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CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2010
CNN International and MultiChoice this week officially launched the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 Awards. The winners of these prestigious annual Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony to be held in Kampala, Uganda in May 2010.
Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CNN International, said: ““It is with great pleasure that we announce the 2010 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards are returning to East Africa. And it is fitting that now in its fifteenth year, the awards are being held in Uganda, a country that has produced so many success stories and winners in the competition’s history. “
Nico Meyer, CEO MultiChoice South Africa said, “With all eyes on South Africa ahead of the 2010 FIFA World cup, it is imperative that journalists are encouraged and supported to tell the African story with passion and excellence. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards provides an ideal platform to recognise excellence in journalism. MultiChoice is proud to partner with CNN in bringing this benchmark of media excellence to the African continent.”
John-Allan Namu, from Kenya, was awarded the top prize at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009 Awards ceremony. John-Allan, reporter for Kenya Television Network, won for his stories ‘In the shadow of the Mungiki’ and ‘Inside Story: Scars and Sufurias’, which were chosen from among 1665 entries from 38 nations across the African continent.
John-Allan said: “When I was announced as the 2009 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the year, I knew that my career would change almost overnight, and it did. I now have a lot more access to the newsmakers and opinion leaders in my country because they all understand the prestige and importance of winning such an award. To the audience who follow my work back home, it was an especially important award, because it showed them that excellence can be attained no matter what profession one practices, also that Kenya can be counted as a nation filled with talent worthy of being celebrated on a continental scale. Our country Kenya is at a point in its history when it badly needs good examples, and a strong media. I feel that because of the award, in my own way, I have met this need. This award inspired not just me, but a generation of Kenyans who will lead the country’s march into the future. I now feel better armed to take on the challenges of reporting in my country and on the continent, at a most crucial period of change in Kenya and Africa.
Over the past fifteen years, the competition has grown in size and status to become Africa’s most prestigious media event. In 2009, it attracted entries from 38 African countries and a ‘Highlights Programme’ of the ceremony, held in Durban, South Africa, was broadcast in 44 African countries, on the Africa Channel in the US, OBE TV and Southern Africa Direct in the UK and RTP Africa.
Entry Form
This year, the competition will recognise excellence in the following categories:
• Arts & Culture Award
• Digital Journalism Award * NEW*
• Economics & Business Award
• Environment Award
• Free Press Africa Award
• The HIV/AIDS Reporting Award
• Mohamed Amin Photographic Award
• MSD Health & Medical Award
• Print General News Award
• Radio General News Award
• Sport Award
• Television Features Award
• Television News Bulletin Award
• Tourism Award
• Francophone General News Awards
• Portuguese Language General News Award
From these category winners, the judges choose the overall winner - The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010.
Finalists in the 2010 competition will participate in a four day finalists’ programme that will include a media forum and networking opportunities with senior journalists, editors, business leaders and media owners from across the continent, culminating in a gala awards ceremony in May, 2010. All finalists receive a cash prize and each category winner also receives a laptop and printer. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 will receive an additional cash prize and a trip to CNN Center in Atlanta.
The competition is open to African nationals who are professional journalists including freelancers across print, television, internet, photographic and radio. Full details on how to enter can be found by logging on at www.cnn.com/africanawards. The closing date for entries is 28th January 2010. There will NOT be any extensions of this closing date, and entries received after this date may be disqualified. The judging will take place in March 2010. All entries should be broadcast or published during January 2009 – December 2009.
www.cnn.com/africanawards
Durban played host to the 2009 MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Award. The winners of the competition were announced at the Award Ceremony and Gala Evening held at The International Convention Centre, Durban, South Africa on Saturday 18th July.
Finalists in the prestigious CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009 Competition were announced today by Azubuike Ishiekwene, Chair of the independent judging panel. The competition is now in its 14th year.
This year the competition received entries from 836 journalists from 38 countries throughout the continent, including French and Portuguese speaking Africa.
There are 25 finalists from 12 countries:
- Ayodeji Adeyemi, TELL Magazine, Nigeria
- Biaou Daniel Valérien Adje, ORTB - Parakou, Benin
- Anas Aremeyaw Anas, The Crusading Guide, Ghana
- Rajen Bablee, Samedi Plus, Mauritius
- Ernesto Bartolomeu, TPA, Angola
- Nicola De Chaud, Backyard Productions for Carte Blanche, South Africa
- Ethar El-Katatney, Business Today Egypt
- Hazel Friedman, Special Assignment, SABC, South Africa
- Halden Krog, The Times, South Africa
- Anna-Maria Lombard, Health-e News Service for 3rd Degree e.tv, South Africa
- Paul McNally, Men's Health Magazine, South Africa
- James Moturi Mogaka, KTN, Kenya
- Fredrick Mugira, Freelance for Mail & Guardian online www.mg.co.za, Uganda
- Sammy Muraya, Metro FM, Kenya
- Boniface Mwangi, Expression Today, Kenya
- John Benson Mwangi, KTN, Kenya
- John-Allan Namu, KTN, Kenya
- Elshadai Negash, Freelance for Fortune Newspaper, Ethiopia
- Luís Nhachote, Zambeze, Mozambique
- Tolu Ogunlesi, Contributing Editor for Glide Magazine, Nigeria
- Violet Otindo, K24 Television, Kenya
- Odette Schwegler, Backyard Productions for Carte Blanche, South Africa
- Viviane Tiendrébéogo, Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina Faso
- Beauregard Tromp, The Star, South Africa
- Alain Zongo, L'Observateur Paalga, Burkina Faso
This year the recipient of the Free Press Africa Award is Nicaise Kibel’bel Oka, of Les Coulisses in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is awarded this prize, for his work in the DRC, and also in recognition of all the journalists in the DRC who have put their lives at risk in telling the story. There are three journalists in particular that we would like to mention who were murdered fulfilling their professional duties:
Pascal Kabungulu (killed 31st July 2005)
Serge Maheshe (killed 13th June, 2007)
Didace Namujimbo (killed 23rd November 2008)
The winners of the competition will be announced at an Award Ceremony and Gala Evening at The International Convention Centre, Durban, South Africa on Saturday 18th July.
