Journalism fellowship on immigration

Journalists interested in covering immigration issues can apply for a fellowship.

The French-American Foundation is launching the Immigration Journalism Fellowship for experienced journalists of any nationality.

Fellows will receive US$10,000 to produce groundbreaking pieces on immigration over a four-to six-month period.

Candidates can be from any medium with at least three years professional journalism experience. Final works must be published in English or French in the U. S. or Europe. Freelancers or teams of up to three journalists can also apply.

Applicants must submit a general form, resume, three work samples, two recommendation letters, a project synopsis form with a budget and a letter from the media organization committed to publishing the immigration story.

The deadline for submissions is November 16.

For more information, click here.

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/journalism-fellowship-immigration-open-worldwide

Travel story and photo competition

Photographers and avid travelers can enter a competition to win a camera.

G8Journey is accepting entries for the best travel story told through pictures and text.

Entrants must submit at least five photos that depict a person, place or experience connected with a geographical place. A short text should accompany the photos describing their significance.

Entries will be judged by the photos' quality, text description, correct location and the number of photos submitted.

The best photo and best travel story recipients will each win a Canon camera.

The deadline is October 14.

For more information, click here.

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/travel-story-and-photo-competition-open-worldwide

Fellowships available for broadcast journalism trainers

Deadline:

 

01/10/11

Radio, television and Internet trainers can apply for a fellowship to attend a six-week workshop in the Netherlands.

The Radio Nederland Training Centre (RNTC) will teach broadcast educators innovative teaching methods to match the evolving industry. The course, which runs from May 14 - June 22, 2012, will focus on translating training objectives into training solutions.

Participants must have at least three years of professional experience and proficiency in English. This course is designed for mid-career trainers, training organizers and educators working for broadcasting organizations, training providers (departments, centers, institutes), schools of journalism and broadcasting, or media and communication departments at universities.

Nationals from the following 60 countries are eligible for a NFP-fellowship:

Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Autonomous Palestinian Territories, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Macedonia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The fellowship covers all costs; the deadline for fellowship applicants is October 1.

The registration deadline for non-fellowship applicants is February 28, 2012.

For more information, click here.

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/fellowships-available-broadcast-journalism-trainers-worldwide

Human rights fellowships

Deadline:

06/10/11

Recent graduates in journalism, international relations or law at the master's level or beyond are eligible for two human rights fellowship programs.

Human Rights Watch presents the Alan R. and Barbara D. Finberg Fellowship and the Arthur Koenig Fellowship. Fellows will work with HRW for one year monitoring human rights developments worldwide, conducting on-site investigations, drafting reports, media outreach and more.

Fellowships begin September 2012 and offer a US$55,000 salary with benefits.

Ideal candidates possess a strong background in human rights with an intent to pursue a career in the field. Requirements include research and field experience, analytic skills and English fluency. Proficiency in a second language is a plus.

Applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, two recommendation letters, an unpublished writing sample and a graduate school transcript.

The Koenig fellowship specifically targets students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds and applicants must submit an essay describing their financial need.

For more information, click here.

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/human-rights-fellowships-open-worldwide

Women in South Asia - Leaders Unequal

Following is the address of the High Commissioner of Pakistan at the second anniversary of the South Asian Women in Media entitled Women in South Asia - Leaders Unequal, held at Renuka Hotel, Colombo 3 on September 2011.

Women in South Asia - Leaders Unequal

Address of the High Commissioner of Pakistan, H.E. Seema Ilahi Baloch, at South Asia Women in Media Forum

The women of South Asia must be proud, because our land can boast of some of the greatest women leaders of our times. Sirimavo Bandaranayake, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhotto, Husina Wajid, Khleda Zia, the most able and dynamic women leaders on the globe were from our soil. But, the women of South Asia, experience some of the gravest injustices done to women. And while we have the greatest women leaders, we remain unequal in our societies.

