MACA Media Awards
Read about the MACA media awards and see winners from previous years
Winners Announced - MACA Media Awards 2019
Winners for the 2019 MACA Media Awards were announced at a ceremony in Sydney on Thursday 17 October.
Winners are highlighted in the below list of finalists.
We received over 140 nominations in 2019 – a record for the MACA Awards. The stories reveal the extraordinary breadth and vitality of seniors’ lives, encompassing work, travel, health, Indigenous issues, recreation and countless other pursuits and achievements.
Winner – Gold MACA
Congratulations to Heather Ewart for taking out the Gold MACA Award.
The Gold MACA is presented to an individual whose use of media has made a notable contribution to the realistic portrayal of older people and the development of a community in which older people are valued and respected.
Watch Heather’s acceptance speech.
2019 Winners and Finalists
| Advertising | |
|---|---|
| WINNING ENTRY: DIY (BMF and Revolver/Will O’Rourke) | This short film, directed by The Glue Society, presents a portrait of a man named Colin Taylor, who tells his incredible life story that involves the building of four houses, a yacht and an aeroplane – that he learned to pilot |
| Possibilities (Apia Australia) | This advertisement takes a look at the possibilities that ageing opens up. |
| Fearless (Feros Care) | Fearless is a collection of nine short films showcasing the surprisingly bold lives of seniors. |
| News | |
| WINNING ENTRY: Indigenous ranger's quest to preserve Simpson Desert knowledge (ABC Sunshine Coast) | Bruce Atkinson profiles Aboriginal elder Don Rowlands, who is working to preserve the 60,000-year-old culture and history of his people. |
| You might not want to think about older people having sex but they deserve a place in our pop culture (the Guardian) | Nayuka Gorrie explores how television and film can shift society’s expectations about older people. |
| ‘We are damning ourselves’: Big problem with the way Australia treats its elderly population (News.com.au) | Eleni Hale looks into Australia’s treatment of older people following the Royal Commission into Aged Care. |
| Health and Lifestyle | |
| WINNING ENTRY: Baby Boomers Guide to Life in the 21st Century (Radio Skid Row) | Producers Jeff Furolo, Raul Hernandez and Lex Marinos discuss themes relating to ageing in Australia as part of a 13-episode healthy ageing project. |
| Age no barrier to creativity (Studio 10) | Featuring Eileen Kramer, a dancer and choreographer who is proving age is no barrier to creativity. |
| Young @ Heart (Sutherland Shire Council) | Featuring inspiring stories from 15 ‘Young @ Heart’ Sutherland Shire residents. |
| Current Affairs | |
| WINNING ENTRY: This 90-year-old may be the oldest paperboy in Australia (ABC 7.30) | 90-year-old Kevin Naughton delivers newspapers in the town of Crookwell, braving freezing early mornings to keep his community in the loop. |
| Madam Carmel (Channel 10 The Project) | She’s 80 years old, twice widowed and is the madam at Australia’s oldest brothel – meet Madam Carmel. |
| The incredible life story of Melbourne’s ‘piano lady’ (SBS The Feed) | For over a decade, piano virtuoso Natalie Trayling has been stopping people in their tracks on the streets of Melbourne. |
| Images | |
| WINNING ENTRY: Australian grandmother of maths (ABC) | Photograph by Lauren Day |
| “Eileen” | Photograph by Karl Swerdtfeger |
| Don Rowlands (ABC) | Photograph by Bruce Atkinson |
2019 MACA highlights
Watch interviews with winners and see highlights from the 2019 MACA Media Awards.
MACA Chair Kathryn Greiner with A/Minister for Seniors Geoff Lee
Sydney Jazz collective
Winner of Images category Lauren Day
Camera-shy MACA member Roy Starkey
NSW Disability Council Chair Mark Tonga
Guests in the Cellblock courtyard
Host Jean Kittson with winners of the Health and Lifestyle award
Lex Marinos from ‘Baby Boomers Guide’ appreciates Jean Kittson’s support
DCJ staff momentarily neglect to check in guests
Guests at the ceremony
Old News
Stereotypes undervaluing seniors are everywhere in media – and these three have had enough.
