Prof Guy Berger, head of journalism and media studies at Rhodes University and convenor judge for the awards, says the anniversaries are cause to demonstrate the best that a free South African journalism could produce: "Parliamentary hearings into statutory-regulation are on the cards, making it highly appropriate to use 2011 to celebrate the quality of newspaper journalism over the past year."
Entry deadline
The entry deadline of Friday, 4 February 2011, is two months away, so it's time for South Africa's newspaper journalists, graphic artists, cartoonists and photographers to start sifting and sorting to submit their best work from 2010. The awards event will take place on Tuesday, 10 May 2011.
The categories are as follows:
The winners of each of the 15 categories will receive a Mondi Shanduka Premier Award trophy, R15 000 cash and a certificate.
Lifetime achievement
Nominations are also being sought for the Alan Kirkland Soga Award, which recognises lifetime achievers in the newspaper industry. The winner will have demonstrated impeccable ethics and craft excellence, with the results having enriched South African life.
The group of highly experienced journalists recruited by Berger to judge the competition include Pippa Green, Jodi Bieber, Joe Latakgomo, Tyrone August, David Wightman, Martie Retief Meiring, Juby Mayet, Liesl Louw, Mathatha Tsedu, Tumi Makgabo, Paula Fray, Peter Sullivan, Arrie Rossouw, Adrienne Sichel and Mike Siluma.
The judges will spend two days immersed in the entries to find winners across the 13 entry categories and, at their discretion, select the South African Story of the Year and the South African Newspaper Journalist of the Year.
Berger urges writers, photojournalists, cartoonists and presentation personnel to flood the competition with entries in a gesture of the strength and confidence of the profession.
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For further information or assistance, contact Malesedi Dlamini at the Newspaper Association of South Africa on tel +27 (0)11 551 9600 or email az.gro.aidemtnirp@dideselam.
Follow @MondiShanduka on Twitter for regular updates.
