BY ALEX DADAMU
SOLOMON Islands Broadcasting Cooperation Multimedia Journalist, Jared Koli has won the most prestigious Media Award, ‘Most Outstanding Journalist of the Year’ in the recent Media Awards event organized by the Media Association of Solomon Islands.
A skilful and passionate storyteller, Jared is no new name in the Media Industry having started his career Journey as a reporter for the Island Sun newspaper in 2014 fresh out from completing a tri-semester Journalism and Media Certificate program at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU).
Jared went on to secure a Solomon Islands Government Scholarship in 2018 to undertake further studies at the University of the South Pacific (USP). He graduated last year in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Journalism and Geography.
He told Sunday Isles upon receiving his award that it is by far the most prestigious media award he has received as a journalist.
“I am indeed grateful and couldn’t express how thankful I am to the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI), its President Georgina Kekea and MASI Executive for organizing a successful awards night to recognize our hard-working journalists and their contribution to the local media industry.
“I would also want to thank the judges for recognizing the effort I put into my story submissions. Thank you as well to the Telecommunications Commission of Solomon Islands for sponsoring my award and cash prize.
“This is by far the most prestigious media award I’ve received as a journalist.
“I have received story awards in the past, once when I was with the Island Sun newspaper, two of my story submissions earned me a place to travel to and report at the global climate change summit (COP23) in Bonn, Germany in November 2017.
“I have also won several story awards and the Most Outstanding Journalism Student award when at USP, Fiji.
He pointed out that apart from the written and online stories he submitted for the MASI awards program, he also submitted two short documentaries he produced himself.
“There are two short documentaries, a 21-minute and a 29-minute long visual stories I produced myself, and this comes with a lot of effort from identifying good or strong story angles, pitching, planning, scripting, shooting, and editing.
“This MASI Top award is a recognition of a lot of effort and hard work,” Jared expressed.
Jared also expressed that as a young father with kids of 6-year-old and 6-month-old, it was challenging as there are deadlines to meet each day and week, and most of the time his job as a Journalist demands him to stay up late, and his kids would already fall asleep when he gets home.
“But I always find time for my family because they are the pillar of my strength,” Jared said when asked what is it like to be a journalist and a father and how did he balance his work and family time.
He also acknowledges his parents, his mum especially for believing in him still despite all the challenges faced.
“The journey I took to this stage in my career would not have come without the support of my parents, my mum especially, who despite being dropped out at Form 6 with bad grades and stayed unemployed for three years, still believes in me and support me to take media studies at SINU.
“Also, to SINU journalism and media program for creating an avenue which became my stepping stone to the media world.
“If it is not for the SINU journalism program, I may still be unemployed, who knows,” Jared expressed.
In the meantime, the young passionate multimedia Journalist encourages upcoming journalists to continue to strive and work hard, put in a little extra effort if the work requires, explore every possible way to tell a story, and be innovative and creative.
“Go the extra mile and write and produce stories that are not of the ordinary.
“Do not forget to have your work published online because this is where people access and recognize your work and every little effort you put into it.
“Go online, e.g. YouTube and other reputable online social media platforms for help, and do not forget to always balance your stories or get people of interest to connect your stories.”
