The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has opened its application portal for interested journalists to apply for the sixteenth edition of its annual Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting.
According to a press statement by the Executive Director/ CEO of the organisation, Mrs Motunrayo Alaka, Journalists from the print, online, photo, cartoon, television and radio genres with stories published between 4th October 2020 and 3rd October 2021 may submit their works on the online portal – www.award.wscij.org. The deadline for submission is Sunday, 24 October 2021 by 4 pm.
WSCIJ introduced the portal for application for all categories of the award in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage journalists who otherwise would not apply because of long-distance and the cost of sending hardcopy applications to apply.
Submitted works that meet the entry criteria, according to the organisers, will be coded by WSCIJ to conceal the identity of authors and their media houses and scored by an independent Judges’ Board based on the quality of investigation, evidence, human rights elements, ethical reportage, courage, individual creativity, public interest, impact and quality of presentation.
The judge’s board is made up of seasoned media practitioners, academic and journalism veterans with a good understanding of investigative reporting and its public policy implications.
The award held first in 2005 is to build a culture of investigative reporting in the Nigerian media and honour journalists who expose public or corporate corruption, human rights abuses and regulatory failures.
The WSCIJ says it remains committed to rewarding best practices in the media through the award which has produced 102 finalists, 52 Soyinka Laureates, and 11 investigative journalists of the year. It has also made 24 honorary decorations for the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence and the Anti-Corruption/Human Rights Defender Awards.
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