Seven SA finalists for CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2006

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.

Says Kibazo, "These awards are important because they highlight the depth of talent we have on the African continent. What lies at the heart of this competition are good stories and the African story told well, and we're delighted by what we have seen this year."

The competition received a record number of 1530 entries from 43 countries throughout the continent, including French- and Portuguese-speaking Africa. The finalists, from nine nations, are:

• Josephine Akarue, NewsAfrica, Cote d'Ivoire
• Marion Alina, WBS Television, Uganda
• Lilian Aluanga, The Sunday Standard, Kenya
• Musinguzi Bamuturaki, New African, Uganda
• Angus Begg, Carte Blanche, M-Net, South Africa
• Khopotso Bodibe and Anso Thom, Health-e News Service, South Africa
• Refinaldo Chilengue, Revista Mais, Moçambique
• Victoria Cullinan, Carte Blanche, M-Net, South Africa
• Tanya Farber, The Sunday Independent, South Africa
• Salwa Jaafari, 2M, Maroc
• Desmond Kwande, Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe
• Isaac Masingati, The Sunday Times, Malawi
• Sandy McCowen, SABC, South Africa
• Dumisani Muleya, Zimbabwe Independent, Zimbabwe
• Sammy Muraya, Metro FM, Kenya
• Shola Oshunkeye, TELL magazine, Nigeria
• Adeshina Oyetayo, TELL Magazine, Nigeria
• Jacques Pauw, Special Assignment, SABC, South Africa
• Ramata Soré, L'Evénment, Burkina Faso
• Darren Taylor, The EastAfrican, Kenya
• Joe Umbuor, Daily Nation, Kenya

The independent judging panel, chaired by Joel Kibazo, director of communications and public affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat, includes Dr Doyinsola Abiola, executive director, The Daily Times Newspaper Group; Souleymane Diallo, president of West African Editors' Forum; CNN's Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange; Arlindo Lopes, secretary general designate of SABA - Southern African Broadcasting Association; Jacqui O'Sullivan, head of corporate communications and CSI, South African Airways; and Anna Umbima, journalist and broadcaster. Filipe Correia de Sá, senior producer at BBC World Service, was brought in to help judge the Portuguese-speaking category.

The competition is held in partnership with MultiChoice, in association with South African Airways and in collaboration with The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation for HIV/Aids reporting. Other sponsors include African Development Bank, Celtel (mobile operators), IPP Media, Johnnic Communications, Merck, Sharp & Dohme (MSD), Safebond Africa Limited (SAL), The Polana Serena Hotel Moçambique, Global Media Alliance and Camerapix. A new sponsor this year is Coca Cola Africa.