Entries invited for 20th annual Media Awards

Amnesty International is inviting entries for its 20th annual Media Awards, which recognise excellence in journalism that has made a significant contribution to the UK public’s greater awareness and understanding of human rights issues.  

This year’s awards have a closing date of Tuesday 1 March, with a reduced entry fee for any received by 15 January. The list of categories comprises:

- Digital

- Documentary and docudrama

- Gaby Rado Memorial Award: for an up-and-coming journalist who has been covering human rights stories for less than five years

- International TV and Radio

- National Newspapers

- Nations & Regions: print, broadcast or online media in Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the English regions

- Magazines (formerly Periodicals), two awards - Newspaper Supplements and Consumer Magazines

- Photojournalism

- Radio

- Television news

To help encourage a wide range of entries a sponsorship fund will support a limited number of entries from freelance journalists and filmmakers as well as small digital and broadcast outlets. Those interested should contact Amnesty for more information.

The winners of the Media Awards will be announced at a ceremony at London’s BFI on Thursday 24 May. The winners in 2010 were:

DIGITAL MEDIA

Chinese Petitioners, Financial Times - Jamil Anderlini, Edward Cheng

GABY RADO MEMORIAL AWARD

Jamal Osman, Channel 4 News

INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION & RADIO

People and Power: Ingushetia - A Second Chechnya?, Al Jazeera - Antony Butts, Dom Rotheroe, Mike Chamberlain

NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS

The Dark Side of Dubai, The Independent - Johann Hari

NATIONS & REGIONS

Discrimination: Migrant Workers Rental Block, BBC Look North - Guy Lynn, Mark Hayman, David Weller

PERIODICALS - CONSUMER MAGAZINES

Congo: The Horror, GQ - Ed Caesar, Susan Schulman

PERIODICALS - NEWSPAPER SUPPLEMENTS

The Return of the Bloody Diamonds, Live Magazine - Dan McDougall, Robin Hammond

PHOTOJOURNALISM

Toxic Jeans, Sunday Times - Robin Hammond

RADIO

Zimbabwe: What Mugabe Didn't Tell Us, BBC Radio 4 - Today Programme - Mike Thomson, Edward Prendeville, Ceri Thomas

TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY & DOCUDRAMA

Burma VJ, More 4 / Magic Hour Films (JOINT WINNER) - Lise-Lense Moller, Anders Ostergaard

Dispatches: Afghanistan's Dirty War, Channel 4 / October Films (JOINT WINNER) - Tom Roberts, Peter Lindley, Najibullah Razaq

TELEVISION NEWS

The End of Sri Lanka's War, Channel 4 News / ITN - Jonathan Miller, Nick Paton Walsh, Nevine Mabro, Bessie Du, Matt Jasper, Ben de Pear

Entries for this year’s awards must have been published or broadcast for the first time in the UK between 1 March 2010 and 28 February 2011.

For further information about criteria and eligibility, guidelines and entry forms, visit www.amnesty.org.uk/awards, email [email protected], or telephone 020 7033 1553. All entries must be submitted online.

For the Nations & Regions Award, these national contacts are available to answer queries:

Scotland: John Watson, 0131 313 7014, [email protected]

Northern Ireland: Grainne Teggart, 028 9064 3000, [email protected]

Wales: Cathy Owens, 029 2078 6415, [email protected]

England: Isabella D’Emilio, 020 7033 1543, [email protected]

For more media information: Mike Blakemore, 020 7033 1546, [email protected] or Neil Durkin, 020 7033 1547, [email protected]; out of hours: 07721 398984, www.amnesty.org.uk