The Journalist of the Year award in the 2004 ESB Media Awards went to RTÉ's Prime Time Investigates team.
Presenting the award, RTÉ presenter Mr Pat Kenny said they had won it for their "superb body of work over the course of the year".
The judges said of this award: "In a year characterised by much good journalism, choosing between any of these winners would have been a difficult task. However, there are also years in which the task is made easier by the fact that behind an individual winner there is a team, and a body of work, which has set new journalistic parameters for the year in question.
"For these reasons the award for Journalist of the Year goes to the team behind the superb series of investigative reports under the generic title, Prime Time Investigates."
The Special Judges Award for an outstanding contribution to Irish journalism went to the editor of the Irish Independent, Mr Vinnie Doyle. There are no entrants for this award, which is given at the discretion of the judges, and it is not given every year. Previous winners include Mr Con Houlihan, sports columnist for many years with the Evening Press, and the late Mary Holland, columnist with The Irish Times and former Irish correspondent of the Observer.
Keith Duggan of The Irish Times won the Sports Journalist of the Year Award in print journalism. The same award in broadcasting went to Conor Moloney, Karen McGrath and Paul Giles, of Independent Pictures.
The chairman of the ESB, Mr Tadhg O'Donoghue, said that the media awards are about "the achievements of those in the media who entertain, inform and on occasions enrage us". He added that, after many years, this would be the last year in which the ESB would sponsor the awards, but he was confident that a new sponsor would be found.
The Minister for Communications, Mr Dempsey, the guest of honour at the ceremony, said that, as a career guidance teacher, he had found that those interested in careers in journalism and in politics often had a lot in common.
This included an interest in making the world a better place and a belief in themselves. In due course most buckled down and accepted the reality of the world they worked in. However, there were always a few that retained that early idealism.
"This meant not being afraid to challenge, and put the head above the parapet," he said.
Fifty-two people were shortlisted for the 18 awards, including seven writers from The Irish Times. Each winner received a cheque for €1,500 and a sculpture by Leo Higgins.
ESB MEDIA AWARDS: the list of winners
Overall Journalist of the Year Award: Prime Time, Investigates team, RTÉ;
Outstanding Contribution to Irish Journalism: Vinnie Doyle, Irish Independent;
Scoop of the Year: Deirdre Tynan, Ireland on Sunday;
Young Journalist: Michael Brennan, Irish Examiner;
Iriseoir na Bliana as Gaeilge: Ronan Mac an Iomaire, Nuacht TG4;
Political/Current Affairs: Carole Coleman, RTÉ;
Arts: T.J. Flynn, Clare Champion;
Features: Mary Carr, Ireland on Sunday;
TV Documentary: Paul Loughlin and Rita O'Reilly, RTÉ;
Radio Documentary: Karen Coleman, NewsTalk
Opinion: Liam Fay, Sunday Times;
Business Features: Bill Tyson, Irish Independent;
Business News: Conor Keane, Irish Examiner;
Sports Print: Keith Duggan, The Irish Times;
Sports Broadcast: Conor Moloney, Keren McGrath and Paul Giles, Independent Pictures;
Provincial/Regional Sport: Jonathan Mullin, Athlone Voice;
Provincial/Regional Broadcast: Fran McNulty, Shannonside Northern Sound;
Provincial/Regional News: Chris Thornton, Belfast Telegraph