The Australian’s Yoni Bashan has been named 2024 Sir Keith Murdoch Journalist of the Year at News Corp Australia’s 20th News Awards celebration dinner.
The prestigious award was announced by News Corp Chair Lachlan Murdoch at a special event last night, recognising Bashan’s outstanding coverage following the October 7 attack on Israel.
“As the horrific October 7 attacks happened, Yoni was on the phone to The Australian’s Editor-In-Chief Michelle Gunn wanting to go to Israel. By October 10, he was on the ground. He was the first Australian journalist to visit Gaza after the attacks,” said Murdoch.
“He did not shy from danger – he ran toward it. He bore witness to trauma while reporting the conflict in the Middle East believing that the truth could only be uncovered by reporters on the ground, reporters who were courageous, impartial, and fearless”.
The Sir Keith Murdoch Journalist of the Year award is named in honour of Sir Keith, the founder of News and the late grandfather of Lachlan Murdoch and father of News Corp Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch.
The award recognises the year’s most outstanding journalist whose work demonstrates commitment to quality journalism, the pursuit of truth, journalistic leadership and endeavour, courage and tenacity.
This latest accolade follows Bashan’s previous win in 2009 when he was named News Corp Australia’s Young Journalist of the Year and undertook a secondment for 12 months at The Wall Street Journal in New York.
