THE RORY PECK AWARDS 2002
Welcome from the Sponsor

We are half way through our sponsorship of the Rory
Peck Awards and, looking back, it's hard to believe that so much has happened in the last 18 months. We attended last year's awards with the horror of September 11th in the front of all our minds, and the ensuing worldwide response has strongly influenced the way in which we work with the Trust.

One response has been to liaise with the charity to refine the Sony International Impact Award criteria, to focus on the humanitarian content that many news items include. Our three finalists this year are a good example of what we mean by this - one highlights the disregard for humanity, another the struggle for survival in adverse conditions and the third is an example of one person's commitment to the capture of a crucial story.

Without exception, Sony personnel involved in the Awards have had their understanding of the importance of the freelance cameraperson heightened.
Our work with the Trust has given us an insight into the pressures that the community face, while the judging drummed home the amount of hard-hitting
footage that is produced.

We are proud of our association with the Trust - it allows us to give something back to the broadcast industry, and presents us with an opportunity to be a
part of something we feel very strongly about. If proof were ever needed of the vital role that the Trust plays - look to the freelance cameramen and women that have lost their lives in the course of their work this year. To the families of these people, The Rory Peck Trust is a lifeline.

For this, and the huge amount of effort and dedication that Tina Carr and her team put into all aspects of the Trust's activities, we'd like to send our thanks and appreciation.

Miles Flint
President
Sony Business Europe