A. General Overview: 

 

  1. Stages of the Competition 

 

First Stage: Submission of the story idea 

 

  • Journalists submit their story ideas before or on the deadline indicated below. These ideas will go through an adjudication process, undertaken by a panel of judges made up of children, child rights experts and an independent media practitioner. Following the adjudication process, the top six finalists will be announced online and across social media platforms as well on mainstream media.

 

Second Stage: Producing and publishing the full story

 

  • The top six journalists will be given financial support of up to R10 000 (depending on the number of finalists shortlisted) to research and develop their concepts into publishable material, which will then be published or broadcast, by a mainstream news media house of their choosing. Please note that individual journalists must take sole responsibility to approach a media house and form an agreement to publish/broadcast with the media house in question should their story idea be selected as part of the top six. 

 

  • The top six stories will undergo adjudication and only the top three are guaranteed to win a cash prize. The fourth cash prize for The Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category is conditional. It will only be awarded if there is a story (in the top six) that meets the criteria for the category. The amount of money to be awarded for the Mandy Rossouw prize will be determined on the quality of the story published.

 

2. Prizes

 

Winner Categories Approximate Cash prize *
Overall winner R25 000
First runner up R15 000
Second runner up R10 000
Mandy Rossouw Category Between R10 000 and R25 000
Please note that it is possible for one of the top 3 winners to be selected as the winner of the Mandy    Rossouw Category. In this case they would take two cash prizes. It is also possible that the MRC will go to someone who is not part of the top 3 winners.

* Subject to confirmation from external funders as to the amount available in any given year and subject to whether there is more than one winner or runner up selected (in the instance of joint award)

 

3. Isu Elihle Awards Timeline 2022

 

Activity Dates Duration
Story idea submission 1 April  – 13 May 6 Weeks
1st round adjudication 16 May – 16 June  4 Weeks
Finalists announcement 16 June – 6 August  3 Weeks
Finalists produce and publish stories 19 August  – 20 October   8 Weeks
Announce final winners November  
*Please note the timeline above is subject to change and due notice will be given should it change

 

4. Isu Elihle Journalist Awards 2022 Rules & Guidelines:

 

*Please note by submitting your entry, you confirm that you have read and agree with the following rules:

 

  1. The Competition is open to professional journalists, whether directly employed or freelancers, working in the continent of Africa.
  2. No entry fee is payable.
  3. Employees and the immediate families of Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and the adjudicators are not eligible to participate in the competition.
  4. The Competition is held in English. Therefore all entries and story ideas must be in English.
  5. Each Applicant is strictly limited to a maximum of one entry; however, each media house can have as many applicants as it wishes.
  6. Entries should be made in accordance with the instructions given on the competition entry form and must be submitted on, or before, 00:00 (CAT) 13 May 2022. After this date, no extensions or concessions will be granted.
  7. Late, incomplete, illegible and/or fraudulent entries will be disqualified.
  8. MMA reserves the right to refuse entries that do not comply with the above rules. No correspondence will be entered into in this regard.
  9. A panel of distinguished, independent judges with appropriate knowledge and experience of children and the media will adjudicate the competition. The panel of judges will be determined by MMA at their sole discretion. Children will also form  part of the judging panel.
  10. No handwritten applications will be accepted. All applications must be completed online using the online form, which is available here.  
  11. The judges reserve the right to transfer entries for consideration in other categories at their discretion, for instance the Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category.
  12. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  13. The top six Finalists selected by the panel of judges will be taken to the final story-writing round of the competition. MMA will provide financial support to enable the journalists to write and complete their stories in the timeline provided. All Finalists will be individually responsible and accountable to MMA for their costs. Each Finalist is also required to provide MMA with invoices and any other supporting documents for all expenditure related to production of the story. Any irregular expenditure will lead to the Finalist being disqualified and being held liable to repay to MMA any  amount claimed and already expended. 
  14. Should MMA require the top six Finalists to travel to the Awards or to other related activities, sufficient notice will be given, however each Finalist will be required to arrange for their visas and any other documentation required for travel. MMA will cover travel and accommodation costs.
  15. Finalists will be expected to be available for the duration of the programme and participate fully in the calendar of events that are expected to take place on those dates as indicated under the Isu Elihle Awards Timeline.
  16. Finalists must acknowledge that this is only a competition and the awarding of any prize does not give rise to an employment agency or joint venture relationship or partnership arrangement between the Finalists and MMA.
  17. The top six Finalists are required to  send a signed written confirmation from the mainstream media that supports them, that acknowledges that they will be publishing their story/stories otherwise the journalist may be disqualified. 
  18. MMA and UNICEF must be acknowledged in the published story i.e (This reporting was supported by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and UNICEF as part of the Isu Elihle Awards.)
  19. Individuals and media houses enter this competition at their own risk. MMA and its affiliates cannot be held liable for any injury or accidents, fatalities or damage incurred whilst participating in this competition including any incurred while travelling to research.
  20. By submitting your entry, you confirm that you have read and agree with these rules and agree that should you be in breach of the terms, you may be disqualified from the competition.
  21. Journalists must submit new story ideas and not ones that have been previously published or previously presented to their media house in a finalised version. Stories are required to be newsworthy and current.
  22. Journalists are encouraged to submit high standard work.

