Awards Ceremony for the Ortega y Gasset Prizes for Journalism 2012

The event, hosted by journalist Macarena Berlin, will be addressed by Juan Luis Cebrian, president of EL PAÍS and Javier Moreno, editor-in-chief of EL PAÍS. The ceremony will be closed by the editor Elena Ochoa Foster, president of the jury.

In its twenty-ninth year, the Ortega y Gasset Prizes for Journalism have been awarded as follows: in the print journalism category, to Humberto Padgett (Don Lucas, Mexico, 1975) for Los Muchachos Perdidos ("The Lost Boys").The jury this year singled out for praise a number of reports from Latin America, especially this report, which addresses "situations experienced in many countries by younger generations. It is one of the most pressing stories of our  contemporary society."

In the category of digital journalism, Carmela Rios (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1965) won for  El #15M en directo en twitter ("The # 15M live on twitter"), "an innovative endeavour in live journalism: it illustrates the importance of being where stories break. It is a work that breaks the mould and that is a wonderful model for new generations of journalists. "

In the category of photojournalism, the winner was  Carlos Jacobo Méndez (Madrid, 1967). The jury lauded his picture, taken in Valencia during the 15M indignado movement protests on May 15, as a picture "of great symbolism, that truly captured the spirit of 15M. It is a hopeful picture and represents a phenomenon that goes beyond the purely cultural and social. It shows a classical composition framed by the spontaneity of movement. "

In the category of outstanding career, the juryrecognized Sir Harold Evans (Newton Heath, Manchester, England, 1928), as an "icon of independence and a global benchmark of journalism," who has become an inspiration for generations of journalists.

The jury, meeting in Madrid, was made up of Blanca Portillo, Jesús Ceberio, Juan Luis Cebrián, Elena Foster, Joaquín Estefanía, Soledad Puértolas, Javier Moreno, Soledad Gallego Díaz and Iñaki Gabilondo. Elena Ochoa Foster served as president and Jose Manuel Calvo as secretary of the jury.

The Ortega y Gasset Prizes for Journalism were created in 1984 by the newspaperEL PAÍS, and are named after the Spanish philosopher and journalist José Ortega y Gasset. The prize honours work published in Spanish worldwide, recognizing, in particular, work that champions human rights, independence, rigor, curiosity and passion: in short all the hallmarks of excellent journalism.

The awards are open to written or graphic work published in Spanish-language newspapers or magazines worldwide. Each award is worth 15,000 euros in prize money and is accompanied by a work by sculptor Eduardo Chillida.

More information www.premiosortegaygasset.com