CRITERIA & SUBMISSIONS

What are the Judges looking for?
We seek work that reveals journalistic excellence and ethics in content, enterprise and in the technical requirements of your chosen medium, whether print, online, radio, television or photography. We would like to see the finest examples of contemporary South African journalism, in all the listed categories.

Validity and Entry Deadline
All material must have been published or broadcast between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2009.
Entries close at midnight on 28 May 2009.

Quick and Easy
Journalists are busy people so the entry process is made simple.
No entry fee is charged.
The first stage in the competition is finding regional winners. These winners then automatically proceed to the national event for the ultimate recognition. This ensures that journalists in all regions have an equal chance of winning.
Editors, with an eye for talent, can nominate up-and coming journalists in a special category, the Editors Choice Award.

Get it Right

• Please submit entries in the correct categories with the correct number of submissions.
• Please read this page and the page on "Categories" carefully.
• Please print your entry form from the "Entry Form" file below.
• Deliver or post your entry before midnight on 28 May 2009 to the applicable point - please see "Where to Enter".

The information below is very important, so please read it carefully before completing your entry

• There is a wide choice of categories available.
• You can choose whether to enter in just one category or all of them, depending on the medium you work in.
• You may enter a maximum of three entries per category.
• A single piece may not be submitted in more than one category.
• The judges retain the right to move your submission to another category.
• Submissions must be entered in the Vodacom region where published or broadcast. A piece which is published or broadcast nationally can be entered in the region closest to the contributor's offices. A piece may only be entered in one region. (Please see regional map).
• Multiple contributors to one entry may be submitted only if each name of each contributing journalist appears on the by-line of the said entered piece. In the case of multiple contributors, the name of each of the contributors submitted for one entry must be clearly stated on the one entry form for that submission. Multiple contributors to one entry will equally share the prize for that entry.
• A nomination into the Editors Choice Award will not count as an entry into any other category of the competition.
• Entrants must submit background information, and a motivation to the judges as to why they believe the submitted material should win - this is compulsory for all entries.
• Please submit one high resolution head & shoulders photo of yourself on CD along with your entry. This is to facilitate the creative production for Regional and National winners.
• The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA

Please note that any entry received which does not fulfill the criteria as per below will be disqualified.

• Each entry is required in triplicate to allow for the extensive judging process.
• Each entry must have its own entry form.
• Please provide three copies of each completed entry form.
• A maximum of three entries per category will be accepted from one individual. Applications containing more than three submissions will be disqualified.
• Submissions must be entered in the Vodacom region where published or broadcast. A piece which is published or broadcast nationally can be entered in the region closest to the contributor's offices.
• A piece may only be entered in one region. (Please see regional map).
• Every entry in each category is eligible for the Regional awards.
• Regional Award winners are eligible for the National Awards.
• Both Regional and National nominations for the Editors Choice Award are restricted to winning only one overall prize. A nomination into the Editors Choice Award will not count as an entry into any other category of the competition.
• Submissions must relate to work produced in South Africa.
• Proof of publication or broadcast date must be supplied.
• Entrants are to submit a compulsory background information, and a motivation to the judges as to why they believe the submitted material deserves to win - this is essential for all entries. For example, a description of circumstances affecting the story's development, including challenges such as time and/or financial constraints.
• Please remember to submit one high resolution head & shoulders photo of yourself along with your entry.
• For Feature submissions, a body of work may be submitted as one entry, although it should cover only one subject.
• It is the entrant's responsibility to ensure entries are legible, audible and viewable.

Radio: Three separate copies in DVD/CD format and three copies of the script in A4 format per entry must be submitted. It is compulsory that proof, including date of broadcast, be provided.

Print: Three copies per entry must be submitted in A4 format. It is compulsory that proof, including date of publication, be provided. If you feel the copy can be better read in A3 format, please provide A3 copy as well.

Television: Each entry must be PAL VHS format or DVD. Three copies per entry must be submitted and each entry must be on a separate tape or DVD. It is compulsory that proof, including date of broadcast, be provided.

Photography: Three 8" x 10" prints of the original photograph/s should be submitted. While we will accept electronic submissions on three copies of CD, we recommend that prints are provided due to the nature of the medium. It is compulsory that proof, including date of publication of the photographs, be provided, and preferably a copy of the published page where the relevance of the photo to a story or headline may be applicable to the judging of that piece. Entries may be in black & white or in colour.

Online Journalism: Three copies on CD per entry as well as three colour copies of A4 print out of the article, or relevant home page. Proof of first on-line publication must be provided by submission of the correct website and link.