In our land of many contradictions, a land of many opportunities and many challenges, it gives me great pleasure to share with you some thoughts on women in South Asia.  And I will begin at home – my home. Both my grandmothers received only elementary education enabling them to read and write in Urdu and to read the Quran in Arabic. They lived in a world with many children and their household was their entire world. My maternal grandmother had a passion for education and fulfilled her dream by ensuring that her six daughters graduate. Today, women in our family are Doctors, lawyers, consultants, businesswomen and diplomats. I am sure you have similar experiences in your families.

And when I look around today at you at my other women colleagues at my friends, it fills me with great joy that in the last 50-70 years the women of South Asia have taken great strides forward. But we are the privileged few. The few who were born into the right household, households with resources. We were fortunate to be born in families who were willing to impart education to girls willing to empower their girls. Some of us have struggled more than others to be here today. And all of us should be rightly proud of what we have achieved.

I say this because when you look beyond at women in South Asia, there still is a long way to go, to empower them to be even as unequal as we are.

The most pronounced gender disparities exist in our region. For decades women, in South Asia have lagged behind men, either treated as commodities or second-class citizens. Patriarchal social values are deeply rooted. These values continue to define gender relations within households and across society, resulting in the disempowerment of women in many areas of their lives. Women representation in the economic and political spheres remains very low. Violence against women (VAW) and trafficking in women are of deep concern. Inadequate access to economic opportunities, to education, to the political domain push them into a vicious cycle of subjugation and deprivation.

Two eminent personalities speak at Women in Media event: SAWM Sri Lanka commemorates 2 years

The High Commissioner  for Pakistan in Colombo, Ms Seema Baloch and former Vice Chancellor  of the Colombo University,  Prof Savitri Goonesekare shared their views and ideas of women in the media at SAWM Sri Lanka’s 2^ndanniversary commemoration in Colombo, WOMEN AS EQUAL PARTNERS IN SOUTH ASIAN DEMOCRACY.

The event was organised by the Sri Lanka chapter of South Asian Women in Media, a regional network of women professionals in the media, with chapters in all the 8 countries of the region including Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka chapter was formed in August 2009 with members from the print, electronic and internet media, working in English, Sinhala and Tamil. The event was introduced by the South Asian Regional and Sri Lanka Chapter President, Sharmini Boyle.

The Chief Guest and Guest speakers were themselves women of distinction in their chosen professional fields and highlighted the challenges faced by women as they attempt to make a mark in their professional and public lives.

The Pakistan HC recalled her own experience into the foreign service and the 1970s, the strides that have been taken by women since then, the obstacles they continue to face in the upward movement of their careers, and encouraging them to put in the effort required despite the hardships:   “There must be a conscious effort by individuals to change their status in life, to push through the glass ceiling,  to create new holes in that layers of ice, to pull women out of the icy waters and give them a life of their own. We need to create more spaces and expand existing ones for women to be individuals in their own right, to be empowered socially, economically and poilitically. We need new breakthroughs every day, in every field”.

In her speech to the gathering of women professionals, journalists and others present,  Prof Savitri Goonesekare stressed on the importance of the theme of the evening’s event, democracy, and the role of the media in upholding the principles of democracy. “Women’s groups, including women’s groups of journalists like you, must work with each other and together and link across professions and organisations to preserve the relevance and meaning of the rule of law and accountable governance under our Constitution.  We cannot allow an erosion of basic rights and guarantees of individual freedom in the name of economic transition, ethnic or religious identities, or a development agenda that ignores Constitutional rights in the name of a community interest in economic growth. Exercising our basic rights as citizens requires all of us to be particularly concerned with nurturing some of your basic concerns as journalists, the right to freedom of speech and expression and the right to information and media freedom.”

Representatives of the South Asian Free Media Association, Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance and the Muslim Media Forum expressed their support for SAWM Sri Lanka and recognized the value of such a collective in improving media standards.

