2008-03-03Staff Report 2 "By John Ekongo WINDHOEK Cable News Network International, known worldwide by its acronym CNN International, launched its CNN Multi Choice African Journalist for the Year 2008 competition recently. The deadline for entries is March 14, 2008. Judging will commence in May, and the awards ceremony will be held in July. This year's event will return to Accra, Ghana, where the first ever awards event was held 13 years ago. Tony Maddox of CNN International said in a media statement that his company is delighted to return to Ghana. ""We are returning to the awards' birthplace of Ghana. As the awards continue to grow in stature, strength and prestige, it is only fitting that Ghana be chosen as the host country."" The CNN Multi Choice African Journalist Awards is the longest running and most prestigious competition for journalism in Africa. It was established in 1995, and founded by Edward Boateng, a previous Director for 'Africa Within, Turner Broadcasting Systems', the parent company of CNN International. The awards and competition aim to reinforce the importance of the journalists' role in Africa's development and to recognise journalistic talent across all disciplines. The competition is open to African professional journalists (including, but not limited to, freelancers) working on the continent for African-owned media organisations or media organisations headquartered on the continent of Africa which produces printed publications or broadcast through an electronic medium (television broadcaster; radio station or website). Content of these products should primarily be targeted at and received by an African audience, according to the press release issued by the organizers. For qualification entries various works should have been broadcast or published either in or between the period of January and December 2007. Ted Turner founded CNN in 1980. The network is now owned by Time Warner, the news network division of Turner's conglomerate holding company, Turner Broadcasting Systems. Last year's overall winner was Richard Kavuma, who works for the Weekly Observer in Uganda. He scooped the top prize for his series of articles which assessed his country's performance on the Millennium Development Goals. " 2008-03-03Staff Report 2
