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TODAY reporter bags Mediacorp’s Young Journalist award

SINGAPORE — From shining the spotlight on migrant workers’ lack of nutrition, to knocking on doors in search of tuberculosis patients during an outbreak last year — it was this drive to “give people an outlet to share their voices” that mattered for TODAY reporter Kelly Ng.

Ms Kelly Ng, 28, said pushing herself to get stories helped develop the ‘grit in me’. Photo: Najeer Yusof

Ms Kelly Ng, 28, said pushing herself to get stories helped develop the ‘grit in me’. Photo: Najeer Yusof

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SINGAPORE — From shining the spotlight on migrant workers’ lack of nutrition, to knocking on doors in search of tuberculosis patients during an outbreak last year — it was this drive to “give people an outlet to share their voices” that mattered for TODAY reporter Kelly Ng.

For her efforts, the 28-year-old was yesterday named Young Journalist of The Year at the Mediacorp News Awards.

The annual awards ceremony, now into its 11th year, honours the best work from journalists in the various Mediacorp newsrooms, spanning the television, radio, print and digital mediums.

Held at the Conrad Centennial Singapore last night, the event was attended by about 150 guests, including Mediacorp staff.

This year’s awards saw 20 nominees vying for top positions in five categories. Their works were judged by industry leaders such as Mr Douglas Foo, chairman of Sakae Holdings; Ms Judy Hsu, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank; and Mr Richard Magnus, chairman of the Public Transport Council.

Ms Ng, who has been with TODAY for three years, said one of the most memorable reports she had written was a news feature about the lack of nutrition for migrant workers, a story that led her to visit many catering outlets so that she could see for herself how they operated.

The report garnered much public attention, and a number of non-governmental organisations wrote in offering to help these workers. Even the authorities wanted to see how they could chip in, said Ms Ng.

“I learnt to push myself beyond my limits, to press on even when people say no (to interview requests), and to (navigate) through the bureaucracy ... and the red tape ... it developed grit in me.”

For English Current Affairs producer at Channel NewsAsia Low Minmin, going in depth into difficult and potentially taboo topics was something the 26-year-old often had to grapple with in the course of her work.

Her team’s documentary “Regardless of Race”, which tackled the issue of racial prejudice and privilege, won Documentary/Special of The Year.

The documentary sparked conversations about race, and some schools even used it as teaching material.

For Ms Lim Yun Suk, 50, senior correspondent for Channel NewsAsia’s Korea Bureau, being able to report on events such as the impeachment of former president Park Geun-hye had been one of the highlights of her 30-odd years in journalism.

“As a Korean, it’s a very emotional moment and it’s a story that’s going to go down in history books and I’m very glad to be able to report it first-hand,” said Ms Lim, who was named Journalist of The Year.

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