• A second-year Charles Sturt University communications student has won an Ossie Award for outstanding student journalism

A journalism student’s ‘meticulous and succinct’ telling of a powerful story of survival and recovery has earned her recognition before her professional career has begun.

The Ossie Awards are organised by the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia (JERAA) and showcase Australia’s best student journalism.

Second-year Bachelor of Communication (News and Media) student in Bathurst Ms Remy Naughton was named the winner of the Our Watch (individual, any medium, undergraduate) award for a story about best practice reporting of violence against women.

The category honours undergraduate students who display excellence in coverage of violence against women, as covered in the National Media Guidelines.

Ms Naughton’s story was produced for National Radio News (NRN) with a longer interview, then aired on the national current affairs show The Wire.

The citation accompanying her award states that Ms Naughton was a ‘clear winner’ because of the originality and execution of her story. Judges said she demonstrated initiative by finding a compelling angle and then unpacking it through ‘meticulous interviewing and succinct storytelling’.

“When my course director told me he put my story forward, I thought it was pretty cool but didn’t want to get my hopes up as there are so many amazing student journalists from all across the country,” Ms Naughton said.

“When I received the email that I had won, I felt very humbled.

“As a second-year journalism student, this award has given me the confidence to know that I have chosen the right career path and that I can make a difference.”

Ms Naughton has been interested in the power of storytelling and enjoyed English and public speaking at school.

“I didn’t think I could make a career out of it,” she said.

“But as I have gotten older, the truth and taking the blanket off stories that are often untold is something I find to be very important.”

Her Year 12 business studies teacher suggested she study communications and she said she knew journalism was her calling after her first year at Charles Sturt.

When the award-winning news story came across her desk, Ms Naughton knew it was an important topic and committed to doing it justice.

The story focused on how going to the dentist could trigger memories of sexual assault due to the sterile environment.

She spoke to Dr Sharonne Zaks, a dentist committed to making the experience a comfortable and safe environment for survivors.

“I believe it is very important to bring light to all stories … I believe this allows for incredible diversity within the media,” she said.

“Our role as journalists is to dig our way through the confusing mumble jumble of words and create something that anyone can understand from any part of the country.

“I think something very interesting about journalists is that we have very different views and opinions on everything, which allows for such an interesting media landscape.”

Ms Naughton said recognition for student journalists is important because students can often feel like ‘a small fish in a big pond’ but this type of recognition provides reassurance and support.

Acting Course Director with the Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies Dr Roslyn Cox said this award is an excellent acknowledgement of Ms Naughton’s skills as a researcher, interviewer and reporter.

“Developing a real sense of what is newsworthy, what serves an audience, and what stories need to be told is a pivotal part of the study of communication at Charles Sturt University,” she said.

“It is clear from Remy's achievement in earning an Ossie Award, from the prestigious Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia, that she has already mastered these important skills - even though she is only in the second year of her degree."

Communication students start writing and producing their own news stories from their first session of study and are aided by on-the-job experience through the NRN newsroom at Bathurst.

Dr Cox said the goal is to make Charles Sturt University students aware of what is happening around them, to engage with what is topical and important and build their instincts and understandings of their roles as writers, journalists and professional communicators.

"Our goal always at Charles Sturt University is to produce graduates who know what they are doing and are ready to contribute to the many different fields of communication,” she said.

"We are delighted for this independent accolade for Remy's work and we are excited to see what she achieves in the next part of her study and her future career."

If you or someone you know needs assistance, contact:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Open Arms – 1800 011 046
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
• 1800RESPECT (national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service) – 1800 737 732
• MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78
• Kids Help Line – 1800 55 1800
• 13 YARN (run by First Nations people) – 13 92 76
• Q Life (LGBTIQA+ support and referral) – 1800 184 527
• Full Stop Australia – 1800 385 578