New Award Category Announced for Journalism on HIV/AIDS
CNN and MultiChoice Africa are to host the ‘African Journalist 2006 Awards’ in Maputo, Mozambique. The winners of the prestigious annual Award, now in its 11th year of honouring African journalism, will be recognised at a gala ceremony.
Chris Cramer, Managing Director, CNN International, said: “We are delighted that the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist awards continue to move around the continent and in 2006 will be in Maputo. This shows the commitment by CNN and our partners MultiChoice Africa to developing journalism in Africa and growing this truly pan-African competition. We are looking forward to this being one of the most memorable Awards ceremonies in 2006.” Previous host countries for the Awards have been Ghana, South Africa and Kenya.
Eben Greyling, CEO MultiChoice Africa, said: “It is very exciting to be partnering with CNN once again to celebrate and recognise excellence in African journalism. Holding the event in Mozambique this year will reflect the diversity of our business on the continent and our commitment to the development and growth of an open and free media in Africa. We look forward to celebrating true excellence in African journalism, the 11th Anniversary of the Awards and, once again, our partnership with CNN.”
The distinguished panel of judges for the 2006 awards has also been announced, with judging of the entries taking place in London from 27 April to 1 May 2006. The judges confirmed to date for 2006 are Dr Doyinsola Abiola, Managing Director Concord Press of Nigeria; Joel Kibazo, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat; CNN’s Africa Correspondent, Jeff Koinange; Arlindo Lopes, senior journalist, Mozambique, and Anna Umbima, broadcaster and journalist.
The competition comprises 15 categories. This year there is a new award, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Award for HIV/AIDS Journalism. This will recognise outstanding reporting on HIV/AIDS in Africa and specifically the broad impact of the epidemic across different sectors of society –individuals, communities and nations – and the resilience of the African response to the epidemic.
The competition is held in association with South African Airways. Other prestigious sponsors for the African Journalist 2006 Awards are the African Development Bank, Camerapix, Celtel, Global Media Alliance, Johnnic Communications (Johncom), IPP Media, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), and Safebond Company Africa Limited.
The winner of the overall CNN MultiChoice African Journalist prize receives a three-week professional programme at CNN Center, Atlanta, with complimentary flights courtesy of South African Airways and a cash prize. Each of the 15 category prize winners, including the overall winner, receives a laptop computer, a modem and printer and an additional cash prize. As well, all winners will participate in a four-day finalists’ programme.
More information about the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2006 Competition can be found at www.cnn.com/africa/africanawards.
About CNN
CNN International is one of 23 CNN services available worldwide and can be seen in 15 million households on the African continent. Not just a television service, CNN news is available via a range of new media services including CNN.com International the Award winning website. Since the inception of the African Journalist Competition 11 years ago, CNN has used it as the model for further journalism competitions in India, Korea, Latin America, Brazil and Germany as part of its worldwide commitment to supporting journalistic endeavour.
About MultiChoice Africa
MultiChoice Africa Limited is a multi-channel pay television platform with channels from Africa, America, Asia and Europe. Through its premium DStv bouquet, it provides premium television entertainment to subscribers in 49 countries on the African continent and adjacent Indian Ocean islands.
Operations include subscriber management services and the management of a digital satellite television platform providing the premium bouquet - DStv which consists of wide selection of video and audio channels 24 hours a day. Additionally, there are a range of DStv specialist language bouquets including French, Indian and Portuguese to suite the diversity of cultures on the African continent.
MultiChoice Africa operates off four satellites over Africa, this includes the C-Band Pas 10 satellite which covers the whole of Africa, the KU Band Eutelsat W4 satellite which goes from Senegal in the West to Mauritius in the East, the SESAT satellite over central Africa and the KU Band Pas 7 satellite which covers Southern Africa.
By introducing a dynamic technology platform and assembling an excellent range of bouquets, built around compelling news, as well as premium movie and sports channels, MultiChoice Africa has succeeded in adding significant value for subscribers and television consumers.
MultiChoice Africa Limited is a registered company based in Mauritius and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Naspers Group, which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.
About the judges:
Dr Doyinsola Abiola
Managing Editor/Editor-In-Chief, Concord Press, Nigeria
Dr. Abiola has been the Editor-In-Chief of Concord Press of Nigeria since 1980. Prior to that she worked at the Daily Times Newspaper in Nigeria, and previously at.Sketch Newspapers .
Dr. Abiola was the first Nigerian female Editor of a national newspaper, The National Concord, and became the first Nigerian female to become an Eisenhower fellow in 1986.
Dr. Abiola has been on the judging panel since 2001, including a three-year term as its Chairperson.
Joel Kibazo
Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat, London
Joel Kibazo, from Uganda, is Director of Communications and Public Affairs, and spokesperson of the Commonwealth Secretariat, which he joined after more than a decade as a journalist at The Financial Times.
Joel has written and presented for both radio and television, including for the BBC, and has lectured on the media in Africa and in the United Kingdom.
Joel is the longest-standing member of the judging panel and served last year as its Chairperson for the tenth anniversary. .
Jeff Koinange
CNN Africa Correspondent
Jeff Koinange, from Kenya, is Africa Correspondent for CNN. Before that he was CNN's bureau chief in Lagos. Prior to joining CNN Koinange worked for Reuters Television , covering the majority of the African continent, including the post of chief producer for the Southern African region. He began his career with ABC News in New York.
This will be Koinange’s fifth year on the judging panel.
Arlindo Lopes
Senior Journalist, Mozambique
Arlindo, a former President of the Union of National Radio and Television Organizations of Africa (URTNA), and former Chairman and CEO of Mozambique Television (TVM), has been in journalism for more than 30 years, with experience on major Mozambican news media including the national daily paper Noticias (as reporter, news editor and director), The Sunday paper Domingo and the weekly newsmagazine Tempo.
He has also been in public service as National Director (Permanent Secretary) in the Ministry of Information (1987-1994) and Director of Information in the Office of the Prime Minister (1995-2002).
Anna Umbima
Broadcaster and Journalist
Anna Umbina has a long and varied career in broadcast journalism as presenter, producer and foreign correspondent.. Over the past twenty years she has worked with BBC World Service, BBC African Caribbean Unit and BBC News. She was also production director for the launch of Botswana Television.
Of Ghanaian descent, she has worked extensively on the African continent including a four year post as foreign correspondent in Zimbabwe for radio. Her broad portfolio of work includes training workshops for journalists in Nigeria and Ghana.
