PEPFAR Media Awards Competition

The PEPFAR Media Awards Competition recognizes journalists who write on HIV and AIDS issues. Journalists and writers are free to enter the competition. The deadline is October 30 2017. Send entries to [email protected]

Background

• Media Awards Competition are designed to increase coverage of PEPFAR supported initiatives;
• The competition should focus on PEPFAR supported initiatives only;
• PEPFAR is able to support some media visits to certain projects on request.

Rational for media awards

• Increase reportage of PEPFAR supported initiatives in Zimbabwe;
• Raise community awareness of public health issues;
• Promote health seeking behaviors amongst communities;
• Increase uptake of health related services such as Antiretroviral therapy;

Awards Categories

• Themes: HIV and AIDS and related fields;
• Categories: Photo, Print/Online, Broadcast
• Entries: individuals or organizations
• No of entries: unlimited – quality reporting
• PEPFAR will monitor consistency of reportage on a monthly basis and;
• Journalist have the responsibility to notify PEPFAR of any publication in the media.

Submission Category

• Print Journalism: submit a minimum of 300 and maximum of 2000 words;
• Submissions: should have been published in different media – newspapers, newsletters, magazines, online;
• Photo Journalism: a minimum of a single photo to a pictorial of up to 10 or an album of up to 20 photos.
• A competition notification will be published in the press by HeJAZ;

Submission Category

• Broadcast (Television/Radio): a minimum duration to 1 minute and a maximum of 1 hour;
• All broadcast materials should be supported/accompanied by a transcript written in English.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Impact of story on society and adherence to ethical guidelines set in the media code of ethics;
• A story that satisfies the basic tenets of journalism i.e. balance of story, fairness and accuracy;
• Articles should be significant to PEPFAR goals in Zimbabwe;
• Language usage and demonstration of depth of knowledge and research of the subject. (Source Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe)

Submissions should :

• Be concise/succinct introduction;
• Have a clearly identified audience;
• Be well researched and packaged in an appealing writing style;
• Be contextualized with a human face to the story
• Highlight a new angle – whats new and significant?
• Impact value/factor on communities/society on morbidity or mortality.

Selection Process

• Individual/Group to submit a portfolio – do a write up/justification why one should win;
• HeJAZ members only are eligible for entering the competition;
• In the absence of a byline, present evidence from a recognizable Editor.

Article submission

• Competition commenced in December 2016 to October 31, 2017;
• Winners to be recognized on November 30, 2017 at a venue to be advised;
• Submission of articles should be a continuous process;
• Journalist responsible for highlighting links to articles;
• Ensure that articles are saved in a user friendly format i.e. word.

Way Forward

• The competition is open for HeJAZ members only;
• Story links or articles should be send to [email protected] as soon as published;
• Winners will be recognized on November 30 at a venue to be advised.