Showing posts with label CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Re: Shaibu Husseini of The Guardian Versus Publisher of Nigerians Report and the award of CNN/MULTICHOICE BROWN ENVELOPE...

Re: Sunday, August 8, 2010 Shaibu Husseini of The Guardian Versus Publisher of Nigerians Report and the award of CNN/MULTICHOICE BROWN ENVELOPE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

'Sorry, there is no CNN/MULTICHOICE BROWN ENVELOPE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR.......'

Dear All

First let me tender my unreserved apologies to the publisher of Nigerian Report over the harsh tone of my text-repost to him. I have never been this insulted since i started writing like he did with his text opener which i qouted above. I pray you all, what does that first line mean or suggest? especially from somone i dont know, have never met and who didnt even introduce himself before barging into my inbox..

But i am honestly sorry and apologise if i insulted a senior colleague..... but i must confess that i was enranged by the fact that Mr. Publisher reached a conclusion without seeking clarification from a junior colleague. I dont know how he got my number but if he could go the whole hug to source my number, i thought he could have called me up as a senior colleague and would have drawn my attention to what he observed as 'a lie'.

This is not a defence at all.....i was taught to allow the reader write in a rejoinder or to honour the right of reply if anyone feels indiferent about a report i have written. And i stressed that in all my text-repost. But i need to correct some impression, basically because My senior colleague has CC'ed some of my seniors in the profession and teachers who i am sure would be wondering if it was the same Husseini they know that is being talked about here.

First i dont blog...i repeat, i dont. i know what it is and i know how to do it, but i dont have the time and have never posted any material i have written in the Guardian to the web. But i do know that most materials published in the Guardian are linked to certain blogs created by people. i have on so many occasion read my articles on people's blog. The report in question was published in the Wednesday Guardian of August 4, 2011 and had a web version...so it is possible that it was linked to the blog where my senior colleague read the piece which was purely and simply a report of an event i was duly invited covered.

Again, i would have wished that Oga Chima culled the full text of the report and not just that section he qouted so that his readers and all those he copied will be well informed about the context in which the report or the section he qouted was based.

But quite honestly, i recieved an invitation signed by Mr. Paul Obazele, President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) to cover the unveiling ceremony of the AMP/EKO International Film Festival logo. I was told in the letter to be at the venue at 3.30pm because the Governor of Lagos State Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN was to perform the unveiling ceremony and so the security details had asked that everyone be seated before the governor arrives.

But the governor didnt show up eventually. We were told that he sent a commissioner (Home affairs and Culture) Alhaji Tunde Balogun to represent him and even the commissioner confirmed this when shortly before his adress and shortly before he performed the unveiling ceremony on behalf of the Governor, he told the audience that the Governor would have been around, but he asked him a few hours ago to represent him and to qoute him:'because of how dear the festival is to him (the governor)''. Oga chima, read the full report published in the Guardian where two expressive photographs of the event were used---there was no where i said the Governor attended the event. Rather i noted from the start of the article that he was represented and because he was represented and the person representing him said he was delievering the message of the Governor, i merely reported the governors message to the people. I think where the confusion came was when in trying to continue with the governors charge to filmmakers and in trying to affirm that the unveiling was done, i used the 'governor who performed'...... But pray, check the context in which that sentence was used. I cannot say he was represented in the start of the story, use pictures showing the commisiioner and representative of the Minister of Information performing the unveiling and then lie that the Governor performed the unveiling! Haba!

Again, Oga Chima said i reported that Lagos State Government endorsed the festival and that i should have verified from the Lagos State government before going to press. First, what was reported on Wednesday August 4 was a straight report of an event....i wasnt treating any issue that required my verification. What verification do i even require about lagos state government endorsing the event when the man that spoke at the event and performed the unveiling on behalf of the Governor is a senior member of government and long standing commissioner? I have him on tape and even spoke to him after the event and plan to use part of his comments in an issue based article i am working on, on the matter over trade mark infringement between AMP and the publisher of Supple magazine.

