The South African rhino has been named the National Press Club-Aon South Africa Newsmaker of the Year for 2012.
National Press Club Chairperson, Antoinette Slabbert says rhino poaching has been in the news consistently the entire year and has evoked strong emotions.
“In many respects history was made last year � a record number of 668 rhinos were poached, a harsh sentence of 40 years for a kingpin in the poaching industry was handed down and an international accord to try and stop poaching was signed, to name but a few.
“The onslaught on these African giants has not only resulted in much debate in the country and elsewhere in the world, but has also united people to rally behind campaigns against the bleeding of our heritage. It is critical for governments, corporates, individuals and the media to stand up and take action to stop the killing of our rhinos,” says Slabbert.
Aon South Africa Chief Executive Officer Anton Roux says the award recognises the efforts of ordinary people, the courts, government, SANParks and other conservation bodies and law enforcement agencies to stop rhino poaching.
“While the rhino has dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons, the media has played a fundamental role in informing not only South Africans, but the world, about the massive tragedy that is unfolding in our country. The media coverage has been pivotal in being able to galvanise the breadth of South African society in the fight to save one of our big five icons. South Africa’s rhino heritage is a precious privilege that can never be forfeited.
“Aon South Africa is proud to be associated with the fight against rhino poaching with our own insurance programmes. The fact that the rhino is now our newsmaker of the year further demonstrates just how urgent this fight is. South Africa’s media is a fundamental driver of awareness and action and we fully support this continued focus in the hope that we will turn the corner very soon on the criminal, cruel and immoral practice of rhino poaching.
“Aon South Africa is proud to be associated with such an award that recognises issues that capture public sentiment and fuel open, democratic debate.”
Slabbert says the award is made on the grounds of impact, news value and media attention in electronic, print, online and social media.
The club is synonymous with the Newsmaker of the Year award. Over the years the club has recognised and awarded many newsmakers. Previous recipients include President Jacob Zuma, former presidents FW de Klerk, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. Other newsmakers include Hollywood star Charlize Theron, Zachie Achmat and the Treatment Action Campaign, the late Hansie Cronj� and various other sporting personalities, DA Leader Helen Zille, ESKOM and Cope and FIFA’s Sepp Blatter and Danny Jordaan also received the award in recent years. Last year the newsmakers were Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and Julius Malema.
The awards function will be hosted in Pretoria soon. The winner of the National Press Club-North-West University Journalist of the Year competition will also be announced at the function. The Proudly South African media award will again be made this year in conjunction with the National Press Club and Aon. The award will be made to a journalist, media organisation or media initiative which promotes national unity and pride, patriotism and/or supporting local business.
Thank you very much to Kumba Iron Ore for hosting the press club’s last networking forum of 2012 on 29 November. As always, the evening was informative, with great hospitality from the Kumba team.
We look forward to seeing members at our regular monthly networking forums throughout 2013. Watch this space for exciting announcements!
Also visit the press club’s Facebook page for further announcements.
Rhino remains 2012 newsmaker
“The National Press Club confirms its decision to make the South African rhino its Newsmaker of the Year for 2012,” says club Chairperson Antoinette Slabbert.
“We have taken note of the huge interest in the announcement. This includes criticism on Twitter and the support in News24 comments and media polls. However, as mentioned in our announcing statement, we believe our judging criteria are sound and our decision well considered. There is no substantive reason to reconsider.”
Slabbert says the rhino received consistent news coverage throughout 2012 – reported by most media channels at least every second or third day.
“The rhino is more than a conservation story. It cuts across all environmental, social, population, economic and tourism boundaries. For example, poor communities are sucked into the plight of rhino poaching while the kingpins count their earnings in other countries.
“Many worthy suggestions for the newsmaker award were made, including the Marikana massacre. The nominations are judged in terms of news value and impact, and the amount of media coverage created by the nominees. We acknowledge Marikana as probably the biggest news event – tragic and shocking. However, it occurred only late last year.
“It is not a merit, celebratory or emotional award. It is not merely a matter of considering the number of nominations received for a specific nominee – nominations are evaluated and discussed in-depth, taking all factors into account.
“The process entails a call for nominations to the club’s members, after which these are evaluated and discussed, and voted for if necessary, by the club’s exco members. The exco consists of journalists and communications practitioners working in the media environment.”
She says as is the case with many associations, sponsorships are raised to host a presentation event.
“Our sponsorship criteria determine that the naming sponsor has no insight or influence over the nomination and decision process. It also does not sit on the adjudicating panel.
“Aon South Africa has been the naming sponsor for four years. The organisation has been a model sponsor in the true sense of the word with no interference in the selection process whatsoever.
