Photos added to journalism awards

The Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards will now include the photography category in this year’s competition.

‚”We have consulted with our judging panel and have taken requests from working photographers into account. We agree that photography adds a critical visual aspect to the news and to journalism,‚” said Maya Makanjee, Chief Officer for Corporate Affairs at Vodacom.

According to Makanjee, the main reason for the photographic category being originally excluded from this year’s competition was that it had over the last 10 years recorded declining interest, constituting well under 10% of the overall entries. ‚”We are very encouraged by the interest shown by news photographers to have the category reinstated and we do hope that the addition of the category to the 2013 competition will stimulate the number of entries and restore it to a sustainable level. In view of our decision,‚” added Makanjee.

Firmly established as a premier catalyst in encouraging, recognising and rewarding distinction in the crucial arena of dissemination of news and information, the annual Vodacom Awards are recognised as a prestigious career achievement worthy of the R100 000 prize for the overall national winner.

The Vodacom Awards has a proud 10-year history of honouring excellence in journalism across a range of categories and has celebrated some of South Africa’s finest reporters and most newsworthy stories. This year, after a break in 2012 to review and refine the awards, Vodacom has raised the bar in excellence and journalists can begin submitting their most outstanding efforts from 1 July, 2013.

Journalists will be able to enter their best achievements in the following categories for work done in 2012/2013:

· Television General News

· Television Feature

· Print General News

· Print Feature

· Radio General News

· Radio Feature

· Financial/Economic News

· Sport

· CSI/Sustainability

· Online

· Photography

Editors can also nominate their candidates for:

¬∑ The Editor’s Choice Award and,

The judging panel will vote on:

¬∑ The Lifetime Achiever’s Award that recognises the lifetime contribution made by a single individual to journalism and media in this country.

Regional category winners will receive R5 000 each, national category winners will receive R10 000 each, with the coveted and sought-after national accolade of Vodacom Journalist of the Year Award winner receiving R100 000.

‚”The recognition of excellence in journalism is a way for us to acknowledge and reward those reporters who are communicating vital news of an extremely high standard. This fits very well within with our mission of connecting people and keeping them informed,‚” said Makanjee.

‚”This year we have assembled a veritable who’s who in the media world to act as judges for us. We are grateful to Joe Thloloe, Mary Papayya, Collin Nxumalo, Arthur Goldstuck, Professor Johann de Wet, Elna Rossouw, Ryland Fisher and Patricia McCracken, who have made their time and expertise available to us,‚” said Makanjee. Mary Papayya and Joe Thloloe serve as co-convenors for this year’s awards. The national Award ceremony will be held in Johannesburg on 1 November 2013.

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