In the lead-up to the 2019 MACA Media Awards, Stephen, Kathryn and Wendy turn up the heat on ageist stereotypes and tackle dodgy reporting about seniors.
MACA Media Awards 2018
The winners for the 2018 MACA Media Awards were announced at a ceremony on 15 October at the Australian Museum, Sydney.
This event was attended by 200 including finalists, members of media organisations, peak bodies, NSW Departments, community members and the Hon Tanya Davies, Minister for Ageing.
The ceremony was hosted by SBS Insight host and 2017 MACA Gold Award Winner Jenny Brockie.
The audience enjoyed a night of culture, music and celebration of the representation of positive ageing in the media.
The 2018 awards received over 100 nominations.
Winners include:
- Lifestyle and Health & Gold Award – Ita Buttrose and Bianca Balzer
- Ita Buttrose's Healthy Lifestyle Tips, TODAY Extra
- Current Affairs – 7.30 Report Team, Concerns Over the Rise in the Number of Elderly who are Homeless, ABC
- News – Cathy Stubbs, Peninsula Village Celebrates Sixth 100 year old Resident, Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate
- Images – Tracey Muir, Skydive Australia 'Cheeky' Couple Celebrate 73rd Wedding Anniversary with Wollongong Skydive, Illawarra Mercury
- Regional – Marina Neil, Images, Cessnock City Seniors Festival Program Recognised at Local Government Week Awards, The Advertiser (Cessnock)
- Advertising – Pimp My Ride – Smashing the Stereotypes, Feros Care
- Special Commendation – "The Late Shift" SBS, Are we Entering the Age of No Retirement?, SBS.
The 'Gold Award' was awarded to Ita Buttrose and Bianca Balzer for their TODAY Extra segment, which represented active ageing in a positive light.
Press release can be found here.
Watch our MACA 2018 Media Awards highlights here
More information
ReportAGE: Media guidelines for portraying people who are older
For further information, contact the MACA Secretariat.
The MACA is the official advisory body on ageing policy to the NSW Government. It provides advice to the Minister for Ageing on matters relating to ageing and older people.
Nominees and winners
2018 MACA Media Awards Winners from left to right Tarnya Sim from Feros Care; Jenny Brockie from the ABC; Bianca Balzar and Ita Buttrose from Today Extra; Kate Aubusson from the Sydney Morning Herald; and Monique Schafter from the ABC’s 7:30.
Kathryn Greiner, Chair of the MACA; Gold MACA Winners Bianca Balzar & Ita Buttrose; and Tanya Davies, Minister of Ageing.
Jasmine Timpano and Tracey Muir, winner of the ‘Images’ category.
Wendy Morgan, MACA Council Member; Christine Mattey, finalist from CatholicCare; and Alison Francis , Manager Ageing Team at NSW Department of Family and Community Services.
The 2018 MACA Media Awards
Robert Tickner, Co-chair of ‘Every Age Counts’, with MACA Media Awards attendees.
Pam Webster, Deputy Chair, NSW Carer’s Advisory Council; Joan Hughes, Chair of COTA NSW; and Helen McFarlane, Manager, NSW Department of Family and Community Services.
Denis Mamo, Australian Centre for Arts and Health; and Margret Meagher, MACA Council Member.
Peter Everett with MACA Council Members Professor Tracey McDonald and Stephen Teulan.
MACA members Valerie Pratt and David Pigott.
Drinks and canapés in the Australian Museum’s Long Hall.
Sydney Jazz Collective.
Gadigal Elder Uncle Charles Madden with attendees at the MACA Media Awards 2018.
Mitch Broughton, Producer and Anthony Hawwa, Senior Shooter and Producer at The Project.