Wee Kim Wee School, Singapore invites Asian Journalists and Freelancers to attend the three-month 2012 Asia Journalism Fellowship

BY FUNDSFORNGOS, ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2011

Singapore’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University is one of the leading schools of its kind in Asia. It has an enrolment of around 1,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in fields such as journalism, public relations and knowledge management.

The Wee Kim Wee School is also the home of the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), an NGO that spearheads the development of media and communication expertise in Asia within the broad framework of economic, social and cultural development.

The Wee Kim Wee School is currently seeking applications from Asian journalists for the three months 2012 Asia Journalism Fellowship (AJF) program. The 2012 Fellowship will run from 27 February to 18 May.

Eligibility

• Applicants should have at least five years of full-time working experience as journalists (not including as student journalists) and possess potential for leadership and management within the profession or organization.
• Applicants should be residing in Asia. Preference is given to those working for Asian media organizations.
• Applicants can be working in any medium — print, radio, television or online.
• Journalists working in non-English media are welcome to apply, but must show proficiency in English through a telephone interview, as English is the working language of the program.
• Applications from journalists in full-time positions must be accompanied by a letter of support from employers, stating that the applicant would be released for the full period of the fellowship, from 25 February to 20 May 2012. Freelancers are welcome to apply if they are primarily engaged innews or current affairs journalism.

Key Elements of Fellowship

• Professional workshops
• Professional seminars
• Visits and Briefings
• Independent Project

SUPPORT

Funding

Fellows will be provided a stipend of S$1,500 per month for the duration of the three month program. Travel to and from Singapore will also be covered. No extra funding is allocated for Fellows who bring their spouse and children.

Visa

NTU will apply for Training Employment Passes for the Fellows to come to Singapore. Those who wish to bring their families must handle their own entry permit applications, if any.

Accommodation

Free accommodation is provided in service apartments. Two or three Fellows share one apartment, which has a kitchen for you to cook meals. The complex has leisure facilities such as a swimming pool and tennis courts.

Facilities and Resources

Fellows will have access to the library, computer, internet and athletic facilities of the NTU campus.

Research projects

Each Fellow picks a research project that is personally meaningful and useful to one’s home country. For example, it could be a long magazine feature or documentary for public consumption, or a policy paper to guide your employer or professional association at home. AJF assigns each Fellow a research advisor to provide guidance.

Last date for submission of application is October 14, 2011

For more information and details, you can visit this link.

Source Link: http://www.fundsforngos.org/fellowships-2/wee-kim-wee-school-singapore-invites-asian-journalists-freelancers-attend-threemonth-2012-asia-journalism-fellowship/#ixzz1YNgy3HI5
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Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

New Visual Journalism award

Human Rights Watch and World Press Photo have established an annual visual journalism award focusing on human rights - to honour the life and work of Tim Hetherington, the British photojournalist who was killed this year while covering the conflict in Libya. The deadline for the grant - worth a hefty 20,000 Euros (US$27,500) - is 15 October.

The award seeks to reward a career history of documenting critical human rights stories and an ability to draw together diverse elements into a compelling multimedia feature.

After winning the 2007 World Press Photo of the Year for his image of an exhausted soldier, Hetherington said, "Underpinning my work is a concern with human rights and analysing political ideas, with thinking about history and politics. It's also about witnessing, about telling stories. Photography to me is a way of exploring the world, creating narratives, and communicating with as many people as possible."

Judges are looking for the revolutionary qualities that defined Hetherington's career: work that operates on multiple platforms and in a variety of formats; that crosses boundaries between breaking news and longer-term investigation; and that demonstrates a consistent moral commitment to the lives and stories of the photographic subjects.

"Tim told stories in a unique way, using images, sound, text, and testimony," Human Rights Watch said. "We hope to honour his memory by encouraging others to innovate in the field of human rights communication."

