CNN Journalist Award 2011: Benjamin Best is "Journalist of the Year

Benjamin Best's WDR 5 radio report "Sieg, Tor, Betrug - Wettmanipulation im Sport" beat off competition from more than 300 applicants from three countries. Benjamin Best from Munich impressively illustrates the danger that international betting fraud poses to the acceptance of sport, according to a CNN statement. Born in Berlin, Best spent over three years researching this topic. His research took him from Europe to the USA and Asia. The interviews he conducted himself and commissioned were presented for the first time in this radio feature. Dominik Wichmann, deputy editor-in-chief of Stern and jury chairman, on the decision: "You are captivated by this contribution right to the end. I still have images and metaphors in my head to this day - truly a top contribution!"

The four award winners were honored yesterday evening at a festive event at the GOP Varieté Theater in Munich. Among the prominent guests from the media, politics and business were Dana Schweiger and the actors Hannes Jaenicke and Katja Flint. CNN Lead Political Anchor Wolf Blitzer also traveled from Washington, D.C. to attend. The award ceremony was hosted by Cherno Jobatey.

They were successful in the other categories:

Sebastian Kuhn, winner of the TV category (Arte): "USA: Under the Miami Bridge" tells the story of sex offenders in Miami. Since 2005, they have been obliged by law to keep 750 meters away from schools and kindergartens. The Julia Tuttle Causeway Bridge is therefore the only place left for them to live. Sebastian Kuhn spent a week living with the "outlaws" under the bridge in Miami.

Frederik Obermaier, winner of the Print category (Zeit Campus): In his reportage "I think it is my destiny to be here", Frederik Obermaier follows in the footsteps of Dutch student Tanja Nijmeijer, who joined the guerrillas in Colombia. Surprisingly, she is accused in absentia and wanted by the Colombian secret service, which believes her to be the right-hand man of Farc deputy Mono Jojoy.

Simon Kremer and Marc Röhlig, winners of the Online category (Soukmagazine.de): With "The Simultaneous City", an interactive map of the old city of Damascus has been created that can be explored by visitors to the website in order to trace the social transformation of Syria in this microcosm.

This year's international jury consisted of: Uli Baur (Editor-in-Chief Focus), Franz Fischlin (Tagesschau presenter Swiss Television), Katharina Borchert (Managing Director Spiegel Online), Kristin Zeier (Head of English-language radio and online editorial department at Deutsche Welle), Frederik Pleitgen (CNN correspondent), Ingrid Thurnher (ZIB presenter ORF) and Dominik Wichmann (Deputy Editor-in-Chief Stern).

In addition to the trophy, each category winner received prize money. As "CNN Journalist of the Year", Benjamin Best also receives an invitation to a full scholarship at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. There he will get to know the international news channel from the inside, gain insights into the Time Warner Group's global network and have the opportunity to gain new professional experience and contacts.