[SPONSORED]
The AVBOB FCJ Excellence Awards, hosted by the Forum of Community Journalists NPC (FCJ) and sponsored by AVBOB, is a well-known event in the media industry.
The competition received just over 600 entries this year, with participants showcasing exemplary work across 17 categories. Front pages (76 entries), back pages (49), free newspaper of the year (45), hard news/investigative reporting (79) and compelling human-interest reportage (64) dominated the field.
Local government reporting/municipal news was reintroduced after an absence of many years, with Yaseen Gaffar of DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette taking the honours. A completely new category — story of the year — was also introduced, awarded to Yaseen Bardien and Mahmood Sanglay of Muslim Views.
The dedication and talent displayed by community journalists in various writing and photography categories underscore the vibrancy and diversity of community journalism in South Africa.
The adjudication process was overseen by Dr André Gouws from Akademia. “This year's competition reflects a healthy and evolving community newspaper sector. The judging panel congratulates all entrants and hopes that the feedback they will receive will encourage even greater excellence in the years ahead,” Gouws said.
Through AVBOB's financial investment in the FCJ and the community media industry, along with ongoing support from Caxton, Novus Community Media and the competition's new partner, Stellenbosch University, the FCJ was able to further enrich its offering and support to community journalists.
“Strong communities are built on accountability, trust and access to reliable information. They depend on you to remain informed about issues that affect their daily lives and on having their voices represented in public conversations,” said Eugene Strauss, AVBOB CEO.
“At AVBOB, our covenant with society is rooted in a simple belief: institutions should not only serve society, but they should also help strengthen it. The same principle guides our support for community journalism,” Strauss added.
Winners were announced at a gala prize-giving dinner at The Capital Menlyn Maine in Pretoria on 21 August. Top honours for Journalist of the Year went to Michelle Pienaar of George Herald. Highvelder's Wayne van der Walt took the Photographer of the Year title for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, and this year's recipient of the Alet Roux Trophy for Most Promising Journalist was Dillon Pillay of Southlands SUN.
The FCJ also hosted its national seminar prior to the gala dinner. The seminar focused on the community journalist's role in the upcoming municipal elections, with industry leaders and experts sharing their knowledge with attendees.
The panel of judges, led by Gouws, comprised seasoned industry professionals and academics. They are Alé Steyn, Chantel Erfort Manuel, Elaine Krige, Elsabé Retief, Fanie Heyns, Heindrich Wyngaard, Jóhann Thormählen, Kyle Cowan, Marenet Jordaan,
Marietjie Gericke, Marlene Malan, Mercy Kannemeyer, Mlungisi Louw, Owen Kock, Pieter Delport, Sibongile Maputi, Simonéh de Bruin, Virginia Keppler-Young, Willem Kempen, Yolanda van der Stoep and Zenande Maqubela.
