UNICEF Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa
Al Bayan Newspaper ( United Arab Emirates)
I. Principles:
o The Media Award rewards excellence in reporting in media on the situation and issues of children in the Middle-East and North Africa.
o Each year, the Media Forum agrees on the topic for the award for the year to come: for 2009, the topic is: Health Promotion and Behavioural Change in MENA.
o Awards will be awarded for four different categories: TV, radio, print and on-line (web based).
o Awards are non-financial.
o Awards will reward individuals not institutions. However, institutions employing the finalists and winners will be recognized.
o Works submitted must tackle local, national or regional issues directly related to the MENA region.
o Among the fundamental selection criteria jurors will consider are: the relevance and significance of the chosen topic; the quality and originality of the journalistic approach; the depth and accuracy of the investigative work; the effort involved in telling the story(ies); objectivity and impartiality; the potential positive impact of the story(ies). Judges will look favorably at solution-oriented pieces.
o Nominee works must adhere to the highest standards of journalism, including clarity of expression, accuracy, fairness and strict observance of ethical guidelines in reporting on children’s issues (see relevant document on the guidelines) and respecting the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
o The jury for the final award will be composed of UNICEF officials, officials from other international organizations, media-related partners and members of youth-led media initiatives.
o The selection committee for the nominations per country will be composed of UNICEF officials from the respective country offices.
II. Technical Characteristics:
o The eligible work is in the form of a produced news story, essay, opinion column, a news feature, documentary, or a series on a single topic or an investigative report. Letters to the Editor are not eligible.
o The award will accept no more than 5 editorials, columns, or news stories per person/per category. All entries, without exception, must ideally consist of a single article or broadcast or a series of related articles or broadcasts that will be judged as a unit. If the entry is, for example, a continuing column or series, no more than 5 examples should be submitted.
o Articles specifically produced for and published on a newspaper, magazine, Radio or TV programme and websites will be accepted.
o All works must have been printed, posted on the Internet or broadcast on any TV/radio station between 16 October 2008 and 15 October 2009 in media outlets in the Middle East and North Africa or affiliates globally. Each TV/Radio entry must be accompanied by the corresponding Application Form and a Broadcast Certification Form signed by a General Manager, Program Director, News Director or Editor, network or program producer, attesting a) to the date of broadcast and b) that the work is certified to be substantially that of the nominee. ONLY ADOLESCENT PRODUCERS ARE EXEMPTED FROM THIS PROCEDURE.
o If a team was involved in the writings, only one name should appear on the entry form.
o Individual journalists or group applicants seeking the award may offer only one topic for consideration.
o An entry letter should accompany the application for the award. It should explain the motivation behind the candidate’s application and include a brief explanation of how the journalistic piece was conceived.
o All entries must be received by the UNICEF Country Office on or before September 5, 2009.
III. Language:
• The official languages of eligible pieces are Arabic, English and French for 2009. Entries in other languages must be translated and presented in one of these 3 languages to be eligible.
IV. Submission Guidelines:
• Applications should be submitted to the UNICEF communication officer of the relevant UNICEF country office. Each Country Office of the MENA region will then, in consultation with the UNICEF Regional Office for MENA, select the four country finalists for the 4 different award categories.
Four copies of each work must be submitted on betacam, CD or hardcopy, depending on the original format. Each copy must be packaged individually.
o The winners will be selected by the designated jury, and publicized on November 5, 2009, during UNICEF’s 5th Regional Media Forum.
o Entries that have already been submitted for 2008 media award may not be resubmitted for future competitions.