The hosts for the evening will be Isha Sesay, presenter of CNN weekly programme ‘Inside Africa’, joined on stage by South African eNews Channel presenter Macfarlane Molele.
Announcing the finalists, Azubuike Ishiekwene said: “2009 saw a steady, remarkable improvement in the overall quality of the entries. A number of journalists who entered the competition over the last few years took the opportunity to improve their skills, enter again and raise the bar on their previous entries. Many first time entrants also delivered inspiring work that raised the overall quality. The competition was particularly strong in the Health, Sport, Tourism, Environment, TV 60, Radio and Print General News categories. Across the continent - including countries like Rwanda, Ethiopia, Angola and Egypt - we saw entries from young journalists who are determined to make a difference. That is really gratifying."
The competition recognise excellence in the following categories for the 2009 event:
- Tourism Award
- Arts and Culture Award
- Economics & Business Award
- Environment Award sponsored by Ecobank
- Free Press Africa Award
- MSD Health & Medical Award
- HIV/AIDS Reporting in Africa
- Mohamed Amin Photographic Award sponsored by A24 Media
- Print General News Award sponsored by Safebond Africa Ltd.
- Radio General News Award
- Sport Award sponsored by Global Media Alliance
- Television - Features Award sponsored by IPP Media Tanzania
- Television - News Bulletin Award
- Francophone General News Awards (Print and TV/Radio)
- Portuguese Language General News Award
From these category winners, the judges choose the overall winner - The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009.
Finalists in the 2009 competition will participate in a four day finalists' programme that will include a media forum and networking opportunities with senior journalists, editors, business leaders and media owners from across the continent, culminating in a gala awards ceremony in July, 2009. Each category winner receives a cash prize, plus laptop and printer. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009 will receive an additional cash prize and a trip to CNN Center in Atlanta.
The independent judging panel, chaired by Azubuike Ishiekwene, Executive Director, Punch Nigeria Limited, includes: Ferial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, Mail & Guardian, South Africa; Joel Kibazo, Journalist and Media Consultant; Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General of SABA – Southern African Broadcasting Association; Kim Norgaard, CNN’s Johannesburg Bureau Chief; Anna Umbima, journalist and broadcaster. Filipe Correia de Sá, Senior Producer at BBC World Service and Jean-Paul Gérouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief at France 3 were brought in to help judge the Portuguese and French language categories.
The prestigious sponsors include: British Airways; Coca-Cola Africa; Ecobank, IPP Media, Tanzania; Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD); Safebond Africa Ltd; South African Tourism; Zain; Global Media Alliance; and A24 Media.
The Southern Sun Elangeni is the delegate hotel for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2009. The hotel extends a truly warm Durban welcome to finalists, judges and attending media and guests from across the continent. The finalists will enjoy an all expenses paid five day programme of workshops, media forums, networking and have the opportunity to see some of the sights of Durban.
Nolo Letele, Group CEO, MultiChoice South Africa said, “We are very proud to partner with CNN to host the African Journalist of the Year Awards in South Africa, in the beautiful city of Durban. It is an annual event we look forward to, to celebrate and recognise true excellence in African journalism. Congratulations to all the finalists. Your journey commenced with an individual thought, which has the potential to stitch together communities, nations and the African continent”.
“Once again the caliber of entries is outstanding. Their thirst for top class storytelling continues to raise the bar year-on-year;” said Tony Maddox, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International. “Now in its 14th year the African Journalist Awards 2009 maintains its position as the most prestigious pan-African accolade for journalism and CNN is proud to continue its commitment to fostering inspired journalistic excellence in African reporting”
About the award:
The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng (formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., CNN’s parent company) and the late Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa.
Note to Editors: Competition Criteria
To enter the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009 competition the journalist must be an African national and work on the continent for African owned, or headquartered, media organisations that produce a printed publication or broadcast through an electronic medium (television broadcaster, radio station or website) primarily targeted at and received by an African audience.
Entries were published or broadcast in 2008 for the following awards:
Arts & Culture: Economics and Business: Environment: Free Press Africa; HIV/AIDS Reporting; MSD Health & Medical: Mohamed Amin Photographic; Print General News; Radio General News; Sport; Television Features; Television News Bulletin; Tourism; Francophone General News; Portuguese Language General News
www.cnn.com/africanawards