“We fully realise that there is no single correct answer. We welcome open, two-way debate and constructive criticism. There is obviously room to differ. However, to say that the club is ill-informed and not in touch with the South African society as some critics stated, is mischievous. Difference of opinion does not create a crisis,” says Slabbert. She thanked members for their support.
The date of the newsmaker event will be announced soon.
Press club continues to host newsmakers
Since the beginning of 2013 the National Press Club as hosted three high profile media briefings.
On 16 January we hosted Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula, who briefed media on the state of readiness for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Deputy Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu released the findings of a performance audit on how government departments are using external consultants, and the Municipal Demarcation Board elaborated on its intention to re-determine municipal boundaries and the process it will embark upon to do so.
A number of briefings are in the pipeline, details of which will be announced soon.
Taco Kuiper Award for investigative journalism open for entries
The seventh annual Taco Kuiper Award, which celebrates outstanding examples of investigative journalism published or broadcast by South African media, is open for entries. The winner will receive a prize of R200 000 and the runner-up will receive R100 000.
The award is open to print, broadcast and online journalists, or teams of up to three journalists, who have covered a single story or a series of related stories dealing with events and issues affecting South Africa. The entry must have been published or broadcast during 2012.
The deadline for entries is Wednesday, 20 February 2013 at 14:00 and the awards ceremony will be held on Friday, 5 April 2013.
In addition to the award, Taco Kuiper Grants are available to encourage investigative journalism in South African print media.
Taco Kuiper was a highly successful South African publisher who left a significant part of his estate to the promotion of investigative journalism. He believed that exposing matters of public concern which those scrutinised would not want to see disclosed was an important enterprise. It was for this reason that Kuiper, shortly before his death in September 2004, set up a fund for investigative journalism within The Valley Trust. The trust has partnered with the Wits Journalism Programme to administer the Taco Kuiper Award.
Welcome to new press club members
The National Press Club welcomes the following new members:
Sandile Ngidi – Brand South Africa, Sanusha Reddy – Denel Dynamics, Lebogang Manganye – Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors, Thokozile Mkhonza – student, Frikkie Gous – Life Med Ambulance Services, Ramatamo Sehoai – Alex Pioneer/Alex FM, Unathi Mbanya – Coca-Cola Shanduka Beverages, Choarelo Shinners – Financial Planning Institute of South Africa and Yolanda Barnard – Sondag.
We hope to see you at a networking forum soon!
See you at emBARgo
Members are reminded about happy hour at the press club bar emBARgo, every Friday from 17:00 to 19:00. The bar is in the cellar of the Orange Restaurant in the Court Classique Hotel, corner of Beckett and Francis Baard (previously Schoeman) Streets, Arcadia.
Membership fees now payable
Press club members will have received their membership invoices for 2013 from the secretariat.
Membership fees are R220 for full members, R350 for associate members and R150 for student members.
Members are requested to use their invoice number as reference when payment is done, so that it can be picked up easily by the secretariat.
Feedback
Please send any news, suggestions or information for this newsletter to Martin van Niekerk at the secretariat on martin@junxionpr.co.za, 082 257 0305. Website | Facebook | Twitter
Thank you very much to the National Development Agency for hosting the club’s networking forum in October. It was a most informative evening with great prizes!
Our last networking forum of the year, in press club tradition, will be hosted by Kumba Iron Ore at 18:00 for 18:30 on Thursday, 29 November. Watch out for e-mails from the secretariat, with full details and a map attached.
Also visit the press club’s Facebook page for further announcements.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Percy Qoboza memorial lecture a highlight
The second annual Percy Qoboza memorial lecture was held on Friday, 19 October.
This joint project by the National Press Club and the Department of Communication Science at Unisa commemorates �Black Wednesday’ � 19 October 1977 when the apartheid regime declared illegal 19 Black Consciousness organisations, banned two newspapers and detained scores of activists.
The World newspaper editor Percy Qoboza and other journalists were subsequently arrested and jailed.
This year’s lecture was delivered by tireless anti-apartheid campaigner and trade unionist Jay Naidoo, followed by a panel discussion with press ombudsman Joe Thloloe, editor of the Mail and Guardian and press club editor of the year, Nic Dawes and editor of the Pretoria News, Val Boje.
Among others, Naidoo said the challenge the media faces today is to remain truthful and despite the adversarial challenges they face, to remain courageous and aid in society’s aspiration towards true social justice. “Percy Qoboza represents these ideals, despite persecution by the repressive system that was apartheid, he challenged the political leadership of his day by holding a mirror of truth to society.”
Go the press club Facebook page to view an extract of his speech.
Celebrating media freedom with the Qoboza family � from left, press club general manager Ben Rootman, Pinky Qoboza, Jay Naidoo, Tokozile Qoboza, Vusi Qoboza and press club chairperson Antoinette Slabbert.
