Arthur Lovekin Prize for Excellence in Journalism 2023

The University of Western Australia is pleased to invite applications for the Arthur Lovekin Prize for Excellence in Journalism.

Established in 1928 with a donation to the University by the Hon. Arthur Lovekin – journalist and newspaper editor and owner – this award is available annually for the best contribution published in an Australian newspaper or periodical produced, published or circulated in Western Australia.

Like Sir John Winthrop Hackett, a key figure in the founding of UWA, Lovekin was a substantial benefactor to Perth and a crusader for development. Both Hackett and Lovekin were newspaper editors and proprietors, with Lovekin Drive in Kings Park being named after the latter. Lovekin was the second President of the Kings Park Board and the person responsible for the initiation of the Honour Avenues.

During the late 1920s, many universities in Australia were undertaking experiments in collaborating with journalists and newspaper proprietors. This was in response to the desire for journalists to professionalise their craft, but also represented a joint interest in 'orming public opinion' and a desire to gain a perspective on the 'flood of facts'. According to journalism historian Clem Lloyd, extension classes for journalists were offered at UWA as early as 1919, with the strong support of figures such as Walter Murdoch, John Curtin and the Australian Journalism Association. These extension classes were later formalised into a diploma course. The original diploma course was one academic subject a year for four years. The Lovekin Prize embodies this spirit of collaboration between the Western Australian press, the University, and the Australian Journalism Association, today the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance.

From the Australian Dictionary of Biography and Clem Lloyd.