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For Release: 29th May 2010

SOUTH AFRICAN SAM ROGERS

NAMED CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST 2010

Sam Rogers, from South Africa, has been awarded the top prize at this year’s CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 Awards Ceremony. 

Sam Rogers, Executive Producer of Factuals – Crime and Investigation Unit, , won for her story ‘Curse of the Nobody People’, which was chosen from among 2074 entries from 40 nations across the African continent. ‘Curse of the Nobody People’ features on the discrimination and sometimes shocking fate of albinos in Tanzania.

Sam Rogers was one of 27 finalists at the Awards ceremony on Saturday evening and was a winner in the category ‘Television Features Award’.

The Awards, which rotate location each year in tribute to their pan-African credentials, were held at an Awards Ceremony and Gala Evening in Kampala, Uganda this evening, Saturday 29th May 2010.

His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; Collins Khumalo, President, MultiChoice Africa and Parisa Khosravi, Senior Vice President of international newsgathering for CNN Worldwide presented Sam Rogers with the Award.

Sam Rogers said: “I’m astounded, very honoured and so glad the story has a platform. People can now see what’s really going on. The truth has been outed.”

Chair of the judging panel, journalist and media consultant Joel Kibazo said: “The journalist told the story with care and sensitivity. She did deep research covering all the angles including the victims, traditional doctors and even the police and the local media. The victims were given a voice and also overcame risks in telling the story. It is a complete piece of work”.

Parisa Khosravi, Senior Vice President of International Newsgathering for CNN Worldwide, said: “Each year, the men and women who enter these awards prove that they have the determination, professionalism and courage to showcase Africa’s stories to the world. In doing so, they highlight the depth and strength of journalism across the continent.”

Collins Khumalo, President MultiChoice Africa, said: “We are very proud to once again partner with CNN International to recognize and encourage excellence in journalism in Africa. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards have become one of the continent’s biggest and most coveted journalism awards and celebrate the hard work, talent, sacrifice and the dedication that the best among our journalists commit to their work. The awards have grown significantly over the years and we have witnessed previous winners become internationally recognized for their talent and hard work – watching their rise to fame as respected reporters on Africa has made our investment in these awards truly rewarding.  It is a great honour to be in Kampala hosting these awards for the very first time.”

Nico Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice South Africa, said: “As all eyes turn to South Africa this month, it is imperative that journalists are encouraged and supported to tell the African story with passion and excellence. These awards help us to recognise those great stories. This is without a doubt, Africa’s year and we look forward to celebrating more great examples of passion and integrity in journalism next year.”

The evening also recognised Mustafa Haji Abdinur as this year’s recipient of the Free Press Africa Award, for his work in Somalia including the ‘Peace Journalism’ initiative which he launched with the help of fellow Somali journalists. The Award is also in recognition of all the journalists in Somalia who have put their lives at risk in telling the story. There are nine journalists who died during 2009 whilst fulfilling their professional duties: 

Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir Hasan, freelance

Mohamed Amin Adan Abdulle, Radio Shabelle

Hassan Zubeyr Haji Hassan, Al-Arabiya

Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf, Radio IQK

Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Radio Shabelle

Nur Muse Hussein, Radio IQK

Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame, Radio Shabelle

Said Tahlil Ahmed, HornAfrik

Hassan Mayow Hassan, Radio Shabelle

The CNN MultiChoice competition is now in its 15th year. Prestigious sponsors include: Coca-Cola Africa; Ecobank, IPP Media, Tanzania; Kampala Serena Hotel; Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD); NN24 Nigeria; Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry® solution and A24 Media.

Ways To Watch the African Journalist Awards:

Viewers across the continent and across the world will be able to watch the African Journalist Awards in the following ways:

• M-Net will broadcast the ‘Highlights Programme’ of the Award Ceremony throughout June.

• Broadcasters in 44 countries on the African continent will be transmitting the ‘Highlights Programme’ during June and July.

• Internationally, the ‘Highlights Programme’ will be shown on OBE TV in the UK, The Africa Channel in the United States / UK and on RTP Africa.

• CNN International’s longest-running feature programme, ‘Inside Africa’ will report on the Awards on Saturday 5th June at 1600 BST.

• ‘BackStory’ on CNN International will once again provide viewers with a unique, behind-the-scenes insight into how the awards and competition are put together, presented by CNN Africa correspondent David McKenzie.

