African Fact-Checking Awards for African Journalists 2017

Application Deadline: 31st August, 2017 (midnight)

Offered annually?  Yes

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be taken at (country): Kenya

About the Award: After receiving entries from journalists in just a handful of countries in the first year, Africa check is raising the ante by including entries from journalists in 20 countries, and created awards for reports published in English and in French.

So interested applicants who are working as reporters for Africa-based media organisations, should get in touch if they have published or broadcast a report between 1 September 2015 and 31 August this year, exposing a false claim on an important topic made by a public figure or institution in Africa.

Offered Since: 2013

Type: Journalism contest

Eligibility: 

• To be eligible for the award, the entry must be an original piece of fact-checking journalism first published or broadcast between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016, by a media house based in Africa.
• The work may be published in print or online, broadcast on the radio or television or published in a blog.
• Reports published by Africa Check are not eligible for the competition.
• Candidates may enter more than one report if they so choose.

Selection Criteria: A six-member jury of eminent journalists from across Africa will be announced in July.

All entries sent into the competition before midnight on 31 August 2016 will be judged on the following four criteria.

• The significance for wider society of the claim investigated
• How the claim was tested against the available evidence
• How well the piece presented the evidence for and against the claim
• The impact that the publication had on public debate on the topic

Number of Awardees: Three (3)

Value of Award: The winner of the awards for best fact-checking report by a journalist working in English, and best fact-checking report by a journalist working in French, will each take away a prize of $2,000. And two overall runners-up will take away prizes of $1,000 each.

How to Apply: Interested participants should visit the award webpage to apply

Visit Award Webpage for details

Award Provider: Africa Fact in partnership with the African Media Initiative

Important Notes: The names of the winners and runners-up will be announced at a ceremony to be held in Nairobi in October.