Mehdi Hasan was named Media Personality of the Year at the first Asian Media Awards.
Hundreds of guests gathered for the first Asian Media Awards, amid a glittering ceremony at the Hilton Deansgate, Manchester.
Mehdi Hasan has worked on LWT’s Jonathan Dimbleby programme, BBC1’s The Politics Show and on Sky’s breakfast show Sunrise, before being appointed political director of The Huffington Post UK in 2012.
Speaking on the night Mehdi said, “It’s really good. I’m humbled, as I said, when I accepted the award to look out at a sea of faces, some of whom are so talented, many of whom are so experienced so much success that to be given an award in their presence, by some of them as judges is so humbling.”
In his writing and broadcasting, Hasan has helped to shed light on some of the most pressing issues facing British Asians in the UK – from extremism to racism.
Through his regular appearances on television and radio, and his presence on social media, he has helped encourage debate within the country at large, as well as within British Asian communities.
The latter, some would say, has been a tough challenge for him as an individual.
The Asian Media Awards are proud to honour a journalist who has helped to break down many misconceptions and continues to challenge bigotry at all levels.
He said he was blessed to be working in the media industry, “There are times when you feel down, you’re getting attacked from all sides you’re getting a battering, you’re getting into arguments.
“Then there are times when you remember that what you do makes a difference.
“I think that those of us who work in the media, a lot of us would say, we love our jobs.
“I have friends of mine who are accountants or doctors or dentists who work in the private sector who don’t really look forward to a Monday morning in the same way I do.
“I feel privileged and blessed to be in an industry where I can speak my mind, I can be rewarded, I can make a difference.”
Partners for the event included charities Lendwithcare.org and CARE International, ITV and BizAsiaLive.com, with judging panel representatives from the Press Association Training and MediaCom.
The Media Personality of the Year award was sponsored by Asons Solicitors.
