2010 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards open

Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce the 2010 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards are returning to East Africa. And it is fitting that now in its fifteenth year, the awards are being held in Uganda, a country that has produced so many success stories and winners in the competition's history."

Nico Meyer, CEO MultiChoice South Africa said, “With all eyes on South Africa ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it is imperative that journalists are encouraged and supported to tell the African story with passion and excellence. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards provides an ideal platform to recognise excellence in journalism. MultiChoice is proud to partner with CNN in bringing this benchmark of media excellence to the African continent.”

John-Allan Namu, from Kenya, was awarded the top prize at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009 Awards ceremony. Namu, reporter for Kenya Television Network, won for his stories "In the shadow of the Mungiki" and "Inside Story: Scars and Sufurias," which were chosen from among 1665 entries from 38 nations across the African continent.

Namu said: “When I was announced as the 2009 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the year, I knew that my career would change almost overnight, and it did. I now have a lot more access to the newsmakers and opinion leaders in my country because they all understand the prestige and importance of winning such an award. To the audience who follow my work back home, it was an especially important award, because it showed them that excellence can be attained no matter what profession one practices, also that Kenya can be counted as a nation filled with talent worthy of being celebrated on a continental scale. Our country Kenya is at a point in its history when it badly needs good examples, and a strong media. I feel that because of the award, in my own way, I have met this need. This award inspired not just me, but a generation of Kenyans who will lead the country's march into the future. I now feel better armed to take on the challenges of reporting in my country and on the continent, at a most crucial period of change in Kenya and Africa."

Over the past fifteen years, the competition has grown in size and status. In 2009, it attracted entries from 38 African countries and a Highlights Programme of the ceremony, held in Durban, South Africa, was broadcast in 44 African countries, on the Africa Channel in the US, OBE TV and Southern Africa Direct in the UK and RTP Africa.

Awards categories:

• Arts & Culture Award
  
• Digital Journalism Award
  
• Economics & Business Award
  
• Environment Award
  
• Free Press Africa Award
  
• The HIV/AIDS Reporting Award
  
• Mohamed Amin Photographic Award
  
• MSD Health & Medical Award
  
• Print General News Award
  
• Radio General News Award
  
• Sport Award
  
• Television Features Award
  
• Television News Bulletin Award
  
• Tourism Award
  
• Francophone General News Awards
  
• Portuguese Language General News Award

From these category winners, the judges choose the overall winner - the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010.

Finalists in the 2010 competition will participate in a four day 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 in May, 2010. All finalists receive a cash prize and each category winner also receives a laptop and printer. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 will receive an additional cash prize and a trip to the CNN Center in Atlanta.

The competition is open to African nationals who are professional journalists including freelancers across print, television, internet, photographic and radio. Full details on how to enter can be found by logging on at www.cnn.com/africanawards. The closing date for entries is 28 January 2010. There will not be any extensions of this closing date, and entries received after this date may be disqualified. The judging will take place in March 2010. All entries should be broadcast or published during January 2009 - December 2009.

For more information, go to www.cnn.com/africanawards.