Click here for application forms and how to apply.

http://www.ifex.org/international/2011/09/14/visual_journalism_award/

Al-Mahdi's death big loss for media and activist community; new law fails to protect journalists' rights

Hadi al-Mahdi

Iraqi journalist, filmmaker and playwright Hadi al-Mahdi was well known for his missives to the government, his demands for peace, and more recently, as a leading organiser of Iraq's recent pro-democracy protests. But for his actions he has paid with his life. On 8 September, he was shot dead in his home in Baghdad in an apparently targeted attack to silence him, report Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI).

"The killing of Hadi al-Mahdi sadly highlights that journalism in Iraq remains a deadly profession," said Human Rights Watch. "After more than six years of democratic rule, Iraqis who publicly express their views still do so at great peril."

Al-Mahdi's popular talk radio programme, "To Whomever Listens," ran three times a week in Baghdad and covered social and political issues in Iraq - a close friend of his told CPJ that he had been calling on the government to provide better water, electricity and public services for Iraqis.

Through his Facebook page, al-Mahdi organised pro-democracy protests in Baghdad every Friday, including the Friday of the week of his death. He was undeterred, even though back in February, he was arrested, beaten and blindfolded, and forced to pledge he would never participate in a demonstration again.

According to Human Rights Watch, just hours before his death, he posted the following message describing recent death threats against him:

"Enough... I have lived the last three days in a state of terror. There are some who call me and warn me of raids and arrests of protesters. There is someone saying that the government will do this and that. There is someone with a fake name coming on to Facebook to threaten me. I will take part in the demonstrations, for I am one of its supporters. I firmly believe that the political process embodies a national, economic, and political failure. It deserves to change, and we deserve a better government. In short, I do not represent any political party or any other side, but rather the miserable reality in which we live... I am sick of seeing our mothers beg in the streets and I am sick of news of politicians' gluttony and of their looting of Iraq's riches."

Ammar al-Shahbander, head of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting in Iraq and a friend of al-Mahdi's, told Human Rights Watch, "This attack was different because usually journalists here have been killed in the line of duty, and you expect fatalities in war zones. But sitting in your own home and getting shot like this is too much to bear."

Al-Shahbander expressed hope that al-Mahdi's killing would not deter Iraq's journalists from reporting on events in the country. "So many journalists have been kidnapped and killed in Iraq but it doesn't matter how many are tortured, intimidated, or killed - journalists will continue doing their jobs," he said. "This attack just shows how desperate the enemies of democracy have become."

The killing of al-Mahdi follows years of targeted violence against journalists in Iraq. Since 1992, 150 journalists have been killed in the country, including five journalists killed in 2011 alone, according to CPJ. On 29 August, an assailant used a pistol to beat a prominent journalist, Asos Hardi, in Sulaimaniya, requiring Hardi to be hospitalised and get 32 stitches, reports Human Rights Watch.

Iraq has attempted to safeguard journalists in a new law, adopted on 9 August. But RSF and ARTICLE 19 say it falls short. For instance, says ARTICLE 19, it doesn't meet international human rights obligations.

According to RSF, the new law lacks concrete measures: there are no punishments outlined for those who violate the law's principles, no compensation fund, and no training for the police and judiciary in protecting journalists and prosecuting attacks on the press - to name a few shortcomings.

"The Iraqi authorities should adopt concrete measures and make effective resources available instead of limiting themselves to statements of intent," said RSF.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3738076744216924832

IJ Trainers trained

Transparency International Sri Lanka conducted a well- designed five day Train the Trainer (ToT) program to groom 23 senior journalists and university academics on basic methods of Investigative Journalism (IJ). The workshop which was supported by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung was held at Pegasus Reef Hotel, Wattala.

The programme was conducted by an internationally reputed trainer Dr.Thiru Wenkatgaswami from India with the support of local experts. Through the trained pool of IJ trainers, TISL will develop and build the essential skills of other prospective trainers including those currently engaged in the craft and other stakeholder groups in their respective localities.

