Nominations open for Isu Elihle Journalist Awards

The awards seek to contribute to a change in attitudes and behaviors of opinion and decision-makers and citizens across the country and continent from the premise that the media frames debates in society and carries enormous influence and, therefore, ability to drive positive change.

Prize Information

• The top six journalists will be given financial support of up to R10,000 each to research and develop their concepts into publishable news items, which will then be published or broadcast, by a mainstream news media house of their choosing.
• The top six stories will undergo adjudication and only the top three are guaranteed to win a cash prize. There is a fourth cash prize, that is “The Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category”. This fourth prize is conditional, it will only be awarded if there is a story (in the top six) that meets the criteria for the category. The amount of money to be awarded for the Mandy Rossouw prize will be determined by the quality of the story published:
  • Overall winner: R25,000
  • First runner up: R15,000
  • Second runner up: R10,000
  • Mandy Rossouw Category: Between R10,000 and R20,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Competition is open to professional journalists, whether directly employed or freelancers, working in the continent of Africa.
• The Competition is held in English. Therefore, all entries and story ideas must be in English.
• Each Applicant is strictly limited to a maximum of one entry; however,
• Each media house can have as many journalists entering the competition as it wishes.
• The Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability prize will be awarded once all stories have been published during the second round of adjudication. This Prize will be awarded to the journalist (if so determined) who made the best attempt at holding the powerful to account especially on issues specifically related to children.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Employees and the immediate families of Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and the adjudicators are not eligible to participate in the competition.
• Previous Isu Elihle Award winners are not eligible to apply.

Judging Criteria

• Journalists must ensure that the focus of the story idea/story is on an issue that impacts children and that extensive voice is given to children. Children are defined as any persons between the ages of 0-17 years (under 18).
• Story ideas and the published story must be ethical, newsworthy and impactful. Journalists must:
  • Consider the best interests of children,
  • Report ethically on the story and consider the most ethical manner in which children can be treated by the journalist when reporting on them, as well as,
  • Determine how to give children a voice in the story,
  • Journalists must adhere to ethical practices and principles in the planning and execution of the story as MMA will not tolerate the violation of children’s rights in any way, shape or form,
  • Journalists must ensure that the story takes a fresh, innovative, and different approach/perspective to children’s issues and/or includes an excellent investigative angle when reporting on child related issues,
  • Journalists must be able to complete the story in the stipulated time frames.

For more information, visit Media Monitoring Africa.