The entries for the 9th edition of Golden Pen awards organized by the Nigerian Breweries to reward media excellence has opened with the sponsors restating its commitment to excellence in the practice of journalism in Nigeria.
The company said it is determined to honour journalists who abide by the fine ethics of the profession.
Kufre Ekanem, Nigerian Breweries’ Corporate Affairs Adviser, explained to newsmen at the flag-off of this year’s edition in Lagos on Monday, that the award was introduced to promote professionalism and objective reportage of events in Nigeria.
He disclosed that over the last three years, the focus has been on the role of the media in setting agenda for the future of Nigeria with the theme, Education, Youth Empowerment and Talent Development
According to him, with the completion of the three-year period focus on Education, Youth Empowerment and Talent Development, the company is directing the attention of the Nigerian media to the area of Agriculture, Local Sourcing and Industrial Development as the theme for the 9th Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Award.
“You will agree with me that the focus on Agriculture, Local Sourcing and Industrial Development is not only in tandem with the current push for economic recovery in the country, but also key to making our country achieve her full potential to become a self–reliant and developed country with a diversified economic base,” he said.
Ekanem enjoined journalists from all media platforms with reports published and broadcast in 2016, focusing on Agriculture, Local Sourcing and Industrial Development to submit a maximum of three entries for the award.
The call for entries which opened on Monday, July 3, 2017 will close on Friday, August 4, 2017.
He disclosed that at the end of the collation period, an independent panel of judges made up of distinguished professionals will analyze the entries for originality, news value, use of resources, credibility and factuality. Other areas of interest would include info-graphics, lay out/headline, clarity and social responsibility.
Mr. Ekanem said that the 9th Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Awards Ceremony will hold on Friday October 6, 2017 where winners will be announced in the three categories of the award: Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Reporter of the Year, Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Photojournalist of the Year and Nigerian Breweries Report of the Year.
According to him, the prizes for winning entries for theawards have also been reviewed upwards. “The Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Reporter of the Year will get a cash prize of N2 Million Naira plus a gift item, the first runner up will get N1 Million Naira while the 2nd runner up will go home with N750 Thousand Naira”, he said
He added that In the Photojournalist category, the overall winner will receive N1 Million plus a gift item while the first and second runners up will be rewarded with N750 Thousand Naira and N500 Thousand Naira respectively.