The overall CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 wins a substantial cash prize, a visit to CNN Centre in Atlanta, to attend the three-week CNN Journalism Fellowship, along with the prize awarded to all category winners, which consists of a laptop computer, printer, a BlackBerry and a cash prize.

Winners in the individual competition categories are:

ARTS & CULTURE AWARD, presented by John-Allan Namu, CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009.

Winner: Kofi Akpabli, Freelance for Daily Graphic, Ghana

Title: The Serious Business of Soup in Ghana

Judge’s Citation: The journalist successfully tells the story of the place and importance of soup in Ghanaian culture. Soup, according to the writer, is not just a gastronomic element, but also plays a key role in literature, tradition, art, geography – in short – in the whole culture of Ghana. The story is also told through a delightful, well crafted and engaging writing which compels the reader to taste the soup.

DIGITAL JOURNALISM AWARD, presented by presented by Christa Botha, Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry® solution.

Winner: The Dispatch Online Team on behalf of ‘The Daily Dispatch’ in South Africa

Title: Slumlords

Judge’s citation: The Daily Dispatch reporter team did a thorough investigative report on slumlords and slum dwellings in King Williams Town. But it is the enriching of the story with creative tools from the internet that earns them this award. For example, the viewer can take a tour of the slum house, can look at their own neighbourhood to see there are slum houses on your street and can even report suspected slum lords. All of this enables the viewer to continue on a journey of discovery.

ECONOMICS & BUSINESS AWARD, presented by Norah Odwesso, Public Affairs and Communications Director for Coca-Cola East & Central Africa

Winner: Kaari Wainaina and Francis Mugo Mwangi, NTV Nation Broadcasting Division, Kenya

Title: Granny’s Bank

Judge’s Citation:  The journalist took what appears to be a simple story and painted a beautiful picture. He told the story of women’s friendship and also highlighted the business aspects, without labouring the point. This story shows business and finance.

ENVIRONMENT AWARD, presented by Anthony Okpanachi, Ecobank, Managing Director of Kenya and Cluster head of the EAC region

Winner: Halima Abdallah Kisule, EastAfrican (Nation Media Group), Uganda

Title: Cry, the Faithful Crane

Judge’s Citation: The environment category had some very strong entries. And although a lot of the time environmental stories are very technical, Hamila managed to blend the issue of conservation, culture, nationalism, and everyday life into a beautiful story that is also easy to read.

FRANCOPHONE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: PRINT, presented by Jean-Paul Gérouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3

Winner: Alexandre Lebel Ilboudo, Le Patriote, Cote D’Ivoire

Title: Les Terres Toujours Refusées aux Planteurs Burkinabès

Judge’s Citation: This series of articles, in a direct and neutral manner, tackles two contemporary issues that are often at the roots of conflict in Africa: property and ethnicity. The story explores Cultural and Political Identity in a Continent moulded by its colonial past and constant migration. It shows an example of misuse of ethnicity by politicians, as is common in many other parts of the World. Ethnicity serves as a scapegoat for political division and exclusion, sometimes exploited by extremists with dramatic human consequences. It also explores the vital problem of land, traditionally seen as owned by those who are working on it.

FRANCOPHONE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: TV / RADIO, presented by Jean-Paul Gérouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3

Winner: Najlae Benmbarek, 2M TV (Programme Grand Angle), Morocco

Title: Les Oubliés de San Nicola

Judge’s Citation: This is a great TV piece, extremely well crafted. Investigative journalism with a very human outlook. Najlae Bembarek takes us in a slum occupied by Moroccan migrants in the south of Italy. Misery, precariousness, desillusion: Najlae and her crew make us share the everyday life and the moods of these men(people) who had dreamed about an European Eldorado.

FREE PRESS AFRICA AWARD, presented by Joel Kibazo, Chair of the judging panel.

Winner: Mustafa Haji Abdinur, Radio Simba, Somalia

Plus nine journalists killed in 2009:

Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir Hasan, freelance; Mohamed Amin Adan Abdulle, Radio Shabelle; Hassan Zubeyr Haji Hassan, Al-Arabiya; Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf, Radio IQK; Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Radio Shabelle; Nur Muse Hussein, Radio IQK; Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame, Radio Shabelle; Said Tahlil Ahmed, HornAfrik; Hassan Mayow Hassan, Radio Shabelle.