Ivan Mkhomazi wins press club bursary
Ivan Mkhomazi won the annual National Press Club bursary for an honours student in Communication Science at Unisa. This R12 000 bursary was handed over at the Percy Qoboza memorial lecture on 19 October.
Ivan writes for us:
The invitation to apply for the National Press Club bursary came as shock to me. When I enquired about the criteria used to select participants for the bursary, I was told that they only invited top achieving communication students who continued with their honours degrees at Unisa. This was a very humbling honour as I always aim to excel in what I do generally.
Unfortunately the invitation came at very tense time as I was busy with my assignments (very hectic) and my beloved voluntary radio job (@unisa radio) and other voluntary charity work I do which caused me to apply exactly on the closing date, so I never thought that I’d win this bursary.
When I head that I had won the bursary, I was very ecstatic. There aren’t enough words to describe my gratitude to the National Press Club.
I’m busy completing my honours degree in organisational communication and plan to register for a postgraduate diploma in marketing management next year with the bursary I received from the press club.
I sincerely hope that the receipt of this bursary will inspire more children from disadvantaged backgrounds like me to keep the faith in education and to read more so that they can be more informed citizens.
I want to say a big thank you to the National Press Club and everyone who made this bursary possible. Media workers, media students and citizens of this country, indeed should keep the memory of Percy Qoboza alive and ensure that Black Wednesday never happens again.
Rewarding hard work � from left, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Unisa Vice Principal: Institutional Development with Ben Rootman of the National Press Club, Ivan Mkhomazi, winner of the National Press Club bursary and Prof Danie du Plessis of the department of Communication Science at Unisa.
Nominate your newsmaker
Members of the National Press Club are requested to send in their nominations for the club’s 2012 Newsmaker of the Year award, with a short motivation, to the secretariat on info@junxionpr.co.za, before or on Friday, 11 January 2013.
Nominations received will be discussed at an exco meeting and the name of the newsmaker announced before the end of January 2013.
In memory of Lester Mills
The Pretoria News team recently dusted off their walking shoes and took to the scenic paths at Tuks’ High Performance Centre to take part in a 5km walk and a 10km run in memory of sports editor, Lester Mills, who passed away in July following a long battle with cancer.
The centre’s 10th anniversary night race was dedicated to the memory of Lester (49), who was a keen runner. He had several Comrades marathons under his belt and as a runner of the Agape running club, he kept the running fraternity up to date on the local running scene in his Run of the Mills column in our newspaper.
Tuks dedicated the race to him for his longstanding service to sports journalism and the sports fraternity.
His wife Lesley and the couple’s three children participated in the walk in memory of Lester’s fight against cancer.
He was known in the industry as the gentleman of sports journalism. He had been part of the Pretoria News team for more than 20 years and the mentor of many young sports reporters.
National Press club member Vata Ngobeni, who had been part of the sports team for many years, has been appointed acting sports editor in the place of Lester. He said of Lester: “As much as he was my boss, and the best boss in the world, he was also a mentor, a father figure and a good friend.”
The press club will miss you, Fredah
National Press Club member and Steve Biko Academic Hospital spokeswoman Fredah Kobo has been laid to rest.
Kobo, 41, was shot and killed by her boyfriend who then turned the gun on himself on 6 October.
Kobo was buried at the Zandfontein Cemetery on 13 October.
The last networking forum she attended was hosted by Proudly South African at the Court Classique Hotel on 27 September.
Press club member Reynold Thakhuli said: “It’s really hard to talk about her in the past tense.
“She was a dynamic person and had the ability to network. She was just a pretty and lovely person.
“She will be sorely missed.”
Another press club member Patrick Hlahla said: “Fredah was one of those vibrant press club members who enjoyed good company. An outgoing person, Freda was full of life and loved by most of the members of the press club.
“Her loss is not only a loss to the hospital and her family but to all those who knew and respected her. She will be sorely missed. May her soul rest in peace”.
See you at emBARgo
Members are reminded about happy hour at the press club bar emBARgo, every Friday from 17:00 to 19:00. The bar is in the cellar of the Orange Restaurant in the Court Classique Hotel, corner of Beckett and Francis Baard (previously Schoeman) Streets, Arcadia.
National Press Club member Nico van Burick awarded � three times
Nico van Burick received no less than three awards for excellence in journalism � a Pica award for Feature Writer of the Year in the consumer category, and two Media24 awards, for best news article and the award for the best public interest article of the year. All these are for his articles on South African farmers in the Congo featured in Landbouweekblad.
Well done Nico! Hope to see you at the next networking forum.
Feedback
Please send any news, suggestions or information for this newsletter to Martin van Niekerk at the secretariat on martin@junxionpr.co.za, 082 257 0305. Website | Facebook | Twitter
