Late Media practitioner’s introduce awards for Barbados and OECS journalists

The family of late media practitioner, Jennifer Jones who died on March 3, 2009 has introduced a media awards competition to honour the work and contributions made by her in the area of health journalism while assisting in promoting health and health related media coverage. As such, they have introduced the Jennifer Jones Media Awards for Barbados and OECS Media Awards on Health Issues.

It stated that it its quest to award excellent coverage of Health and health related issues in Barbados and the OECS media operatives, the JJ Media Awards Committee has sought support and assistance from corporate companies to aid in ensuring the successful execution of this project in the staging of the first annual media awards.

The JJ Media Awards Committee extended an invitation to journalist, reporters and people within the media to submit entries in the competition which covers radio, television and print.

It was noted that the objectives of the awards are to encourage the promotion of news items, features and documentaries that illustrate the indissoluble link between health and health related issues and society in the holistic development o Barbados and the OECS.

They are also geared at increasing awareness of issues pertaining to health and other development issues and to influence the creation of a healthier and more protective environment to empower the public through the dissemination of reliable information.

Further, the awards are intended to encourage the coverage of news and the production of features, documentaries and related media materials on issues influencing or affectinghealth and its impact on the public, while examining its effects on children and women.

The JJ Media Awards Committee also stated that these awards are also designed to recognise the contribution of journalists in Barbados and the OECS in placing issues related to health and also addressing issues relating to children and women on the public agenda and to improve the overall standards of journalism particularly on health and health related issues.

All entries for the award the statement said must have been published, broadcast or widely disseminated in the two year period commencing January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2010. And no more than two entries will be accepted from any one person in each category.

A series or a story pursued over more than one publication or programme will be considered a single entry. The entire entry must not exceed six pieces.

The JJ Media Awards Committee has announced that the criteria for judging will include accuracy, analysis, balance, content, impact, originality, consistency of focus, relevance to issues on health and health related issues also those that are affecting and influence the lives of women and children, technique and timeliness, and in the case of broadcast entries, sound and technical quality.

The categories of entry include radio, television and print and will see entries being scrutinized to determine the best news story and the best feature article. Special awards will also be up for grabs for a journalist who has published or broadcast the best on Children’s issues.

Winners will be eligible for a plaque and cheque and where several persons submit a joint entry, a single prize will be awarded to the person listed first on the entry form and considered the team leader unless the JJ Media Awards Committee is advised otherwise via email.

Each award winner will be invited to receive an award at the presentation ceremony, at a venue to be announced later.

Entries closing date is March 5th, 2011 and once entries are selected the organizing committee will reserve the right to use work submitted in the competition to promote the aims of the competition and support related training exercise.

Entries should be emailed and or posted to Susan Jones Benjamin, Edward Street, Gouyave, Grenada or