As for the matter between Oga hope and AMP. I was following the trade mark theft scandal since 2009 but i dropped anchor same year for reasons that i will explain to you after now. But i picked it up now again because i sense some foul play soon after the unveiling ceremony. Ask Oga Hope, shortly after the unveiling ceremony, I buzzed him and requested for an interview which we did the following day so that i could get his views to balance the report i had proposed that i will do as a follow up to the straight report on the unveiling. He honoured the interview request but even after transcription, certain issues came up and i thought it was neccessary to do some findings. Only this evening i got an advice from the Corporate affairs commission and the ministry of trade following an enquiry i made and i have equally sought clarification and am waiting for an advice from the Lagos State Film Office and the Commissioner which should make me have a balanced report by the time i run Hope's interview. so sir, do i appear like someone who is biased or who has been bribed so much that it merited a CNN AWARD?

Now to the issue of AMP .......MAIDEN EDITION OF EKOIFFAND NIGERIAN JOURNALIST......Let me clarify that i dont belong to any clique in the industry. i dont even have the time. Ask people who know me, i dont go to events that i am not duly invited to attend. I was never invited to Eko International Film festival which i was told (Hope Opara himself told me a few days back) held this July in Lagos and i didnt get to hear about it even though Oga Hope and I, met for a few days in May at the Cannes Film Festival and in February at the berlinale. He has my email and phone number.....he didnt contact me or even send me materials which i would have gladly used because if you check we dedicate a strip every sunday for publicising festivals and movie events. I was not invited and I didnt know about it and i am suppose to be covering that beat. anyway....

Let me end by once again tendering my unreserved apologies for my harsh text repost..... i was terribly vexed that you could consider me fit for the award of cnn/multichoice brown envelope journalist of the year without asking me to send in entries for the competition. I tried to call back to know who sent the text but the number was disconnecting and that added to the anger.

Thank you for finding time to read from me.

~ Shaibu Husseini


Thursday, April 8, 2010

CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 Finalists Announced

For release: 8th April 2010



CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST 2010 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED




Finalists in the prestigious CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 Competition were announced today by Joel Kibazo, Chair of the independent judging panel. The competition is now in its 15th year.

This year the competition received entries from 975 journalists from 40 countries throughout the continent, including French and Portuguese speaking Africa.



There are 27 finalists from 15 countries:

• Halima Abdallah Kisule, East African, Uganda

• Kofi Akpabli, freelance for Daily Graphic, Ghana

• Njaka Andriamahery, TV Plus, Madagascar

• Pelu Awofeso, freelance for NEXT on Sunday, Nigeria

• Najlae Benmbarek, 2M TV, Maroc

• Teresa Chirwa, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Malawi

• DispatchOnline Team, Daily Dispatch, South Africa

• Mustafa Haji Abdinur, co-founder SIMBA Radio, Somalia

• Thanduxolo Jika, Daily Dispatch, South Africa

• Zipporah Karani, KTN, Kenya

• Charles Kariuki, World Vision Kenya for NTV

• Alexandre Lebel Ilboudo, Le Patriote, Côte d’Ivoire

• Lucas Ledwaba, DRUM, South Africa

• Tsitsi Matope, Public Eye, Lesotho

• Emmanuel Mayah, Daily Sun, Nigeria

• Kassim Mohamed, Star FM, Kenya

• Oarabile Mosikare, Botswana for Mail & Guardian, South Africa

• Francis Mugo Mwangi, freelance for NTV, Kenya

• Boniface Mwangi, freelance for The Star, Kenya

• Rose Ramsay, eNews, South Africa

• Sam Rogers, e.tv, South Africa

• Sergio José Sitoe, Rede de Comuniação Miramar, Moçambique

• Leon Ssenyange, NTV, Uganda

• Lamia Tagzout, El Watan, Algérie

• Sebastião Vemba, Novo Jornal, Angola

• Kaara Wainaina, NTV, Kenya

• Roseline Wangui, NTV, Kenya



This year the recipient of the Free Press Africa Award is Mustafa Haji Abdinur, co-founder of SIMBA Radio in Mogadishu and founder of Somali Media for Peace and Development (SOMEPED). He is awarded this prize for his work in Somalia including the ‘Peace Journalism’ initiative which he launched with the help of fellow Somali journalists. The Award is also in recognition of all the journalists in Somalia who have put their lives at risk in telling the story. There are nine journalists who died during 2009 whilst fulfilling their professional duties:



Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir Hasan, freelance

Mohamed Amin Adan Abdulle, Radio Shabelle

Hassan Zubeyr Haji Hassan, Al-Arabiya

Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf, Radio IQK

Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Radio Shabelle

Nur Muse Hussein, Radio IQK

Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame, Radio Shabelle

Said Tahlil Ahmed, HornAfrik

Hassan Mayow Hassan, Radio Shabelle



The winners of the competition will be announced at an Award Ceremony and Gala Evening in Kampala, Uganda on Saturday 29th May 2010.