On request, these trainers will be available for IJ training programmes conducted by TISL.

As part of the collaborative effort to promote investigative journalism in Sri Lanka, TISL together with FES has developed an investigative journalism resource book, a practitioner’s handbook and a trainer’s manual exclusively for local journalists.

These products, the first of its kind to be developed in Sri Lanka which will help to enhance professionalism among practitioners were introduced to the trainers during the ToT programme.

The participants agreed that the programme enhanced their training skills.

Welcoming the participants, Dr. Wijaya Jayathilaka, CEO of TISL said that TISL believes investigative journalism concepts should be shared with a wider cross section of people to encourage enhanced citizens’ engagement in the democracy discourse.

“Public spirited journalism can flourish only with strong civic engagement. While the investigative journalism practitioners play the role of message multipliers, it is the conscious citizens, the whistleblowers and activists through proactive sharing of information who enhance journalism that fosters inclusion and promotes democracy, equity and justice in a society,” he said.

Press complaints body to widen its scope, third party grievances to be considered

Daily Mirror   SATURDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2011 00:54

The Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) this week decided to consider third party complaints or complaints from those not directly, but indirectly affected by a publication in a newspaper.

The Board of Directors of the Commission - the self-regulatory mechanism representing the newspaper industry - made this announcement at the conclusion of the first National Conference on ‘Self-Regulation in the Media’ yesterday at the Sri Lanka Press Institute auditorium.

While the Rules and Procedures of the PCCSL permitted third party complaints on a ‘case by case’ basis, the Commission was reluctant to accept third party complaints fearing it would open ‘the flood gates’ and the Commission would be inundated with complaints against newspapers.

On a previous occasion former President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s press officer complained on her behalf and that of her children against a Sunday newspaper, and the PCCSL accepted the complaint.

The Board felt that the time was appropriate to widen the scope of the PCCSL and its Dispute Resolution Council headed by former Secretary General of Parliament and Ombudsman Sam Wijesinha to begin considering third party complaints on a case by case basis with the discretion of accepting their admissibility being with the PCCSL Secretariat and the Council. They felt that third party complaints can now be the rule than the exception provided they fell within a defined category.

In a news release issued yesterday, the PCCSL Secretariat announced that the Board had given as illustrations the following category under which third party complaints can be entertained in future. They are;

a) Environmental groups

b) Animal welfare groups
c) Adults on behalf of minors
d) An immediate family member of an accident victim
e) An immediate family member of a person in custody
f) Anyone complaining on behalf of another provided the prior written permission of the person personally affected is obtained.

Third party complaints are accepted in several countries that have an effective self-regulatory mechanism that polices the media, including countries such as Britain, Germany, several Scandinavian countries and Bosnia-Herzegovina
Sri Lanka’s PCCSL was established in 2003 and is the first self-regulatory body in South Asia. Since its establishment it has entertained over nine hundred complaints. In 2010 it entertained 131 complaints and for the first eight months of this year it has entertained 104 complaints.

The Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, the Sri Lanka Press Institute and the Sri Lanka College of Journalism are its main sponsors. It is also supported by all the other major media related associations which include the South Asian Free Media Association (Sri Lanka Chapter), the Muslim Media Forum, the Tamil Media Alliance and the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions.

Media limitations seriously damage country’s people: DRC Chairman

Daily Mirror OnLine: WEDNESDAY, 07 SEPTEMBER 2011 20:05

There should not be limitations on the media as it would result in grave damage to the people in a country, the Press Complaints Commission’s Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) Chairman Sam Wijeysinghe said today.

“The press being muscled in any country results in a lot of damage and we assure that freedom of the press prevails. Likewise the press has a duty to ensure the protection of the people as well,” Wijeysinghe said. These views were expressed at a national conference on self-regulation in the media.

