ITV Central’s Balvinder Sidhu won the 2018 Regional Journalist of the Year category at the 2018 Asian Media Awards.
The Asian Media Awards ceremony took place at the Manchester Hilton Deansgate (Thursday October 25) attracting journalists, broadcasters and media professionals from across the country.
As the early morning presenter for ITV News Central Balvinder is someone Midlands viewers can identity with, and trust to convey honest, important journalism.
In 2017 she investigated the sexual exploitation of Asian girls by grooming gangs. The subject had been reported in the mainstream media purely as an issue that involved white girls but Balvinder came across a number of Asian girls who had also been affected.
On the 50th anniversary of Enoch Powell’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech, she explored the human impact of his words. It included her tracking down the bus driver who campaigned for the right for Sikhs to wear a turban at work.
Other reports have seen her she highlighted the work of Harriett, who founded a hairdressing workshop to help build the self-confidence of bullied children by fun and practical learning.
Winners and recipients of AMA special awards were announced at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate on Thursday 25 October.
Previous recipients of an Asian Media Award include Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Waris Hussein, Art Malik, Mehdi Hasan, Nina Wadia and Anita Rani.
The University of Salford are premier sponsors and partners to the event include ITV, MediaCom, M.E.N, Press Association Training, Primesight & The Palace Theatre & Opera House.
The official Charity Partner for 2018 is CLIC Sargent.
The event is also supported by Manchester Metropolitan University, Routes Into Languages, Namey, AMT Lawyers, USI Money, Hilton Manchester Deansgate, Supreme Dream Events, Payal Events & Cleartwo.
