The nominees for the PinkNews Broadcaster of the Year are…
The PinkNews Awards takes place on 18 October 2017 at a central London location.
The event recognises the important contributions by politicians, community groups, campaigners, businesses and broadcasters towards improving LGBT+ life at home and abroad.
The Broadcaster of the Year category recognises individual broadcasters, as well as programmes which highlight LGBT+ issues and aim to improve the lives of LGBT+ people at home and abroad.
This year a separate category also marks extra-special coverage of the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.
The shortlist is available to view below, along with a form to rank your favourites.
Coronation Street – ITV
The ITV soap has been commended for its sensitive portrayal of a number of LGBT+ issues in recent years.
Out gay actor Daniel Brocklebank recently spoke out about the abuse he has suffered off-screen for playing a gay vicar on the show.
He received more abuse after his character adopted a child with his boyfriend.
The show famously featured Julie Hesmondhalgh as trans character Hayley Cropper, recently stood strong in the face of hundreds of OFCOM complaints about a “raunchy” gay kiss, and paid an emotional tribute to superfan Martyn Hett who was killed in the Manchester bombing earlier this year.
Watch a moment from Corrie below:
Doctor Who – BBC
It was revealed two months ago that Jodie Whittaker would be playing the next incarnation of the traditionally-male Time Lord, after the departure of current star Peter Capaldi.
In 2015 Bethany Black became the first openly transgender actress to appear on Doctor Who in a guest role.
The Doctor also recently got a lesbian sidekick, Bill Potts.
“It shouldn’t be a big deal in the 21st Century. It’s about time isn’t it?” Pearl Mackie, who plays Bill, told the BBC.
“That representation is important, especially on a mainstream show.”
The show also had an incredible LGBT moment in which Bill is talking to two Centurion guards, one of which is gay and the other is bisexual.
Check out a trailer for the upcoming season of Doctor Who below:
Loose Women – ITV
Loose Women has made a notable effort to feature LGBT stories on its discussion panel.
Last year the show made history with its first transgender host India Willougby who returned to TV at the end of last year after transitioning.
Sometimes receiving criticism in the past for its coverage of LGBT issues, the show has in the past year stepped up its game in covering LGBT issues.
The show has featured Lucy Spraggan and her wife, Amanda Barrie speaking openly about not being able to ‘come out’ fifty years ago, and Pam St Clement speaking about being bisexual in the public eye.
It also regularly features high-profile guests like Caitlyn Jenner, Duncan James and Shane Ward discussing important LGBT+ issues.
Watch a segment from Loose Women below featuring India Willougby:
Lorraine – ITV
Lorraine Kelly often uses her platform to bring to light issues faced by the LGBT+ community and highlights positive stories featuring LGBT people.
Earlier this year Lorraine featured a trans dad who gave birth to his child, and sensitively allowed him to tell his story.
She has also spoken out on a number of other issues, including saying that she had discussed with her daughter that homosexuality used to be illegal, and that her daughter couldn’t believe it was true.
Watch an interview with trans dad Hayden featuring Lorraine below:
Maajid Nawaz – LBC
LBC host Maajid Nawaz often uses his show to challenge anti-LGBT views and fearlessly tackles controversial issues surrounding LGBT people.
He recently called on the Muslim community to understand why people in the LGBT+ community are angry at Islam.
In a heated segment of his show, he listed the ten countries that still punish homosexuality with death, pointing out that they “are all, without exception, Muslim majority countries.”
Nawaz more recently slammed parents who have threatened legal action against their children’s school for allowing a trans child to wear a dress in class and challenged a caller who insisted that homosexuality should be punished with stoning.
Watch a segment from Nawaz’s show below:
Orange is the New Black – Netflix
Every year brings a new 13-episode tranche of the show, each a collection of high drama and dozens of complex, entangled plotlines which often include LGBT issues.
The show stars the critically acclaimed transgender actor and campaigner Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset.
Love and sex aren’t locked out of the story, as several pairs including Suzanne (Uzo Aduba) and Maureen (Emily Althaus) and Piper (Taylor Schilling) and Alex (Laura Prepon) address their complicated relationships.
The stars of the show also campaign for LGBT+ rights off-screen as well, with cast members often taking place in Pride parades and sending messages of support to the LGBT+ community.
The multi-award winning show is held dear by many LGBT+ people for its portrayal of same-sex relationships, transgender life, women’s rights and a whole host of other issues.
Watch a trailer for OITNB below:
Sense8 – Netflix
The acclaimed Netflix series, created by transgender sisters Lana and Lilly Wachowski, follows eight pansexual individuals around the globe with an apparent psychic connection.
The show featured openly trans actress Jamie Clayton – making it notable as the first mainstream show to have an openly trans writer penning a trans role for an openly trans actress.
Netflix confirmed that the show would return for a one-off special episode despite the show being cancelled after two seasons.
Fans campaigned for the show’s return when it was axed as it had been celebrated for it’s brilliant inclusion of LGBT characters and themes.
Watch the Sense8 trailer below:
Transparent – Amazon Prime
The BAFTA-nominated Amazon series ‘Transparent’ stars Jeffrey Tambor as trans woman Maura Pfefferman. It has earned eight Emmys and two Golden Globes to date, winning acclaim for its groundbreaking portrayal.
Although some trans activists have criticised the show for casting a man as a transgender woman, it has also earned a following in the transgender community.
Despite its niche audience, the show has become an awards powerhouse for Amazon in recent years, earning a string of awards and nominations.
Transparent was for some time the only LGBT-themed show in Amazon’s Prime Instant Video library.
Transparent writer and director Jill Soloway came out in 2015 as non-binary and queer when they announced their relationship with Eileen Myles.
Watch the trailer for Transparent below:
Victoria Derbyshire – BBC
A previous PinkNews Award winner, the Victoria Derbyshire show has dedicated extensive time to coverage of LGBT issues, from sensitive coverage of transgender children to a married gay Muslim who was the victim of threats of an acid attack.
A raft of LGBT+ and human rights issues have been covered by Derbyshire on her show which launched in 2015.
Watch a segment on growing up transgender below:
Use the link below to vote for your favourites in all categories.
Click here for the form to vote for your favourites for the PinkNews Awards 2017
Click here for the full shortlist of nominees in all categories.
The PinkNews Awards is generously supported by Lloyds Banking Group
