SBS Television has won three awards at the 52nd Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

Two were won by Dateline video journalist Ginny Stein, and the other by World News Australia journalist Brian Thomson.

This year’s wins are particularly significant, since World News Australia has expanded its format to be a one hour program. The expansion has allowed the station to produce more original SBS coverage.

World News Australia reporter Brian Thomson won the Television News Reporting category for his series of reports on East Timor.

With the help of cameraman/editor Ryan Sheridan, Brian filed 28 stories over a five month period in which the young nation dealt with a presidential election, the subsequent fallout and ensuing economic and resource issues.

Remote and dangerous locations

Some reports were filed from remote and dangerous locations including Baucau, where SBS was the only international crew to make it to the Fretlin stronghold where houses had been torched in post-election violence.

Dateline video journalist Ginny Stein received two awards.

Her report Burma – Inside the Secret City won the International Journalism category. It offered a rare glimpse into the plight of dissidents living a country off-limits to the media.

Stein’s report Rwanda – Questions of Murder won the Investigative Journalism category. Across six countries and over six months, it tracked down a former UN staff member accused of multiple murders during the Rwandan conflict.

Dateline video journalists Olivia Rousset and Sophie McNeill were Walkley finalists while fellow VJ David O’Shea received a commendation from the judges for his camerawork.

'Benchmark for excellence'

“Dateline continues to set the benchmark for excellence in international current affairs coverage,” said SBS Managing Director Shaun Brown.

“Our intrepid and courageous video-journalists are world renowned for their perseverance and commitment to bringing untold stories to the fore."

The coveted Gold Walkley award went to Hedley Thomas, of the Australian, for his expose of the mistakes in the arrest and treatment of former terrorism suspect Dr Mohamed Haneef.

Mr Thomas also won the print news report, while Gerard Noonan won the Outstanding Contribution to Journalism for his "fearless campaigning, quality writing and dedication to preserving the values of Australian journalism".

Sydney Morning Herald photographer Kate Geraghty was named Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year -- for the second year in a row -- for her photo essay on the final days of terminally ill doctor John Elliot.

Jonestown, the controversial unauthorised biography of broadcaster Alan Jones, won the Non-Fiction Book Award for investigative journalist Chris Masters.