BY MIKE TUA
THIS year’s Media Awards ceremony arranged by the Media Association of Solomon Islands to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of journalists and reporters will be hosted on Saturday night at the Cowboys Bar and Grill, Pacific Casino Hotel in Honiara.
Normally the event takes place on May 3, which marks the International Press Freedom Day. However, due to several unforeseen circumstances dominated by the last year’s November political riots in Honiara and the covid-19 pandemic, the event was pushed to June this year.
The awarding ceremony was first initiated back in the early 2000s to promote press freedom and journalists’ achievements in the field.
However, this year’s event is quite special in the sense that the media industry is losing workers and is diminishing because of the pandemic among other challenges faced by the industry, according to the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) President, Georgina Kekea.
“This year’s Media Awards aim to provide incentives for media personnel, more-so journalists, especially at this time where the media industry is also feeling the brunt of the pandemic.
“MASI hopes by having this event it will highlight the role of media and will bring hope and also inspire young Solomon Islanders to aspire to become journalists or pursue a career in the media industry,” the President told Sunday Isles.
The theme is ‘Celebrating Achievements and the Future. MASI hopes members of the media will be able to come together to this event to reflect, celebrate and recognize the important role each and everyone plays in this industry and also to celebrate our successes as individuals in the industry.
A total of 30 nomination applications from the most media organizations (local) print, broadcast, and digital were received by the distinguished 6- member independent panel of judges comprising media practitioners and former journalists and networks in the business sector for the country’s Media Awards 2022.
The judges are Anouk Ride Dolaiano, Mary Louise-O’Callaghan, Jone Raqauqau, Frederick Osifelo (TTV), Jay Bartlett, and Natalina Hong.
14 Awards categories are included at this year’s Media Awards Ceremony;
- Climate Change Reporting Award
- Social Justice Reporting Award
- Report on the Pandemic Award
- Sports Reporting Award
- Visual Story Telling Award
- Broadcast Storytelling Award
- Feature Writing Award
- Investigative Journalism Award
- Public Relations Award
- Radio Presenter of the Year Award
- Journalist of the Year Award
- Young Journalist of the Year Award
- Newsroom of the Year Award
- MASI Recognition Award
Meanwhile, the President Kekea said MASI hopes the event will also see the PM announcing the PM Journalism Scholarship Award.
“MASI thanks the government for recognizing the need of having qualified journalists in the industry which is often referred to as the backbone of democracy. For the first time, journalism scholarship awards are highlighted as a priority in scholarship awards,” she said.
MASI President also thanks members of the MASI board for their support in preparation work for the event.
Invited media representatives, sponsors of the awards, dignitaries, and government representatives are expected to attend the scheduled event from 7 pm to 9 pm.