 

HIV/AIDS REPORTING IN AFRICA AWARD, presented by Hopewell Chin’ono, CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008

Winner: Lucas Ledwaba, Freelance for DRUM, South Africa

Title: Body of Work:

- Free State’s ARV Shame

- Dying to Get Better

- We Want Answers

- Working Together

Judge’s Citation:    It’s journalism at its best. The stories won because they are comprehensive, objective and balanced.

MSD HEALTH & MEDICAL AWARD, presented by Donald de Korte, Executive Director Institutional Business, Eastern Europe, Middle East Africa MSD (Merck & Co., Inc) Merck Sharp & Dohme

Winner: Teresa Chirwa, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Malawi

Title: Medical Doctor Risks Lives of HIV Positive People by Putting them on Illegal Cancer Trial

Judge’s Citation A brilliant radio piece that highlights the plight of HIV positive patients in Africa. It is well-researched. The reporter talked to different people and managed to tell a complicated story through people.

      

MOHAMED AMIN PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARD, presented by Salim Amin, Chairman, A24 Media

Winner: Boniface Mwangi, Freelance for The Star, Kenya

Title: Body of work ‘The Boy Child in Sub Saharan Africa’

Judge’s Citation: The set of pictures bring us directly to the life of the African child. It is a piece of Artwork achieved by the quality of the photos, the angles of contrasts between colourful light and shadows, which suddenly capture a particular moment of Africa’s future. To get this result, the photographer has undertaken a patient search of such magic moments in life, where he could find some light next to the face of a particular child with a particular secret in his life revealed by the camera. These particular pictures tell us what cannot be said by any written article: despite the uncertainty towards the future, African children are forging their self-protection and safety, so they are clever in search of a light in the social darkness.

PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE GENERAL NEWS AWARD, presented by Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General, SABA

Winner: Sebastião Vemba, Novo Jornal, Angola

Title: Body of work:

- Demolição do Bairro Benfica: Adeus Ilha

- Ilhéus no Zango: Vida ao Relento

- Histórias do Zango: E o Tempo Passou, Mas Nada Mudou!

Judge’s Citation: Resettlement of people is always a relevant topic which only becomes an interesting story when told in a comprehensive, compelling and professional way. That’s what Sebastião does in this account about people who are moved from Ilha de Luanda to Zango in the outskirts of Luanda.

PRINT GENERAL NEWS AWARD, presented by Richard Kavuma, CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2007

Winner: Emmanuel Mayah, Daily Sun, Nigeria

Title: Tears of African Migrants

Judge’s Citation: With a group of forty migrants, Emmanuel takes the dangerous road that starts in Lagos. From Nigeria to Libya, across seven countries; the tale of an amazing trip and is an exceptional piece of investigative journalism.

RADIO GENERAL NEWS AWARD, presented by Nolo Letele, Group CEO, MultiChoice South Africa

Winner: Kassim Mohamed, Star FM, Kenya

Title: I am Married to a Pirate

Judge’s Citation: Piracy in the Indian Ocean is a global story often told from the vantage point of security and naval experts. While not being sympathetic to the pirates, Kassim Mohamed escorts us into their world by escorting the listener into Puntland, Somalia, and the homes of two pirates. They’re not home, so he interviews their wives. The first wife shows listeners her and her husband’s twin Prado’s – a fancy sports utility vehicle – he sits on their luxurious couches and is shown the family AK-47 which is used to protect the ill-gotten gains. It’s a fascinating insider account.

 

SPORT AWARD, presented by Anthony Dara, CEO, NN24, Nigeria

Winner: Leon Ssenyange, NTV Uganda, Uganda

Title: Punching in the Dark

Judge’s Citation: This report is a winner because it is a lovely tale of how one man, despite being poor and blind, has kept his spirit alive and continues to conquer. It is one of those lovely stories that leave the viewer with a smile on their face and with hope for the future. By doing so, it reminds us that we all have the amazing ability to turn what some might see as negatives into positives.

       

TELEVISION - GENERAL NEWS – FEATURE/CURRENT AFFAIRS AWARD, presented by Reginald Mengi, Executive Chairman, IPP Media, Tanzania

Winner: Sam Rogers, , South Africa

Title: Curse of the Nobody People

Judge’s Citation: The journalist told the story with care and sensitivity. She did deep research covering all the angles including the victims, traditional doctors and even the police and the local media. The victims were given a voice and also overcame risks in telling the story. It is a complete piece of work.