Insurance Ombudsman Dr. Wickrema Weerasooriya who also addressed the event said since the 1970’s successive governments have interfered in the functions of the media. “This had resulted in the closing down of newspapers, killing of popular journalists, burning of news stations, intimidation of journalists, the white van syndrome, death threats and intimidation, censorship of news, restricting advertisements, and the emergency regulations which have been removed but not done technically and correctly,” Weerasooriya said.

He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa should intervene to ensure that a proper mechanism was set up to ensure the freedom of the press. He said Article 12 of the constitution assures freedom of publication but no freedom of press, stating that there should be stringent regulations to ensure access to information. “Right now we have Channel Four on our hands, Switzerland meetings on human rights allegations, and other problems. These should be addressed by giving due recognition to the media,” he said. He called on Sam Wijesinghe, to discuss the matters concerning the press with the President to ensure quality functioning of the press.

The conference will be webcast on www.ustream.tv/channel/pccsl. The two-day conference which began yesterday was organised by the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka. The conference was organised to promote policies on self-regulation, media ethics, the internet and social media, and resolving conflict between the media and the public. (Olindhi Jayasundere)

Golden Pen of Freedom Award open for nominations

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is inviting nominations for the 2012 Golden Pen of Freedom Award, the annual prize which honours an individual or group for outstanding action in the cause of press freedom. Hurry: the deadline for nominations is 16 September 2011.

Past laureates include Dawit Isaak, the Eritrean writer, poet and publisher currently jailed by Eritrean authorities; and Ahmad Zeid-Abadi, an Iranian journalist and political analyst who was imprisoned following Iran's disputed presidential election in June 2009.

Please send your nominations to Alison Meston at alison.meston@wan-ifra.org by 16 September 2011. Provide your name and contact details, plus the name of the nominee and a brief statement as to why you are nominating them.

For more information on the Golden Pen of Freedom, click here.

http://www.ifex.org/international/2011/09/07/golden_pen_of_freedom/

Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy

SAWM celebrates 2nd anniversary with discussion on Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy A discussion on ‘Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy’ organised and hosted by South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) Sri Lanka chapter, will be held at Hotel Renuka, Colombo 3 on Thursday, September 8. Guest of Honour, Seema Baloch, High Commissioner of Pakistan, will deliver a lecture on ‘Women in South Asia, Leaders unEqual’ and Guest Speaker, Prof. Savitri Goonesekera, former Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo, will speak on ‘Gender Justice, Governance and Women Media Professionals’.

 The discussion, being held to mark the 2nd anniversary of SAWM Sri Lank Chapter, will also have a presentation of a Study on Women in the Media in Sri Lanka by Imran Furkan, CEO Sri Lanka Press Institute.

SAWM, a network of women media professionals in South Asia is the first all-women media association in the region. An initiative of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA), SAWM was established in April 2009 and has its Central Secretariat in Lahore, Pakistan. Its objective include highlighting women's issues and perspectives; providing a platform where women media persons can identify and find solutions to their problems; and advocating increased participation of women in the media, equal wages, a gender sensitive environment, promotion of women related issues and a gender-equal outlook in the media.

 The association has country chapters in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAWM Sri Lanka chapter was officially launched in September 2009 and has as its members women journalists from the print and electronic media representing the private and state sectors and all ethnic groups. Sharmini Boyle, President SAWM SL chapter, is also the President of SAWM Regional Executive Body.

 SAWM SL, has since its launch organised a number of educative and informative programmes to help women journalists improve their professional skills. The discussion on ‘Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy’, scheduled to commence at 4.00p.m. and continue till 6.30p.m. will also include a presentation of SAWM SL activities.

K. Dun Gifford Journalism Award

2011 AWARD: CELEBRATING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Back in 1990, food enthusiast and advocate K. Dun Gifford started a nonprofit educational organization called Oldways to change the way people eat. He believed that positive and practical solutions, grounded in science, traditions and delicious foods and drinks, would help address the threatening tsunami of chronic diseases.