 

Criteria for judging entries: Please note that both the story idea and the published story will be judged according to the criteria below.

 

  • Journalists must ensure that the focus of the story idea/story is on an issue that impacts children and that extensive voice is given to children. Children are defined as any persons between the ages of 0-17 (under 18).
  • Story ideas and the published story must be ethically challenging, newsworthy and impactful and journalists must: 
    • Consider the best interests of children; 
    • report ethically on the story and consider the most ethical manner in which children can be treated by the journalist when reporting on them; as well as; 
    • determine how to give children a voice in the story (Ethical Guidelines).
  • Journalists must adhere to ethical practices and principles in the planning and execution of the story as MMA will not tolerate the violation of children’s rights in any shape or form.
  • Journalists must ensure that the story takes a fresh, innovative, and different approach/perspective to children’s issues and/or includes an excellent  investigative angle when reporting on child related issues.
  • Journalists must be able to complete the story in the stipulated time frames. 
  • Journalists, must in their submission, ensure that there is clarity on the issues at hand and must consider the extent to which the story will engage and capture its  audience. The story could be about an area that is not commonly given a children’s angle such as the economy or economic impact on children, land issues, investment or an existing news story and giving it a children’s focus.
  • Stories must  highlight possible solutions to the problem or issues that children face.
  • Journalists must ensure that the story challenges common negative stereotypes about the roles of children in society, especially within the gender debate.
  • The story should also explore relevant legislation of policy issues related to the issue being explored.

 

5. The Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category

 

The Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability prize will be awarded once all stories have been published during the second round of adjudication. This Prize will be awarded to the journalist (if so determined) who made the best attempt at holding the powerful to account on issues specifically related to children.

 

The Legacy of Mandy Rossouw

 

On 08 March 2018 Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) honoured the legacy of Mandy Rossouw through the launch  of an awards category dedicated to the memory of the esteemed journalist who passed away in 2013. The Mandy Rossouw Award for Holding key institutions accountable.

 

 

While working for the Mail and Guardian in 2009, Mandy Rossouw was the first journalist to break the story on government’s wasteful expenditure on former president Jacob Zuma’s private home in Inkandla Kwa Zulu Natal. She was one of the brave journalists who played a critical role in exposing the State Capture project. It is because of her dedication towards holding the powerful to account that MMA was inspired to include a category within Isu Elihle Awards for those journalists in the competition who show remarkable bravery towards holding governments and relevant institutions accountable to ensure that the rights of children on the continent are met.

 

Mandy was also one of the first journalists who volunteered to be on MMA’s Children’s News Agency advisory Board.  She was not only an excellent committed reporter, she also cared deeply about journalism and ensuring children’s role was valued and their views heard.

 

Once all the Top 6 finalists have published their stories and submit them to MMA, the Isu Elihle Awards, Judges will select one story that was well executed journalistically and that was geared towards holding the powerful to account with regards to addressing a critical need/s faced by children in a particular country in Africa. Please note: there is no requirement to submit two stories, the judging panel will select a winner for this category from final published and submitted stories. This prize will not be awarded if all submitted stories do not hold the powerful to account.