A total of 49 finalists have been named from a highly competitive field of 300 entries, with coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games making up nearly half of the finalists.

The Media Awards recognise excellence in Australian sports journalism, broadcasting, production, digital media, podcasts and photography. They are the only dedicated sports media awards in Australia.

The finalists represent a range of outlets and sports, including the ABC, News Corp, SBS, NITV, Seven Network, Nine Network, Nine newspapers, Optus Sport, Paramount+ and more.

Emma Kemp (Sydney Morning Herald), Will Swanton (The Australian) and Julian Linden (News Corp) have been named as finalists in two separate categories for their work across the nomination period.

Olympic and Paralympic medallists turned media professionals Libby Trickett, Chloe Dalton, Ellie Cole and Elizabeth Wright are also among the finalists.

In addition to announcing a new recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award, which was last year awarded to Ray Warren OAM, the ASC will also recognise a Rising Star which will be presented to a journalist aged 30 or under or who are new to the industry for their exceptional work across the year.

Nominees for this award include Cole (Nine), Zachary Gates (Nine), Lillian Rangiah (ABC), Dalton (The Female Athlete Project) and Libby and Georgie Trickett (Sportish).

For the first time, sports documentaries have their own standalone category with stories on the Steelers wheelchair rugby team, the Canberra Capitals WNBL team, and A-League clubs the Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers named as finalists.

ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said the ASC Media Awards continue to be an important occasion for the sector.

“It’s been another outstanding sporting year, and the media play a central role in telling the stories that connect us to sport, whether that’s at the local footy club or on the world stage,” he said.

“The standard of sports journalism this year was exceptional, and I congratulate all of the finalists for progressing in such a high calibre field of entries.”

Finalists will be invited to the event at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 19 February 2025 after being held in Melbourne for the past two years.

Congratulations to the 2024 finalists:

Best sport coverage by an individual – broadcast

• Amanda Shalala, ABC Sport
• Brenton Speed, Nine Network
• Corbin Middlemas, ABC Sport
• Ellie Cole, Nine Network (Rising Star nominee)
• Gerard Whateley, SEN / Fox Footy / Nine Network

Best sport coverage by an individual - written

• Emma Kemp, Sydney Morning Herald
• Julian Linden, News Corp
• Konrad Marshall, Good Weekend
• Peter Badel, News Corp
• Will Swanton, The Australian

Best sport podcast

• ABC Sport Daily, Patrick Stack / ABC Sport
• The Female Athlete Project, Chloe Dalton (Rising Star nominee)
• The Final Word Cricket Podcast, Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins
• The Howie Games, Mark Howard / Listnr
• Sportish, Libby Trickett and Georgie Trickett (Rising Star nominee)

Best coverage of a sporting event

• News Corp / Sky News / Fox Sports, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Nine Network, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Optus Sport, UEFA EURO 2024
• Sydney Morning Herald / The Age, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Best sports photography

• Daniel Pockett, ‘Coates Hanger’
• Dannion Hards, ‘Lifesaver in Flight’
• Delly Carr, ‘Jess Fox celebrates Noemie Fox's win’
• Robert Cianflone, ‘Over the top’

Best depiction of inclusive sport

• Daniel Cencic, Herald Sun ‘A deaf ruckman, a brother’s love and the footy story of the year’
• Nine Network ‘2024 Australian Swimming Trials’
• NITV ‘Over the Black Dot’
• That Pacific Sports Show, ABC ‘Inclusivity across the islands’
• The Conversation ‘The Conversation’s continued focus on inclusivity in sports’

Best sports documentary

• ‘Beyond the Dream: Forged in Steel’ Nine Network / Paralympics Australia / Good Shout
• ‘Came From Nowhere: Australia’s Most Controversial Football Club’ SBS
• ‘GO BIG: The story of the Canberra Capitals’ LGR Productions / Studio 94
• ‘The Greatest Little Club on Earth’ Onion TV / Paramount + Originals

Best coverage of sport for people with disability

• Charles Brice, ABC Sport
• Elizabeth Wright, ABC Sport
• SBS ‘IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships’
• Victorian Institute of Sport ‘The quest for Paris – Col Pearse’
• Zachary Gates, Nine.com.au (Rising Star nominee)

Best coverage of rural and regional sport

• James Gardiner, Newcastle Herald ‘Newcastle Jets - a turbulent year for Newcastle’s flagship football side’
• Jeremy Story Carter, ABC ‘Wahgunyah, undefeated’
• Josh Partridge, The Examiner
• Lillian Rangiah, ABC ‘Remote sport trials and triumphs’ (Rising Star nominee)

Best coverage of a sport by a club or organisation

• Australian Olympic Committee, #AllezAus digital engagement fan campaign
• Bowls Australia 
• Richmond Football Club, Dustin Martin’s 300th AFL game
• Surfing Australia, 2024 Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle

Best sport profile – written

• Emma Kemp, Sydney Morning Herald ‘Cassiel Rousseau is going for Olympic gold (well, sort of)’
• Jordan Baker, Sydney Morning Herald ‘I’m sorry, I think I might have just ruined our lives’
• Kirby Short, Cricket Australia ‘Comes in waves, the fall and rise of Josie Dooley’
• Will Swanton, The Australian ‘Lex’