstances. Our rolling coverage of the siege was an incredible Australia-wide team effort, broadcast from a temporary newsroom and studio built in just a couple of hours after our facility was evacuated.”

Separately the Seven News US bureau chief Mike Amor was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award in the Large Market Television Writing category, for a series of reports including his in-depth investigation into armed vigilantes fighting the Mexican drug cartel’s stronghold in Apatzingan.

Regional winners in the awards automatically go through to the national finals which will be judged in May and presented at a gala dinner in New York in October.

Alex Hayes

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