Africa Check has invited entries for its African Fact-Checking Awards to honour journalism by Africa-based media in the growing field of fact-checking.
This year’s categories according to a statement include:
- Fact-check of the year by a working journalist
- Fact-check of the year by a student
- One runner-up in each of the two categories above.
Entries must have been published or broadcast between 1 September 2018 – 30 June 2019 and they should have been exposed as misleading or wrong a claim on an important topic made by a public figure or institution in Africa.
The winner of the awards for the best fact-checking report by a working journalist will get a prize of $2,000, while the runner-up will be awarded $1,000. The winner of the award for the best fact-checking report by a student journalist will get a prize of $1,000, and the runner-up $500.
Entries close at midnight GMT on 30 June 2019. For more information on what you can enter, go to the Africa Check website.
” In 2018, we received over 150 entries from more than 20 countries, from Ethiopia and Nigeria to Egypt, South Africa and Zimbabwe. In our inaugural year, we received entries from more than 40 journalists across 10 countries.
“The role of information – and misinformation – in influencing public policy has in recent times been sharply thrust to the fore,” says Noko Makgato, Deputy Director at Africa Check.
“The increased interest every year in fact-checking can only help strengthen the quality of public debate, and hopefully, improve the quality of life across the continent. We look forward to even more entries this year.”