Female journalists made a strong showing at this year’s CNN Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Awards that concluded last evening in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a heart-warming moment as stereotypes against women in media were shattered right in front of an Africa audience as their stories carried the day, including the overall prize, just a day after a heated debate on the role of women in newsrooms.
Some media experts had argued that women focus on soft-issues thus reducing their impact in newsrooms, but their performance this year show the so-called weak gender is on a revenge mission. And they are doing so both in print, online and broadcast.
Also, South African journalists surged, bagging most of the category awards on offer. The night saw nine South Africans win across six categories at the gala awards ceremony held at Gallagher Convention centre in Johannesburg, including the inaugural Maggie Eales Young journalist award to honour the CNN staff who passed on last year and was instrumental in the awards for a long time.
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The ceremony, hosted by Zain Asher from CNN International and South African presenter Robert Marawa, capped a four-day programme of workshops, media forums and networking as part of Africa’s most prestigious awards dedicated to honouring excellence in journalism.
The full list of winners at the 21st CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2016:
Environment Award
John Grobler, Namibia, & Fiona Macleod, South Africa
Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism: ‘Caught in the crossfire: how cattle and Chinese mining interests are killing off Namibia’s black rhinos’
Culture Award
Ati Metwaly, Al Ahram Weekly, Egypt
‘Against all odds: Stories of the visually impaired women from Egypt’s Al Nour Wal Amal Orchestra’
Technology & Innovation Award
Chika Oduah, Nigeria, Freelance for African Media Initiative, Kenya
The App That Saved 1,000 Children’
Economics & Business Award
Diana Neille, Richard Poplak, Shaun Swingler & Sumeya Gasa, Daily Maverick, South Africa
‘Casualties of Cola: Outsourcing, Exploitation & the New Realities of Work’
Features Award
Mia Malan, Mail & Guardian, South Africa
Title: ‘Diepsloot: Where men think it’s their right to rape’
Francophone General News Award – Electronic Media
Bidossèssi Appolinaire Agoïnon, Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, Benin
‘Dogesi mi’
Francophone General News Award – Print
Faten Hayed, El Watan, Algeria
L’Algérie, ma terre de djihad’
Energy & Infrastructure award
Jay Caboz, Forbes Africa, South Africa
‘40 Years of Mozambique – The Dead Port that Rose Again’
Photographic Award
James Oatway, The Sunday Times, South Africa
‘The Killing of Emmanuel Sithole’
Health & Medical Award
Veronica Narkwor Kwabla, TV3 Network, Ghana
Freetown Ebola Orphans’
News Impact Award
Asha Ahmed Mwilu & Rashid Idi, Kenya Television Network, Kenya
‘Terror Crossing’
Portuguese Language General News Award – Print
Bento Venâncio, Jornal Domingo, Mozambique
‘Albinos em perigo’
Portuguese Language General News Award – Electronic Media
Fidelto Emidio Bata, STV, Mozambique
‘Bibliotecas esquecidas’
Press Freedom Award
Bob Rugurika, Burundi
Sport Reporting Award
Yemisi Akinbobola, Ogechi Ekeanyanwu & Paul Bradshaw, IQ4News for Premium Times, Nigeria
‘Follow the Money: Who extracts the value of Nigerian footballers?’
Maggie Eales Young Journalist Award
Ancillar Mangena, Forbes Africa, South Africa
‘Prophets of profit in the business of belief’
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