CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards Finalists

The finalists for the 2014 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards have been released.

The 28 are from 10 different countries (Zimbabwe missed out):

Daniel Biaou Adje, ORTB, Benin
Safia Berkouk, El Watan, Algeria
Vinayak Bhardwaj & Tabelo Timse, M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism, Mail & Guardian, South Africa
Romão Brandão, Jornal OPAÍS, Angola
Sean Christie, Freelance for Landbouweekblad and The Mail & Guardian, South Africa
Obinna Emelike, Business Day, Nigeria
Ben Ezeamalu & Emmanuel Ogala, Premium Times, Nigeria
Bob Koigi, Farmbizafrica.com, Kenya
Joseph Mathenge, Freelance for The Saturday Nation, Kenya
Anne Mawathe & Rashid Ibrahim, Citizen TV, Kenya
Patrick Mayoyo, Daily Nation, Kenya
Christine Muthee & Oliver Oscar Ochanda, Media Development in Africa (MEDEVA), Kenya
Dickson Ng’hily, The Guardian, Tanzania
John Muchangi Njiru, The Star Newspaper, Kenya
Olatunji Ololade, The Nation Newspaper, Nigeria
Bayo Olupohunda, Columnist, Punch Newspaper, Nigeria
Ossène Ouattara, Infoduzanzan.com, Côte d’Ivoire
Brito Simango, Televisão de Moçambique, Moçambique
Joy Summers & Susan Comrie, Mnet Carte Blanche, South Africa
Suy Kahofi, Freelance for West Africa Democracy Radio, Senegal
Paballo Thekiso, Saturday Star, South Africa
Bento Venancio, Jornal Domingo, Moçambique
Evelyn Watta, Sportsnewsarena.com, Kenya

Announcing the finalists, chairperson of the independent judging panel Ferial Haffajee said: “2013 was a huge news year, and the stories from our continent set a global agenda. The judges were pleased with the quality of entries, and were impressed by the depth of specialist beat reporting. In addition, they noted the growing sophistication of the use of images and pictures across all platforms.”

The independent judging panel, chaired by Ferial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa includes: Debo Adesina, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Newspapers, Nigeria; Betty Dindi, Managing Editor of QTV, Nation Media Group, Kenya; Jean-Paul Gérouard, Editor-in-Chief, France Télévisions ; Anton Harber, Caxton Professor of Journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; Joel Kibazo, Director of Communications, Africa Development Bank; Arlindo Lopes, Regional Regulatory GM, MultiChoice Angola; Amadou Mahtar Ba, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, AllAfrica Global Media; Kim Norgaard, CNN Africa Bureau Chief; Aires Walter dos Santos, Account Executive, iSenta Comunicação & Imagem SA, Angola.

The competition is once again supported by the following sponsors, who continue to lend their valuable support to the awards: The Coca-Cola Company; Ecobank; GE Africa; IPP Media, Tanzania; Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and A24 Media.

The finalists will enjoy an all-expenses paid four day programme of workshops, media forums and networking in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania culminating in a Gala Award Ceremony on Saturday 18 October 2014.

The host for the evening is CNN International anchor and correspondent Isha Sesay, host of ‘CNN NewsCenter’.

Entries were published or broadcast in 2013 for the following awards:

The Coca-Cola Company Economics & Business Award; Culture Award; Mohamed Amin Photographic Award; Environment Award; Press Freedom Award; MSD Health & Medical Award; Sport Reporting Award; News Impact Award; GE Energy & Infrastructure Award; Francophone General News Awards; Portuguese Language General News Awards.

Multichoice Presser