The 871 entries in the 14th annual Mondi Paper Magazine Awards offered what the judging panel dubbed as a "feast for the senses". The number of entries exceeded the previous year's tally by 200, presenting the judges with an eclectic array of pictures and prose, and fine examples of cutting-edge journalism.
The Mondi Paper Magazine Awards - South Africa's most prestigious awards for magazine journalism, photography, design and illustration - seek to recognise and reward groundbreaking and provocative work published in South African magazines.
In its Call for Entries, the Magazine Awards took a clear stand "Against Mediaocrity". And the industry responded. "The upsurge in quantity was matched by an upsurge in the overall quality of entries," commented Gus Silber, convenor of the judging panel.
"It was heartening and exciting to see so much crystal-clear evidence of magazines connecting with their readers, a mission that is becoming all the more important in our increasingly competitive industry. As a whole, the entries exuded freshness, originality and vigour, and the judges found their task to be as intensely demanding as it was ultimately rewarding," Silber said.
Mondi Paper, in conjunction with the Magazine Publishers Association of South Africa (MPASA), has put up a total of R150,000 in prize money for the 15 categories. The winners and finalists will be acknowledged at an awards ceremony at the Sandton Hilton on Wednesday 19 May 2004.
The finalists in the 15 categories are as follows:
1. BUSINESS
Deon Basson for Papiergoëlaars van die sakewêreld in Insig
Paul Kirk and Martin Welz for The Frame Affair in Noseweek2. INDUSTRY
Megan Chronis for Publishing's (Almost) Free Lunch in The Media
Elizabeth Shorten for The engineer in shining armour in IMIESA3. HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Suzy Brokensha for Up in smoke in Marie Claire
Andy Ellis for Swimming upstream in Men's Health
Prevashni Ramsamy for Designer babies in Longevity
Laura Twiggs for We're leading our fathers' lives! in Essentials4. BEAUTY
Marianne Campbell for Your skin at 20, 30, 40, 50 in Femina
Christine Ferreira for Mooi soos jy in Sarie
Glynis Horning for Why I love her body in Marie Claire
Leigh Toselli for Loud, proud and all pumped up in Y5. AT HOME
Sonja Jordt for Wat 'n vangs! in Sarie
Tina-Marié Malherbe for Purrsuede in Visi Colour
Annemarie Meintjes for Skop nes in Visi
René Slee for Inheemse skoonhede in Rooi Rose6. REVIEWS
Mandy Allen for Design News - The A-Z of Car Design in House and Leisure
Jono Hall for The English Roses in SL
Sally Kramer for Test House Reviews in Fairlady
Ivor Powell for Ed Young's Bruce Gordon in Art South Africa7. ESSAYS & FICTION
Rupert Haw for Balls for a rainbow nation in GQ
Ami Kapilevich for Roots in Citylife
Dana Snyman for Op die spoor - Treinreeks in Huisgenoot
Peter van Noord for Heilige Parys in Insig8. FORESIGHT
Itumeleng Mahabane for On the brink of growing up in Y
Glynis O'Hara for Twice Tortured in True Love
March Turnbull for Bonobo: An ape in decline in Africa Geographic
Nicolien Zuijdgeest for Emptying the Ocean in Africa Geographic9. LEISURE
Andy Ellis for Braving the Wild in Far Out (Men's Health supplement)
Ami Kapilevich for Oh, Carolina! in Citylife
Michael Schmidt for I'll moer you, bru! in FHM
Kate Wilson for Are you lonesome tonight? in Marie Claire10. FASHION
Robert Bell for Downtown girl in Style
Jackie Burger for Hidden treasures and Suit yourself in Fairlady
Kassie Naidoo for Meet the parents in Y
Chris Viljoen for Supa Cool in FHM11. COLUMNS
Stephen Francis for Humour columns in Discovery
Force Khashane for Talking muthi with Force columns in Bona
André Le Roux for Op die vrou af columns in Sarie
Kgafela oa Mogagodi for The Spoken Word columns in Y12. DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION
Jason Bronkhorst for Revolution in SL
Robert Cilliers for The Player in GQ
Sophie Perryer, Abbey Volks and Brendon Bell-Roberts for the Kendell Geers cover of Art South Africa
Mark Serra for Cate, catch her if you can in Femina13. PHOTOGRAPHY
Phyllis Green for Vrou met uil in Sarie
Sean Laurenz for Why I love her body in Marie Claire
Patrick Ryan for Skin in SL
Caroline Suzman for Alexandra: the dark city revealed in Sawubona14. REPORTAGE
Jo-Ann Bekker for Why I'm suing my married ex-lover for breach of promise in Femina
Hannelie Booyens for the Ginn Fourie-reeks in Huisgenoot
Margie Orford for For Sale: Human Trafficking in Marie Claire
Karina Turok for Mind the gap in Marie Claire15. FEATURES
Mike Behr for Ghetto defendant in SA Sports Illustrated
Stacy Hardy for Last Rites in SL
Darren Taylor for War brews on the Battlefields Route in Farmer's Weekly
Kirby van der Merwe for Terug na Brandfort in InsigGus Silber was assisted by fashion consultant Dion Chang, Madam & Eve co-creator Rico Schacherl, journalist and critic Darryl Accone, Institute for the Advancement of Journalism executive director Jacob Ntshangase, business journalist and media trainer Benedicta Dube, Mail & Guardian editor Ferial Haffajee, critic and author De Waal Venter, and multiple Mondi-winners Sue Grant-Marshall and Joe Khumalo.
