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For release: 13 April 2015
CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST AWARDS 2015
• LAUNCH CELEBRATES TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF AWARDS
CNN International and MultiChoice this week officially launched the CNN MultiChoice African
Journalist 2015 Awards.
The competition for African nationals based on the continent welcomes entries from journalists
creating content targeting an African audience.
2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the African Journalist Awards.
Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CNN International, said: “It’s
with immense pride that we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the CNN MultiChoice African
Journalist Awards. Twenty years of encouraging excellence in journalism across the continent has
made these the very best awards honouring the journalistic profession in Africa. I’ve witnessed
first-hand the tremendous growth in stature and prestige of the competition, and 2015 promises to
deliver another year of outstanding work.”
Tim Jacobs, CEO MultiChoice Africa, said, “We continue to be amazed by the extraordinary talent
of our continents journalists, and remain committed to contributing to the development of media in
Africa. These awards have reached the remarkable milestone and are recognised as the most
prestigious media awards on the continent; this celebration parallels our own celebration of 20
years of MultiChoice operations in many countries. We look forward to another year of great stories
which showcase journalistic excellence.”
Greg Beitchman, Vice President, Content and Partnerships, CNN International, said: “CNN is
committed to championing and supporting journalism through training schemes, the CNN
Journalism Fellowship programme, awards and working closely with our affiliates worldwide. No
more is this commitment more apparent than at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards.
Through our partnership with MultiChoice we feel privileged to play our part in helping new talent
across the continent thrive in an age where journalism about and for Africa is as important as it
ever has been.”
Kenyan Joseph Methenge was awarded the top prize at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2014
Awards ceremony.
His work, ‘Images of Terror’, which appeared in Kenyan daily print newspaper The Standard
documented the moments of terror experienced by Westgate Mall shoppers in Kenya, when the mall
was attacked by unidentified gunmen in September 2013.
It was chosen from entries spanning 38 nations across the African continent.
Since the first Awards in 1995, the competition has grown in size and status to become Africa’s most
prestigious media event.
In 2014, a ‘Highlights Programme’ of the ceremony, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was broadcast
across Africa, plus the UK, USA and the Caribbean.
Open to journalists working in any medium, this year the competition will recognise excellence in the
following categories:
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Culture Award
Dow Technology & Innovation Reporting Award
Economics & Business Award
Features Award
Francophone General News Award
GE Energy & Infrastructure Award
Mohamed Amin Photographic Award
MSD Health & Medical Award
Portuguese Language General News Award
Press Freedom Award
Sport Reporting Award
The African Development Bank Environment Award
The Coca-Cola Company News Impact Award
From these category winners, an independent judging panel choose the overall winner - The CNN
MultiChoice African Journalist 2015.
Finalists in the 2015 competition will participate in a finalists’ programme that will include a media
forum and networking opportunities with senior journalists, editors, business leaders and media
owners from across the continent, culminating in a gala awards ceremony later in the year.
The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2015 will have the opportunity to participate in the CNN
Journalism Fellowship at CNN Headquarters in Atlanta.
Once again this year, the competition has become even easier for journalists to enter, with
submissions being made via the entry form website www.africa.cnnjournalistaward.com.
Notes to Editors
*About Features Award (*NEW*)
Covering any topic or subject matter, this category recognises excellence in long-form reporting
and can include, but is not limited to, documentaries, extended news stories or a series of articles.
*About Dow Technology & Innovation Reporting Award
Economies, communities and individuals are all impacted by innovations that are shaping our lives,
with technological advancements affecting every aspect of our day. This award recognises
journalists excelling in reporting about technology and innovation issues and initiatives on the
continent.
African Journalist Awards Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/CNNMultichoiceAfricanJournalistOfTheYearAwards
@Africanjourno
@cnn_multichoice_aja
#AfricanJournoAwards
Issued: 13 April 2015
For further information please contact:
CNN International London: Joel Brown +44 20 7693 0967/ + 44 7967 293452 joel.brown@turner.com
MultiChoice Africa: Nonye Mpho Omotola +27 11 289 3524 +27 60559 8024
Nonye.Omotola@multichoice.co.za