The Union of Journalists in South Sudan has introduced a platform that will award journalists in South Sudan this November 2023.
UJOSS Executive members and the Award judges officially launched the event on Wednesday 27th September 2023 in Juba.
The upcoming award dubbed, the Journalism Excellency Award aims to recognize the immense work of media practitioners both in print and broadcast media.
Chairperson of UJOSS, Patrick Oyet, says the upcoming Journalism Excellency Award is expected to promote professionalism and specialization in media coverage within Journalists to become experts in the future.
Oyet explained that the award will allow Journalists from the states and the administrative areas to participate in the November anticipated event in Juba.
The Award is open to any practicing journalists within South Sudan without limitation of age bracket, accredited or not, but not UJOSS Executive members both in the main and state offices.
The Commissioner for Access to Information Commission, Moyiga Nduru who is among the panel of Judges outlined 10 categories of the Journalism Excellency Award comprising of Health, Education, Human rights, Gender, Culture, and sports reporting.
“The categories are ten, the first one is Excellence in Health Reporting Award, in Economy/Business Economy Award, Excellence in Political and Human Rights Reporting, Peace Journalism Award, Education Reporting Award, In Climate Change Reporting Award, excellence in Gender Reporting Award, youth and sports reporting award, still photography reporting Award and Excellence culture reporting award.” Hon. Moyiga Outlined.
The Judge said they expect originality, evidence of hard work in sound bites and quotes, and evidence of enough research from those who will be submitting their work for vetting in the anticipated Journalism Award.
Meanwhile, UJOSS ICT consultant Mamuch John said, the submission of the applications will be done online through email and website and the link will be provided to journalists in three steps of the application processes.
The Journalism Excellency Award judges include SSBC Director General Suzan Alphonse as the Chief Judge, Moyiga Nduru, and Gabriel Chadar as the secretary and some veteran journalists are among the panel of judges.
This is the first time UJOSS is organizing a national Journalism Award in South Sudan.