Kate Dixon, Toni Ford and Elyse Rogers from NSW Department of Family and Community Services.
MACA Media Awards 2017
Results
The winners for the 2017 MACA Media Awards were announced at a ceremony on 16 October. This event was attended by members of media organisations, peak bodies, NSW Departments, community members and the Hon Tanya Davies, Minister for Ageing. The awards celebrated positive and balanced reporting of older people in the media.
The ceremony was hosted by Ms Ellen Fanning, Australian journalist, and host of The Drum.
Nominations for the MACA Awards were accepted from the following categories; News, Current Affairs, Images, Lifestyle & Health, and Advertising.
This year an additional two categories were introduced to acknowledge the best regional nomination and to acknowledge a special commendation.
A Gold Award was also granted for the most outstanding nomination across all categories.
Watch this short video that captured the 2017 MACA Media awards.
News
Winner
Jane Gilmore – Sydney Morning Herald for Single women face a frightening future of homelessness in Australia
Runners-up
Fiona Smith – The Guardian for Always grasp the opportunity: confronting ageism creatively
Ben Steverman – Sydney Morning Herald for When will you be too old for your job? Check this chart.
Current Affairs
Winner
Jenny Brockie – SBS Insight for Women on the Edge
Runner-up
ABC for You Can’t Ask That Centenarians
Lifestyle and Health
Winner
Masako Fukui, Earshot, ABC Radio National for Late Life Sex
Runners-up
Lucy Clark and David Fanner, The Guardian for Wisdom of Ages: A Guardian video series
Melanie Burgess, News Corp for Baby boomers embrace start-ups to transition out of retirement and find work after retrenchment
Advertising
Winner
TRACK for APIA - We Know You Know
Runner-up
Specsavers for Specsavers Glasses TV Commercial
Images
Winner
The Good Life Magazine, IRT for George Findley, IRT
Runner-up
Innovation NSW for Older Couple Using Mobile Device
Regional Award
Winner
John Piggott, The Senior for You Little Beauty, Baradine
Gold Award
Jenny Brockie – SBS Insight for Women on the Edge
Special Commendation
Chadstone Bowling Club for All the Bowling Ladies
MACA Media Awards 2016
The MACA recently held the inaugural MACA Media Awards, to celebrate balanced and realistic reporting on ageing and older people.
MACA Media Awards 2016 Results
The winners for the inaugural MACA Media Awards were announced at a ceremony on 17 October. This event was attended by NSW Departments, peak bodies, members of media organisations and the Hon John Ajaka, Minister for Ageing, and set the benchmark for celebrating good reporting on older people.
The ceremony was hosted by Ms Lee Lin Chin.
News
The winner in the News category is:
Laura Gartry - ABC News for David Goodall: Australia's oldest working scientist fights to stay at university
The Runners-up are:
- Dallas Sebastian - Aged Care Insite: Intimacy in aged care needs policy protection
- Verity Edwards - Weekend Australian: Never too old to be a mentor
Current Affairs
The winner in the Current Affairs category is:
Ellen Fanning - ABC Radio National for Reverse Mentoring
The Runners-up are:
- Dateline SBS: Growing old disgracefully
- Toby Dawson - Illawarra Retirement Trust Foundation: Tackling age perceptions
Lifestyle and Health
The winner in the Lifestyle and Health category is:
Dateline SBS for My 93 year old Flatmate
The Runners-up are:
- Claudine Ryan - ABC News: Friendship for men in middle-age? Here's what you told us about how to find it
- Billie Jordan - Daily Life: Meet Hip Op-eration, the world's oldest hip-hop crew, average age 79
- Margaret Ward - The Conversation: Australia’s housing standards are failing its ageing population
Advertising
The winner in the Advertising category is:
NRMA Insurance for DIY Your NRMA Insurance Policies online
The Runners-up are:
- Uniting: Proud of who I am
- Mark Sweney - The Guardian: 'Ageism is so last century': Harvey Nichols uses 100-year-old model