THE JOURNAL.IE HAS been nominated for four awards at the 2019 Headline Mental Health Media Awards. 

The awards, organised by Headline, recognise excellence in reporting and media coverage of mental health issues. 

Michelle Hennessy was nominated in the Online category, which recognises websites, podcasts and digital media for “using creative and innovative techniques and content” to discuss mental health. 

She was nominated for the podcast: “I lost two sons to suicide – I want people to know it’s okay to have problems”. 

The podcast was part of Left Behind series, which was produced by Nicky Ryan and spoke to accidental campaigners about their attempts to make sure other families never have to experience their pain. 

Órla Ryan was nominated in the National Print/Online category, which awards stories in national news outlets that deal with issues of mental health. 

Her nominated story, headlined “You’ve got everything now, you should be fine”, looked at how youth workers are helping young LGBTI+ people, who still face challenges despite the passage of marriage equality and the gender recognition act. 

Additionally, TheJournal.ie team was nominated, alongside the Lunchtime Live show on Newstalk and the Irish Times, for the Headline Voice Media Award, which is awarded to a publisher “who has demonstrated excellence in the quality and quantity of coverage given to people with self-experience of mental ill health”. 

We were also nominated for the Headline Impact Award, which recognises broadcasters, publishers or individuals who have made “an exceptional contribution to the national conversation around mental ill health”. 

The award highlights what Headline sees as responsible coverage which has worked to improve the quality and quantity of reporting of mental health illness.

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‘You’ve got everything now, you should be fine’: How youth workers are helping LGBTI+ people post-marriage referendum

The Blindboy Podcast and Lunchtime Live were also nominated in the same category. 

The awards were established over a decade ago and re-launched in 2019 to recognise excellence in mental health reporting. Headline promotes responsible reporting and representation of mental illness in the media. 

In 2017, Headline named TheJournal.ie as its Voice recipient for highlighting mental health experiences. 

The awards ceremony will be held on 4 December 2019.