Johnston interview wins top award

A BBC World Service interview with kidnapped BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston has won an award for best broadcast interview of the year.

Presenter Carrie Gracie was named as the winner of the Nick Clarke Award for her skilful questioning of the reporter who was held for four months in 2007.

The award was created in honour of the former presenter of BBC Radio 4's The World at One who died in November 2006.

Gracie will receive a dozen bottles of good claret as her prize.

'Greatest interviewers'

Kevin Marsh, former Today editor, who sat on the final judging panel said: "Carrie's interview was conducted in Nick's spirit, offering a rich radio experience of remarkable quality."

The judges also commended Lyse Doucet of BBC World Service and Phil Cox, an independent film maker working for More4 News.

Mark Damazer, Controller BBC Radio 4 said: "I believe Carrie Gracie will be the first in a long line of terrific broadcast journalists to win an award named after one of the BBC's greatest interviewers."

The final judging panel consisted of Marsh, radio critic Gillian Reynolds and journalist and historian Peter Hennessey.