Gifford invited others intrigued by his vision – scientists, chefs, restaurateurs, cookbook authors, and journalists -- to join him at the Oldways Table to address this important challenge. By documenting and educating others about the healthy “old ways,” Oldways and its partners have made strides toward changing the way people eat.

As a tribute to our founder and visionary who died in May 2010, Oldways announces the K. Dun Gifford Journalism Award, an annual prize to recognize and honor the important role of communications in changing the way people eat.

While journalism has changed in the past two decades with media consolidations, entry into the digital age, the advent of blogs and more, its influence on educating people everywhere about the importance of seeking out the joys and pleasures of good food and drinks is stronger than ever.  

The Grand Prize Winner of the Award, selected by a jury including journalists Mimi Sheraton, Judith Weinraub and David Rosengarten, plus Dun’s daughter, Apple Gifford, and Oldways president Sara Baer-Sinnott, will receive a weeklong, all expense paid trip to a region of the world selected by Oldways and reflected in each year’s rotating subject focus.

The 2011 winner will visit the beautiful Mediterranean Region where he or she is free to explore the culture, food, and atmosphere of the location freely, with no expectations or assignments.

RULES: HOW YOU CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR THE K. DUN GIFFORD AWARD

Who is Eligible / How to Enter

• The competition is open to all reporters (print, online & broadcast), freelancers and bloggers.
• Each journalist may submit one (1) piece reflecting the designated subject (i.e., Mediterranean Diet in 2011). To be eligible for consideration, pieces must meet these criteria:
  • Must be well-written / well-produced.
  • Must have been published or aired during the period from January 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011.
  • Must be related to this year's selected subject matter. The inaugural 2011 K. Dun Gifford Journalism Award will celebrate the Mediterranean Diet. Each year our subject matter will rotate to cover a topic we feel passionately about: Mediterranean Diet, Asian Diet, Latino Foods, Whole Grains, Pasta, Cheese, etc.
  • Must reflect one or more of Oldways' founding principles: to be positive, practical, science-based, and tradition-based.
  • Must celebrate the pleasures of the table.

Submissions

• Entries shall be labeled with name of article/segment, journalist’s name, affiliation, phone, email address, and street address. Broadcast entires should be submitted via CD or email
• Send entries by mail or email to:
  • mail: K. Dun Gifford Journalism Award, c/o Oldways, 266 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02116
  • email: GiffordAward@oldwayspt.org
• All entries must be postmarked or emailed by October 1, 2011. 

Judging and Prizes

• Winner will be announced in December 2011.
• A judging jury including Mimi Sheraton, Judith Weinraub, Apple Gifford, David Rosengarten and Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways, will select the winning entry based on criteria above.  The judges’ decision is final.
• The Prize is a fully paid, week trip to a location reflected in that year’s subject and designated at the sole discretion of Oldways. For our inaugural 2011 contest focused on the Mediterranean Diet, the winner will receive a trip (including coach airfare, accommodations, local transportation and a daily stipend to cover meals) to the Mediterranean region.

Other Important Rules

• By submitting an entry, entrants affirm that they are the rightful author/creator of their piece and that they have not borrowed, stolen or otherwise used copyrighted or intellectual property from another.
• There is no transfer of prize.
• Prize must be redeemed within a one-year period, starting upon award notification.  Flight and accommodations to be arranged through Oldways.  Blackout dates may apply as designated by our partner airline/hotel.
• Prize is taxable to the recipient, and the recipient is responsible for all taxes.  Winner must provide his or her tax identification number to Oldways.  Oldways will be issuing a Form 1099-MISC.

These are the complete and official rules of the 2011 K. Dun Gifford Journalism Prize.

For more information, please contact Rachel Greenstein, rachel@oldwayspt.org, 617-896-4888.