CNN/MultiChoice Set To Celebrate African Journalists In Grand Style

Launch 20th Anniversary Awards

CNN International and MultiChoice during the week launched the CNN/MultiChoice African Journalist 2015 Awards. The competition for African nationals based on the continent welcomes entries from journalists creating content targeting an African audience.

According to Executive Vice President and Managing Director CNN International, Tony Maddox, 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the African Journalist Awards. “It’s with immense pride that we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards,” he said.

He added, “20 years of encouraging excellence in journalism across the continent has made these the very best awards honouring the journalistic profession in Africa. I have witnessed first-hand the tremendous growth in stature and prestige of the competition, and 2015 promises to deliver another year of outstanding work.”

MultiChoice South Africa Chief Operating Officer, Mark Rayner, noted that the past 20 years, the competition has helped journalists throughout Africa tell the stories of the continent to the rest of the world. “We are proud that our partnership with CNN has given African journalists a voice. We are looking forward to the stories that this year’s entrants will bring,” he said.

Greg Beitchman, Vice President, Content and Partnerships, CNN International, explained that CNN is committed to championing and supporting journalism through training schemes, the CNN Journalism Fellowship programme, awards and working closely with affiliates worldwide.

He said, “No more is this commitment more apparent than at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards. Through our partnership with MultiChoice, we feel privileged to play our part in helping new talent across the continent thrive in an age where journalism about and for Africa is as important as it ever has been.”

In 2014, Kenyan Joseph Methenge was awarded the top prize as CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the year at a lavished ceremony held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. His work, Images of Terror, which appeared in Kenyan daily print newspaper The Standard documented the moments of terror experienced by Westgate Mall shoppers in Kenya, when the mall was attacked by unidentified gunmen in September 2013. It was chosen from entries spanning 38 nations across the African continent.

Since the first awards in 1995, the competition has grown in size and status to become Africa’s most prestigious media event. Highlights of the 2014 ceremony were broadcast across Africa, plus the UK, USA and the Caribbean.

Open to journalists working in any medium, this year the competition will recognise excellence in the following categories: Culture Award, Dow Technology & Innovation Reporting Award, Economics & Business Award, Features Award, Francophone General News Award, GE Energy & Infrastructure Award, Mohamed Amin Photographic Award, MSD Health & Medical Award, Portuguese Language General News Award, Press Freedom Award, Sport Reporting Award, The African Development Bank Environment Award and The Coca-Cola Company News Impact Award.

From these category winners, an independent judging panel chooses the overall winner — The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2015. Finalists in the 2015 competition will participate in a 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 later in the year.

The CNN/MultiChoice African Journalist 2015 will have the opportunity to participate in the CNN Journalism Fellowship at CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.