Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards 2010 – FINAL CALL FOR ENTRIES
Judging Panel Assembled Ahead of Closing Date on March 26th - Submit your entries now!
Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, is closing its annual Africa Business Reporting Awards in just three weeks. Initiated by Diageo in 2004, the awards encourage better business reporting about Africa.
Finalists will be announced in May and winners will receive a cash prize and a sculpture by German artist, Loni Kreuder, entitled, ‘News’.
Nick Blazquez, Africa Managing Director of Diageo plc commented, ‘We’ve already received entries from across Africa and the rest of the world. Interestingly, the most popular category so far has been in the Agribusiness/Environment category, which shows how this sector has grown in significance to both the media and the business community across Africa.
There’s still time to enter so I’d like to encourage any journalist who has been writing about business on the continent to enter.’
The judging panel for the Awards is chaired by Paul Walsh, CEO of Diageo plc and includes; Shantayanan Devarajan, Chief Economist of the World Bank’s Africa Division; Zeinab Badawi international news broadcaster, presenter and trustee of the BBC World Service Trust; Baroness Shriti Vadera, former Minister for Business and Competitiveness and current adviser to the chair of G20, Republic of Korea; Stephen King, Investments Director at The Omidyar Foundation and former director of BBC World Service Trust; Dr Alhaji Bamanga Tukur Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group and Executive President of the African Business Roundtable; Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu, former CEO of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and chairman of Pan-African Capital Holdings.
The number of categories has been extended this year, focusing on various sectors in order to allow journalists with differing expertise and interests to enter the Awards. The 2010 Awards are open for entries until 26 March and we welcome submissions from the following categories:
- Best ICT feature
- Best Finance feature
- Best Infrastructure feature
- Best Agribusiness / Environment feature
- Best Tourism feature
- Best use of New Media in a story
- Best Business News story
- Best Business Feature story
- Best Newcomer
- Media of the Year
- Journalist of the Year
The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were created in 2004 to help transform perceptions about doing business in Africa. The Awards continue to seek out and recognise journalists and editors from around the world who have gone the extra mile to promote a balanced view of economic opportunity and business achievement in Africa. Now Africa is seen very differently and both the international press and African media is increasingly influencing opinions and shaping investor sentiment.
Notes to Editors
The Awards Reception will be held at The Landmark Hotel, London on 1 July 2010. By invitation only.
There are no entry fees. To find out more and enter the Awards visit www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com <http://www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com>
The Award categories are as follows (entries can be on any platform - online, print, broadcast):
Best ICT feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of the ICT sector in a thoughtful and engaging way. This might include, but is not limited to, telecommunications infrastructure, mobile, networking, security, cyber crime, e-learning, hardware, software, Internet
Best Finance feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of the finance/banking sector in a thoughtful and engaging way. This might include, but is not limited to, investment opportunities, retail banking, credit cards, corporate finance, mobile money, payment systems.
Best Infrastructure feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of infrastructure (physical or otherwise) in a thoughtful and engaging way. Features addressing issues of energy and transport can enter this category. This might include, but is not limited to, infrastructure development projects, aviation, oil, roads, rail, energy.
Best Agribusiness / Environment feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of agribusiness or environmental issues in a thoughtful and engaging way. This might include, but is not limited to, climate change, agriculture, food security, water management, farming, resource management.
Best Tourism feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of the tourism industry in a thoughtful and engaging way. This might include, but is not limited to, hotels, eco-tourism, travel, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
Best use of New Media in a story
A piece developed using new media (online digital photography, blogs, vodcasts, videos, podcasts or a mixture of these) that effectively supports a story about business or the economy in an African context. The topic is open, but use of new media must help deliver a fresh perspective that helps the audience engage with a story in a way not possible through traditional media alone. Entry must include a live URL.
Best Business News story
A news story or series of related stories delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that:
- Addresses a breaking news story from the time period of the awards
- Answers all basic questions in a clear and balanced fashion
- Demonstrates journalistic flair – a style that is engaging, though-provoking and accessible to its audience
Best Business Feature story
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media platform (print, broadcast, online) that:
- Examines business or the economy in an African context
- Provides useful background material for readers to understand relevance
- Gives bigger picture and importance to Africa, as well as specific issues it might be addressing
- Brings the business and economy to life, while answering the serious questions
Best Newcomer
A portfolio of three features (can be across different platforms) by a journalist who has been working as a reporter for less than five years. Proof of first date of accreditation will be required. Judges will be looking for overall quality of reporting, understanding of business issues and personal insights, as well as a commitment to sustained coverage of the business and economic climate in Africa, which serves to highlight opportunities as well as challenges
Media of the Year
A print publication, broadcast programme/channel , website or blog that is a comprehensive resource for its audience providing sustained coverage of Africa’s business and economic news, issues and analysis (sector-specific or otherwise).Please submit a portfolio of five articles of no more than 5,000 words each, or five broadcast programmes, of no more than 3 hours in total. In addition to quality of reporting, balanced perspective, insight and analysis, judges will be looking for style and presentation, as well as outlets that are building a reputation amongst business and investor communities as a valued source of information about Africa.
Journalist of the Year
A portfolio of three features (on any one or a mixture of media platforms) of no more than 5,000 words or 1 hour each. Submitted pieces can cover different topics, industries or people, or be part of a series of reportage. As well as quality, style, presentation and a way of engaging the audience, judges will be looking for a commitment to sustained coverage of the business and economic climate in Africa which serves to highlight opportunities as well as challenges.
Contact information:
Jo Crawshaw
africapractice, Awards Secretary
+44 (0)20 7209 7507
jcrawshaw@africapractice.com
Natasha Vromen
Diageo Africa
+44 (0)20 8978 2734
natasha.vromen@diageo.com
About Diageo
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
Diageo Africa
Diageo Africa is active, particularly in brewing, but also in distilling, in the majority of the sub-Saharan African countries. For Guinness, in particular, the connection with Africa is a long one; the first recorded exports of Guinness to Africa were to Sierra Leone in 1827. Now Guinness is brewed in over 20 countries throughout Africa and is exported to many others. The popularity of the brand is going from strength to strength in Africa - Nigeria is the second largest Guinness market in the world. Diageo brands are enjoyed in more than 40 African countries.
Diageo Africa region is responsible for nearly a third of Diageo's net sales of beer globally, and with over 4,500 employees accounts for around 15 per cent of Diageo's workforce worldwide.
Several of the larger Diageo companies in Africa are quoted on local stock exchanges. Guinness Nigeria, for example, has over 60,000 shareholders. All of these companies have active corporate social responsibility programmes, covering initiatives in water, health, education and other areas of value to the communities in which we operate.