The hosts for the evening will be Isha Sesay, presenter of CNN International’s weekly programme ‘Inside Africa’ and Dr Ronnie Mich Egwang, a well-known Ugandan presenter.



Announcing the finalists, Joel Kibazo said: “2010 is a record breaking year for entries to these awards. Not only do the numbers continue to grow each year, but the standard rises too. I was particularly impressed by the increasing number of journalists that crossed borders in pursuit of stories. This maturing of journalism, across the continent, combined with technological advances, created a greater body of work and made the awards more exciting to judge.”



Reflecting on the role of the awards, Kibazo added: "The competition is now truly established as a way for African journalists to better their lives. I firmly believe the quality and number of people entering reflects the fact that the awards offer a fantastic opportunity to change an individual’s future.”



The independent judging panel, chaired by Joel Kibazo, journalist and media consultant, includes: Ikechukwu Amaechi, Editor, Daily Independent, Nigeria; Jean-Paul Gérouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3 TV; Ferial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa; Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General, Southern African Broadcasting Association; José Luís Mendonça, Press Counsellor, Angolan Permanent Delegation to UNESCO; Zipporah Musau, Managing Editor, Magazines, The Standard Group Ltd, Kenya; Kim Norgaard, CNN Bureau Chief, South Africa.



The prestigious sponsors include: Coca-Cola Africa; Ecobank, IPP Media, Tanzania; Kampala Serena Hotel; Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD); NN24 Nigeria; Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry solution; Safebond Africa Ltd and A24 Media.



The Kampala Serena is the delegate hotel for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2010. The hotel extends a truly warm Kampala welcome to finalists, judges, attending media and guests from across the continent. The finalists will enjoy an all expenses paid five day programme of workshops, media forums, networking and have the opportunity to see some of the sights of Kampala.



Tony Maddox, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International said: “The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, coinciding with CNN celebrating 30 years as the world’s pioneering news provider. As CNN encourages, promotes and recognises excellence in journalism at all levels, we are particularly pleased to be able to support journalists who represent our future. I have witnessed the quality and excellence of work in this competition strengthen year on year, and am proud that it continues to maintain its place as the most prestigious Pan African journalist awards.”



Collins Khumalo, President MultiChoice Africa, said: “We congratulate the 27 finalists of this year’s awards. The great success that this event has enjoyed over the past 15 years makes the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards the one honour that journalists and media houses throughout the continent want to be associated with. Through these awards, MultiChoice in partnership with CNN, continue to acknowledge and celebrate the best journalistic talent and skills that Africa’s media have to offer.”



About the award:

The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng (formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., CNN’s parent company) and the late Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa.



Note to Editors: Competition Criteria

To enter the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 competition the journalist must be an African national and work on the continent for African owned, or headquartered, media organisations that produce a printed publication or broadcast through an electronic medium (television broadcaster, radio station or website) primarily targeted at and received by an African audience.



Entries were published or broadcast in 2009 for the following awards:

Arts & Culture: Digital Journalism Award; Economics and Business: Environment: Free Press Africa; HIV/AIDS Reporting; MSD Health & Medical: Mohamed Amin Photographic; Print General News; Radio General News; Sport; Television Features; Television News Bulletin; Tourism; Francophone General News Awards (Print and Electronic Media); Portuguese Language General News



www.cnn.com/africanawards



Issued: 8th April 2010

For further information please contact:

CNN International: Joel Brown + 44 20 7693 0967 joel.brown@turner.com

MultiChoice Africa: Caroline Creasy + 27 11 289 3081 ccreasy@multichoice.co.za

MultiChoice South Africa: Marietjie Groenewald + 27 11 289 3067 Marietjie.Groenewald@multichoice.co.za

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