By Sulaiman Jalloh
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) on Thursday, 3rd October, 2024, announced the launch of its annual national media awards for 2024/25 and urged members to apply for the different categories mentioned in a press release from the secretariat of the umbrella body for journalists in Sierra Leone.
“The award will identify and pay tribute to outstanding newspaper articles, radio reports, television broadcasts and online contributions that have helped shape the development and progress of the media in Sierra Leone within the period 2024-2025,” SLAJ stated in a release issued on Thursday.
According to SLAJ, the national media awards symbolizes a move towards media self-regulation and serves as motivation towards professionalism in journalism in the country and will recognize outstanding and professional journalists that have contributed to national development and the media in general.
Categories of award include Best Reporting on Gender Issues, Best Economic Reporting, Blyden Jenkins–Jonhston Award for Best Court Reporting, Best Health Reporting, Best Reporting on Arts, Culture and Tourism, Best Sports Reporting, Best Reporting on Corruption, Best Reporting on Parliament, and the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) Outstanding Journalist of the Year.
SLAJ mentioned that the national media award is only open to all registered and fully paid up members of the journalists’ association, pointing out that all entries will be cross-referenced with an up-to-date list of SLAJ members.
It could be recalled that this year’s award was officially launched by the UNDP Sierra Leone Resident Representative, Fredrick Ampiah, at the opening ceremony of the SLAJ AGM 2024 held in Bo City, southern Sierra Leone on 26-28 ‘September 2024, noting that the 2024/25 Annual National Media Awards will take place on Friday, 11th April, 2025, at the Freetown International Conference Center, Bintumani Hotel, Aberdeen, Freetown.