         

TELEVISION - GENERAL NEWS – NEWS BULLETIN AWARD, presented by Jeff Kupsky, President, Turner Broadcasting System Europe Ltd

Winner: Roseline Wangui, NTV Kenya; and Charles Kariuki, World Vision Kenya for NTV

Title: Undying Quest for Education

Judge’s Citation: The story is balanced and comprehensive. It is a compelling piece of journalism, a simple story told in such a gripping manner.

TOURISM AWARD, presented by Mr Mahmoud JanMohamed, Managing Director Serena Hotels

Winner: Pelu Awofeso, Freelance for Next on Sunday, Nigeria

Title: Body of work :

- City of God

- The Biafra of Bunkers

Judge’s Citation: Pelu Awofeso is a lyrical and beautiful writer who takes you along on a journey instead of telling you about it. You feel as if you have been with him into the Biafra Bunkers at the National War Museum and that you have visited Calabar in Cross River State. He satisfies that first rule of travel journalism: you must want to go there. I certainly did after reading his work.

Again this year the Judges highlighted some excellent work and awarded Commendations in eight categories. These journalists participated in the finalists’ programme in Kampala and received a cash prize and Certificates of Commendation:

Tsitsi Matope, Public Eye, Lesotho

Lamia Tagzout, El Watan, Algeria

Njaka Andriamahery, TV Plus Madagascar

Zipporah Karani, Kenya Television Newtork (KTN), Kenya

Sergio José Sitoe, Rede de Comuniação de Miramar, Mozambique

Thanduxolo Jika, Daily Dispatch, South Africa

Oarabile Mosikare, Botswana for Mail & Guardian, South Africa

Rose Ramsay, eNews, South Africa

About the award:

The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng (formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., CNN’s parent company) and the late Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa. 

Note to Editors: Competition Criteria 

To enter the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009 competition the journalist must be an African national and work on the continent for African owned, or headquartered, media organisations that produce a printed publication or broadcast through an electronic medium (television broadcaster, radio station or website) primarily targeted at and received by an African audience. All winning entries were broadcast or published during January – December 2008.

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Note to Editors:

The independent judging panel, chaired by Joel Kibazo, journalist and media consultant, includes: Ikechukwu Amaechi, Editor, Daily Independent, Nigeria; Jean-Paul Gérouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3 TV; Ferial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa; Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General, Southern African Broadcasting Association; José Luís Mendonça, Press Counsellor, Angolan Permanent Delegation to UNESCO; Zipporah Musau, Managing Editor, Magazines, The Standard Group Ltd, Kenya; Kim Norgaard, CNN Bureau Chief, South Africa.

Turner Broadcasting Corporate Social Responsibility:

Over the last two years Turner staff have raised over $100,000 to build schools in Mali and Rwanda, and these have featured on CNN’s ‘BackStory’ programme and CNN Traveller magazine. The company donated funds to these projects and several million dollars worth of airtime to Plan International, Turner's NGO partner, as well as funding the trips for the volunteers who helped build the schools. Over the last four years the company and its staff have also provided houses in South Africa with Habitat for Humanity and schooling, food, drugs and transport for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Kenya with UNICEF. Using their paid volunteer time staff have also created advertisements and logos for African charities and CNN has donated airtime.  The company is now planning to build a school in Malawi in 2011.

MultiChoice Corporate Social Responsibility:

MultiChoice Africa, the continent’s leading satellite pay TV service, is committed to building a sustainable business in Africa as well as to investing in corporate social investment projects which contribute to the growth and development of the continent.  The key focus is on education and the upliftment of the communities in which MultiChoice does business.  To this end, MultiChoice Africa has established more than 800 MultiChoice Resource Centres in 24 countries across Africa. These school Resource Centres are set up in partnership with government to help improve the quality of educational resources by using technology and rich education channels from DStv.

PRESS CONTACTS:

CNN International: Joel Brown + 44 20 7693 0967 / + 44 7967 293452 joel.brown@

MultiChoice South Africa: Marietjie Groenewald + 27 11 289 3067 / + 27 795 011 758

marietjie.groenewald@multichoice.co.za

MultiChoice Africa: Caroline Creasy + 27 11 289 3081 / +27 82 333 4603

ccreasy@multichoice.co.za

Issued: Saturday 29th May 2010

PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM ABOVE CONTACTS

AND HAVE ALSO BEEN SENT TO THE NEWS WIRES

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