PESHAWAR: The submissions for the 2ndAmir Ahmad Siddiqui Media Awardsfor 2016have been invitedfrom intending contestants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, according to a press release.
The awards, aiming at the promotion of ethical and competitive journalism in KPandFATA,involvesix categoriesthis year. They includeBest InvestigativeNewsStory (Print/ Urdu),Best Investigative News Story (Print/English),Best Television Report, Best Radio Package, Best Column/Feature (Urdu/English),andBestPicture of the Year.
Journalists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata areencouraged andeligible to send their submissionsbyFebruary 15, 2017.Theirjournalistic work datelinedPeshawar or any otherpart of the province and Fatawill be eligible for the contest. Theentries to the contestshould have appeared in local, regional, national and international media during 2016 (fromJanuary 1 to December 31). The press release said the winners will receive cash prizes of Rs25,000 each and mementos for their work.The Best Television Report Award involves total prize money of Rs50,000 of which Rs25,000 will go to the reporter for investigative reporting and Rs25,000 to the cameraman for qualitycamerawork.
It said a six-member committeeof internationally recognized media professionals, acclaimed academicians and human rights activists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwahave consented toreviewthe submissionsanddeterminethewinner.
Rahimullah Yusufzai, Editor (North), The News International, is the head of the six-member judges’ panel. The other members of the committeeincludeIsmail Khan,Editor (North), Dawn Group of Newspapers, Dr. AltafUllah Khan, Chairman Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Peshawar,Shabina Ayaz, Regional Head (Peshawar), Aurat Foundation,Abdullah Jan, media professional and former Bureau Chief of Geo TV, Peshawar, and Aurangzeb, trainer/media professional from Peshawar.
The awards, named afterthe late Amir Ahmad Siddiqui, afounding member of the Peshawar Press Club,are a collaborative effort on the part of media professionals from Peshawar,seniormembers of the Peshawar Press Club and Khyber Union of Journalists to create a healthyandcompetitive professional environment forthe Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata journalists.
The names of thewinners of the2016 media awardswill be announcedbyMarch 15, 2017and the prizeswill be distributedin a ceremony at Peshawar onMarch 30, 2017.
Thecontestantswill berequired to send three entries to each of the categoriesthey intend to apply for. They will be required to provide the original printed copies of their newspaperstories/photo- graphs/columns and features. They will also be required to provide soft copies (electronic version / CDs) of their printed work(news stories/photo- graphs/columns and features).
Thecontestants for theradio and television packages’ categorieswill also berequired tosubmit three best packages for each of the two categories they intend to apply to. They will be required to submit their entries on CDs or USBs. The applicants will be eligible to apply for more than one category covered under the awards for 2016.
The entries will be received fromJanuary 1, 2017 to February 15, 2017between10:00 am and 5:00 pmon the weekdays (except Sunday) at Sadiq Commission Agency, 9-A Khyber Bazaar, Peshawar.