I would like to be considered for the judging process/adjudication, what process do I follow to be considered?

The judging panel for this year’s awards has already been selected. Judges are appointed on a needs basis. When there is a need to do so, we will announce this to give suitable candidates an opportunity to be considered.

What if I am based in one region but go to another to report a story, in which region do I enter?

You need to enter from the region where you are based, where you report day to day.

What if I co-wrote/co-produced the piece of work?

We believe in honouring everyone involved in the production process of a piece, especially in the more complex area of broadcasting, where we try also to honour the camera people and editors.

In the case where a piece was co-produced, one person can submit the entry but should acknowledge all the other people who collaborated on the piece. Should you win, you share the prize money equally between all parties involved in-writing or producing the piece.

This applies to both regional and national finals.

I am a freelance writer/photographer, and my work was used by a non-media house, can I enter?

No, only work published or broadcast in the media can be entered. Check for outstanding items among your body of work that were used by a media house – an article or a photograph – and enter them with proof of date published or broadcast and where.

How is photography judged under the one category, especially in relation to controlled settings versus action shots (like sport)?

Here are a few primary considerations given to the winning photograph:

  • The photograph must have news value.
  • The photo must be unique.
  • It must portray a story without the need for a description or caption.
  • It must be technically well structured.
  • Entries must be of photographs of integrity (no photoshop or obscuring)

All photography entries, such as standalone, features, essays, hard news or sport, are considered under one category and compete against each other.

Should the awards not open up more photography categories?

We have a limited budget and have tried to accommodate as many categories as possible. For now, we have only one photographic category, but this might change if we are able to access more budget.

We are constantly reviewing our categories and over the years, categories have changed to better incorporate the media landscape as it evolves.

Due to editorial space, my article/ photograph was cut/cropped. Can I submit the full piece event though it is not published that way.

With regards to photographs, you can enter both your original and the published version.

In the case of articles, you may enter only what was published. You are welcome to enter an online version, where editing may be less severe.

I used to work for one media house but moved to another. Am I still allowed to enter work from my previous position, during the competition time frame?

Yes, absolutely.

Please ensure you submit these entries under the name of the media house where your work was featured. If you submit entries from the company where you now work, they should be under the name of your new media house.

I tried to enter before the deadline but the system crashed/I had technical issues, will you allow me to still enter?

Sadly, if your entry is not in by midnight on the closing date, no exceptions will be made.

We have to be consistent and fair to those who entered on time.

Many journalists wait until the last day to enter and for that reason, the website can crash.

Please try to submit your entry ahead of the deadline and allow yourself time to manage technical issues mentioned above.

Can I nominate someone for the ‘Lifetime Achiever’ category? And how?

Unfortunately, we do not accept nominations for the Lifetime Achiever award. This award is entirely at the discretion of the judges.

My work is hidden by a paywall, how do I overcome this for my entry?

If your entry is only available behind a paywall, you will be disqualified. Please provide a PDF of the full piece with your entry.

How long does my motivation need to be, is there a word count?

Motivations must be at most 500 words.

My motivation and my submission are seen as two entries and won’t let me enter more pieces, please advise.

Thanks for alerting us, our support team will combine for you – please share the entries electronically with us to amend on the system.

When do regional/national winners receive their prize/money?

All regional and national winners receive their prize money soon after the national awards have taken place at the end of November.

Is there a Regional Young Journalist prize?

No, only the National Young Journalist will receive the R10 00 prize money.

What if journalists from two media houses win one category, do we each get the prize money?

In the case of joint awards, the winning journalists share the total prize money.

Similarly, if the winning work is co-written/co-produced and the award is shared with another media house, the prize money is shared among all involved.

Are interns allowed to enter the competition?

Yes, you are permitted to enter if your piece was broadcast or published (in print or online) by the media house where you are interning. You may want to consider entering the Young Journalist of the Year category if you have less than three years’ experience in journalism. Your producers/editors could help you with the motivation.

I am a South African journalist but work abroad – can I enter?

You are able to enter provided that your entries were published or broadcast primarily by a South African media channel/house, rather than republished in South Africa under second rights.

If you are not resident in South Africa, you will need to enter the piece under the region where your media house has its headquarters, for instance Gauteng, perhaps, or the Western Cape. If you are mainly resident in South Africa, enter your work in the region where you are employed or, if a freelancer, where your personal office is.

What are the regions of entry?

Region A:   Gauteng
Region B:   Free State, Northern Cape, Northwest and Limpopo
Region C:   KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga
Region D:   Eastern Cape
Region E:   Western Cape