The National Press Club invites entries for the Journalist of the Year competition
The National Press Club (NPC) is calling all members to enter the National Press Club-North-West University (NWU) Journalist of the Year competition.
“With this competition we want to encourage excellent journalism and communication and reward excellence,” says chairperson Antoinette Slabbert.
Slabbert says the journalism awards were very popular in the past and the NPC is proud to welcome back NWU as the sponsor for this competition.
Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of NWU, says: “At NWU, we believe in a free and independent press governed only by their desire to inform the public that they serve. Journalists are democracy’s watchdogs, and the press is the gatekeepers of truth. They are our eyes where we can’t see, our ears where we can’t hear. For that, we thank you. NWU is proud of our affiliation with the NPC as well as to be a sponsor of both the Newsmaker of the Year and Journalist of the Year awards.”
The awards for 2022 will be presented at the annual Newsmaker of the Year function in April. NPC general manager Mosidi Mokgele says this event is a highlight on the calendar of the club and this year will not be different. Eskom and loadshedding were named the 2022 Newsmaker of the Year.
The panel of judges will include various independent experts and academics. “We appeal to journalists, photographers, presenters, producers and media liaison officers to enter the competition.”
The competition will consist of 11 categories:
- Print and online: news; features/investigative journalism; and photography.
- Broadcast media: radio news; radio features/investigative/actuality; TV news; TV features/investigative/actuality; and TV cameraperson.
- Excellence in community journalism: print/online and radio features/investigative/actuality.
There will also be a category for media liaison officers to enter (they can also be nominated). “For the media liaison officer of the year we are looking for someone with outstanding communication skills, accessibility, helpfulness and the like,” says NPC PRO Graeme Hosken. “The NPC executive committee will choose the winner in this category.”
In every category the winner will receive a cash prize sponsored by NWU. From the categories (excluding category 10 – media liaison officer) an overall winner will be selected.
The NPC-NWU overall journalist of the year will win a cash prize of R10,000 sponsored by the university. “We are delighted that the university has come on board as a partner. It is yet another indication of its commitment to recognising excellence,” Slabbert says.
Below are the guidelines and the rules of the competition.
The National Press Club invites entries for the Journalist of the Year competition
● Entrants have to confirm that it is their own work and agree to it being used for publicity.
● Individuals may enter as many categories as they wish.
● Non-English entries should be translated into English (original published work must also be included).
● Entries must be submitted electronically.
● Entrants can enter work published from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
● For categories 1 to 10 individuals must enter their own work.
● For category 11 entrants can enter their own work or be nominated by someone.
● Entrants must be National Press Club members (with up to date membership) to enter categories 1 to 10.
● Enter a portfolio of not more than 5 news articles
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Attach clearly legible PDF documents of articles or insert the URL of the published story
● Enter a portfolio of not more than 3 features
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Attach clearly legible PDF documents of articles or insert the URL of the published story
● Enter a portfolio of not more than 5 photographs
● The photos must be submitted as a PDF or hi-res jpeg files (at least 300 DPI/ PPI)
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Attach PDF documents or insert the URL of the published photographs
● Enter a portfolio of not more than 5 news items
● All the items should be a maximum of 1 minute each
● Attach the recording as an MP3 and supply a written script as it was broadcast
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Upload a letter from an editor to confirm the date of broadcast
● Enter portfolio of not more than 3 pieces
● All the items should be a maximum of 30 minutes each
● Attach the recording as an MP3 and supply a written script as it was broadcast
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Upload a letter from an editor to confirm the date of broadcast
● Enter a portfolio of not more than 5 news items
● All items should be a maximum of 5 minutes each
● Upload a copy of the broadcast to YouTube and add the link to the entry form
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Upload a letter from an editor to confirm the date of broadcast
● Enter a portfolio of not more than 3 pieces
● All items should be a maximum of 1 hour each (preferably 30 minutes)
● Upload a copy of the recording on YouTube and submit the link on your entry form
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Upload a letter from an editor to confirm the date of broadcast
● Enter a portfolio of 1 piece (up to 30 minutes insert) OR 3 pieces (up to 5 minutes insert)
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Upload a letter from an editor to confirm the date of broadcast
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Attach clearly legible PDF documents of articles or insert the URL of the published story
● All the items should be a maximum of 6 minutes each
● Attach the recording as an MP3 and supply a written script as it was broadcast
● Write a 200-word motivation for your entry (on entry form)
● Upload a letter from an editor to confirm the date of broadcast
In this category you can either enter yourself or nominate someone else.
● Enter a portfolio of work (one or more projects)
● Give a minimum of 5 references
● Write a 500-word motivation to motivate your entry (on entry form)
Various factors will be taken into account, including the scores and a discussions by judges.
The overall winner will be the “National Press Club Journalist of the Year”, whether a reporter, photographer or camera person.
● Creativity
● Accuracy
● Impact
● Use of medium
● Overcoming barriers / resilience / tenacity
● An entry/portfolio will consist of a selection of work, subject to the maximum for each section, published
during the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
● The entrant must verify that the entry is his/her own work.
● Entries must be submitted in English. Entries in other languages must be accompanied by an English
translated version.
● Entries close at midnight on Friday, 31 March 2023.
Frans Sello waga Machate
frans@nationalpressclub.co.za