Nation stamps its authority as media for Africa

Nation Media Group exerted its position as the leading media house in the region by bagging four of the 15 awards at the CNN Multichoice Africa Journalist of the Year Awards.

 

The awards, presented at the ceremony held in Kampala, were the most won by a single media house at the fete.

 

NTV Uganda’s Leon Ssenyange scooped the Sports Journalism Award for his story “Punching in the Dark” about a blind boxer. The judges termed his TV sports feature “compelling and powerful”.

 

“My winning the sports journalism award will hopefully inspire sports journalists to realise the potential in their field. There is more to it than going to a football match and then reporting what happened,” said Mr Ssenyange.

 

Ms Halima Abdallah Kisule got the Environment Award for her piece in the East African, “Cry the Faithful Crane” about the Ugandan national bird, the crested crane, which is on the verge of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat.

 

In the Economic and Business Award category, which was one of the most competitive NTV Kenya’s Kaara Wainaina came out tops for a story that showed that there is hope for economic stability in Africa. Mr Wainaina shared the award with cameraman Francis Mugo.

 

Leading by example

The story “Granny’s Bank” revolved around a group of women in their 70s who run a “chama” that operates like a bank. They save and lend money amongst themselves, with the cash generating interest from borrowers.

 

“In Africa lie the resources that can transform the continent to a developed one. I salute the women of Tumaini Group for leading by example,” said Mr Wainaina after receiving his prize.

 

The TV News Bulletin Award was another that went to NMG, courtesy of Rose Wangui of NTV Kenya.

 

She won over the panel of judges with a news feature on the resolve of children in Nawarogei Primary School in South Turkana to pursue education despite a battalion of problems, including walking long distances and cattle rustling.

 

The story was titled “The undying quest for education”.

 

“I am grateful to the whole team at NTV but I dedicate this award to the African child who defies all the odds in pursuit of education hoping that tomorrow we will face a better future,” she said.

 

The biggest prize of the night, the CNN Multichoice African Journalist for 2010 was South African Sam Rogers for her powerful documentary “Cry of the Nobody People” about the plight of the albinos in Tanzania.

 

She dedicated the award to “the albinos in Tanzania who to this day are still hunted down”.

 

Ms Rogers, A television documentary producer with E TV, became the first journalist to win the top prize twice since the awards began 15 years ago. She first won in 2001.

 

Despite not taking home the top prize, it was a good day for Kenya as two other journalists from the country also won awards.

 

Freelance photojournalist Boniface Mwangi bagged the Mohammed Amin Photographic Award for his set of photographs dubbed “The Boy Child in Sub Saharan Africa”. His prize was presented to him by Salim Amin, son to Mohammed Amin.

 

Kassim Mohammed of Star FM won the Radio General Awards for his radio interview with the wife of a Somali pirate’s wife.

 

“I would like to congratulate all the winners here. The success of our journalists shows how high the quality of journalism in Kenya is,” said Information Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo, who attended the awards ceremony at the Kampala Serena Hotel on Saturday.

 

Each of the winners received an undisclosed cash prize, a laptop and a blackberry phone. The overall winner will in addition get a three-week internship at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta, USA.

 

The ceremony was hosted by CNN news anchor Isha Sesay and Ronnie “Mich” Egwang. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni was the chief guest.

 

In his speech, Mr Museveni asked media houses to embrace stories that focus on socio-economic transformation.

 

“As Africa moves from the third world to the first world, stories that educate the masses on that process would make a difference,” he said.

 

He also said that journalists should be paid well to prevent corruption.

 

“A poorly paid journalist makes an angry journalist,” he said, causing laughter.

 

The CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards were founded in 1995 by Mr Edward Boateng (formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc, CNN’s parent company) and photojournalist Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism on the continent.

 

This year’s awards were sponsored by A24 Media, BlackBerry, Coca Cola, Ecobank, 1PP, Kampala Serena, MSD and NN24.

 

Multichoice Africa President Collins Khumalo lauded the exceptional work by journalists who presented well over 2,000 entries this year and challenged them to never tire from telling the African story.

 

- May 31, 2010 by Tim Kamuzu and Robert Kalumba

……………..

 

Source: www.nation.co.ke/News/Nation%20stamps%20its%20authority%20%20as%20media%20for%20Africa%20/-/1056/929466/-/q3npq7/-/  (accessed on 31.05.10)