Africa Guardian

London, 21 March 2012
The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards are once again attracting
high-quality entries from around the world and 2012 promises to be
another influential showcase for the best business journalism from and
about Africa.
All journalists, writers, reporters and media houses are encouraged to
apply as soon as possible. In order to provide every opportunity for
submissions, we have extended the final date for entries to Wednesday
28 March.
Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, today issued the
final call for entries to the ninth Diageo Africa Business Reporting
Awards. These annual awards were launched in 2004 as a practical way
of encouraging more prolific reporting of economic opportunity in
Africa and to celebrate excellence in business journalism.
The Awards represent a prestigious opportunity for business
journalists writing about the Continent to receive international
recognition for their work. Shortlisted candidates from each category
will be flown to London for the Gala Ceremony in June. Winners will
each receive £500 and a specially commissioned sculpture.
The best journalistic talent and the most influential news outlets
from Africa, as well as international media sources, are encouraged to
submit entries to the Awards. Submissions of pieces using new media
are welcomed: all media, including blogs and other online material,
are now eligible in every category. Entries will be reviewed by a
high-profile judging panel – further details will be announced soon.
In 2012, nine years on from the Awards’ inception, Africa has become
home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The Awards
continue to recognise the fact that excellent business journalism
plays an important role in sustaining Africa’s investment flows.
Moreover, Diageo believes that better and more accurate reporting
helps to generate further business interest in the continent. The
Awards have continued to grow year on year and in 2011 attracted over
1,200 entries from more than 25 countries.
The 2012 Awards are free to enter and the open period for entries has
been extended to Wednesday 28 March 2012. Submissions are welcomed for
the following categories:
• Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) feature
• Best Finance feature
• Best Infrastructure feature
• Best Agribusiness/Environment feature
• Best Tourism feature
• Best Business News story
• Best Business feature
• Best Newcomer
• Media of the Year
• Journalist of the Year
Nick Blazquez, President, Diageo Africa, commented: “As a company that
operates right across Africa, we have seen first-hand how business
reporting on the region has grown in quantity, frequency and quality
over the last few years. We at Diageo want to celebrate and reward
excellent business journalism, which we believe plays a crucial role
in informing and encouraging potential investors and thus driving
forward trade and enterprise across Africa. The Awards provide a great
showcase for journalists and editors and an opportunity to demonstrate
the depth and range of coverage available on African business issues.
This year our judging panel will be particularly interested in
submissions from journalists who have made innovative use of
multimedia in their reporting.”
Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie, long-standing Master of Ceremonies at the
Awards and co-founder of AFFORD, an organisation that leverages the
African diaspora’s talents and resources to support African
entrepreneurship, added: “The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards,
through their celebration of the best business reporting on Africa
across a wide range of categories, reward a refreshing dimension of
storytelling about Africa, one that tells investors about the
opportunities, as well as the challenges, of doing business in Africa.
In the long-term, this will create jobs and opportunities and enable
more Africans to lead dignified lives realizing their full human
potential.”
The closing date for entries is Wednesday 28 March 2012. Finalists
will be announced on Monday 7 May 2012. The Awards Ceremony will be
held at the Landmark Hotel in Central London on Thursday, 28 June
2012. There are no entry fees. For further details and guidelines,
please visit www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com
For further information, please visit:
www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com or contact:
Katherine Ambler on kambler@africapractice.com / +44 (0) 777 614 0902
Ciara O’Keeffe at Diageo on Ciara.OKeeffe@diageo.com / +44 (0) 208 978 2876
-ENDS-
The Categories
1. Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of the
ICT sector in a thoughtful and engaging way.
2. Best Finance feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of the
finance/banking sector in a thoughtful and engaging way.
3. Best Infrastructure feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of
infrastructure (physical or otherwise) in a thoughtful and engaging
way. Features addressing issues of energy and transport can enter this
category.
4. Best Agribusiness / Environment feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of
agribusiness or environmental issues in a thoughtful and engaging way.
5. Best Tourism feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that examines any aspect of the
tourism industry in a thoughtful and engaging way.
6. Best Business News story
A news story or series of related stories delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that:
• Addresses a breaking news story from the time period of the awards
• Answers all basic questions in a clear and balanced fashion
• Demonstrates journalistic flair – a style that is engaging,
thought-provoking and accessible to its audience
7. Best Business feature
A feature or series of related features delivered on any media
platform (print, broadcast, online) that:
• Examines business or the economy in an African context
• Provides useful and relevant background material for readers
• Provides the bigger picture of importance to Africa, as well as
specific issues it might be addressing
• Brings the business and economy to life through examples and use of
language, while answering the serious questions
8. Best Newcomer
A portfolio of three features (can be across different platforms) by a
journalist who has been working as a reporter for less than five
years. Proof of first date of accreditation will be required.
9. Media of the Year
A print publication, broadcast programme/channel, website or blog that
is a comprehensive resource for its audience providing sustained
coverage of Africa’s business and economic news, issues and analysis
(sector-specific or otherwise).
10. Journalist of the Year
A portfolio of three features (on any one or a mixture of media
platforms), of no more than 5,000 words or 1 hour each. Submitted
pieces can cover different topics, industries or people, or be part of
a series of reportage. Judges will be looking for features that
reflect journalistic integrity and ethics and a true commitment to
reporting that does not sensationalise stories or individuals.
About Diageo plc and Diageo Africa
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an
outstanding collection of alcoholic beverage brands across spirits,
wines and beer categories. Diageo is a global company, trading in more
than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the
New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).
Diageo Africa is primarily a beer and spirits company whose brands are
sold in more than 40 countries in Africa. Diageo has a
long-established presence in Africa with the first recorded exports of
Guinness to Sierra Leone in 1827. Guinness is a truly pan-regional
premium beer brand, brewed in over 20 countries throughout the
continent and exported to many others. Diageo’s businesses also
produce and sell a range of local beer brands including Tusker,
Senator Keg, Premium Serengeti Lager, Meta, Harp and Bell. Diageo is
also the leading premium spirits company in Africa, and its great
brands include Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, Smirnoff vodka, Baileys
and Gilbeys gin.
Diageo Africa employs over 5,000 people, accounting for one in four of
Diageo’s workforce worldwide. In some key markets it has built its own
in-market businesses with distribution access to trade channels, some
of which have listings on local stock exchanges. In other markets, it
will look to partner with a local business, through licensing brands
or through third-party distribution. All of these companies have
active community investment programmes, covering initiatives in water,
farming and rural value chains, health, education and other areas of
value to the communities in which they operate across Africa.
Diageo has recently published its report on its business approach in
Africa. You can download it at
http://www.diageo.com/en-row/CSR/Pages/resource.aspx?resourceid=1078
As part of its ongoing commitment to the communities in which it
operates, enriching lives and contributing to the UN Millennium
Development Goal 7, Diageo Africa created the Water of Life programme
to support projects that provide access to clean drinking water and
advance environmental conservation. The programme, which was initiated
in 2000, aims to benefit 8 million by 2015, as well as many thousands
more through construction and maintenance of sites, improved
sanitation and the empowerment of women. To date, Diageo has funded
over 170 different water and sanitation projects, impacting nearly 5
million people in 16 different countries across the continent. Diageo
works with international non-governmental organisations, as well as
local grass roots organisations, to deliver water and sanitation
through various types of technology, including borehole construction,
water filters, rainwater harvesting and watershed management. Diageo
selects projects that, among other criteria, are community driven,
include capacity building and training for the community, address
sanitation issues and empower women.