Forty-one journalists from most newspapers and magazines in the country have entered 206 articles to be judged at the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Namibia gala dinner on Saturday June 30.
“The judges [from Namibia, South Africa and Zambia] were amazed at the quality of journalism in the country,” commented organizer of the event, Ferdinand Tjombe.
This year’s entries are more than last year, despite the fact that the categories have shrunk to 16. There were, however, no entries from the electronic media –
radio and TV.
“The awards serve as one of the best benchmarks against which journalists could compare the professionalism of their work,” said Deputy Chairperson of the Board of MISA Namibia, Surihe Gaomas.
“The media are the watchdog of democracy,” said sponsor of the investigative journalism category, Harold Pupkewitz. “Any attempt to muzzle the press must be resisted. This does not imply the media’s right to publish untruths or misleading information. Well researched stories backed by corroborated evidence are the hallmark of professional journalism.”
– Pictured here are (fltr) Harold Pupkewitz, Surihe Gaomas, Nikolaas Duya from the French Embassy, and Ferdinand Tjombe.