Sierra Leone Association of Journalists

1^st Floor, 56 Campbell Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone P.M.B. 724, Website: www.slajsl  Email: slaj.salone@gmail.co President: +232 76 470288 / +232 30 470288, Secretary-General: +232 34 149 033 +232 76 814217

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 3^rd October 2024

Official Launch of SLAJ National Media Awards 2024/25

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) is pleased to announce the launch of the SLAJ Annual National Media Awards 2024 to honour and recognize excellence in the media in Sierra Leone.

The SLAJ Media Awards 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 during 2024-2025.

The SLAJ Annual National Media Awards symbolise a move towards media self-regulation and serves as motivation towards increased professionalism in journalism in Sierra Leone. The Awards will recognize outstanding journalism and professional journalists that have contributed to national development and the media landscape in Sierra Leone.

This is year’s awards 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^th to 28 September 2024.

The SLAJ Annual National Media Awards 2024 will take place on Friday, 11^th April 2025 at the Freetown International Conference Center, Bintumani Hotel, Aberdeen, Freetown, starting 7:00AM prompt.

THE AWARD CATEGORIES 2024 INCLUDE:

1. Sam Metzger Award for Best Political Reporting 2024
2. Best Reporting on Gender Issues 2024
3. Best Economic Reporting 2024
4. Blyden Jenkins–Jonhston Award for Best Court Reporting 2024
5. Best Health Reporting 2024
6. Best Reporting on Arts, Culture and Tourism 2024
7. Best Sports Reporting 2024
8. Olu Awoonor Gordon Award for Best Investigative Reporting 2024
9. Best Reporting on the Environment 2024
10. Best Report on Human Rights 2024
11. Best Reporting on Agriculture 2024
12. Best Reporting on Education 2024
13. Best Feature Story 2024
14. Best Reporting on Corruption 2024
15. Best Reporting on Parliament 2024
16.  UNDP Outstanding Journalist of the Year 2024

ELIGIBILITY:

• The SLAJ National Media Awards 2024 is open to all registered, practicing and paid-up members of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ). All entries will be cross-referenced with an up-to-date list of SLAJ members.

HOW TO ENTER:

• All entries MUST be submitted electronically to SLAJ via email- slajmediaawards2024@gmail.com
• All submissions must be received on or before 5:00 PM, on 31^st December, 2024.

Criteria for all submissions:

• Newspaper, magazine articles, online publications, radio and TV programmes published or aired between 1^st January 2024 and 31^st December 2024 are eligible.

• All entries MUST be original.

• All submissions must be accompanied by the following information –

• Name
• Contact information – phone, e-mail address, etc.
• Media – where published/aired and date published
• Category entered

All entries MUST be clearly labelled or submission will be disqualified.

Judging:

A panel of independent judges will review all entries and submit report to the SLAJ National Executive.

To sponsor any category/categories, the annual national media awards in general, please call: 076 470288/ 030 470288 / 076 814217 or email: slaj.salone@gmail.com.

Signed:

Alhaji Manika Kamara

Secretary General