KAROO NEWS - The AVBOB FCJ (Forum of Community Journalism) hosted the Avbob FCJ Excellency Awards on Friday 2 August at the Sandton Hotel in Johannesburg, where Group Editors, the publisher of Graaff-Reinet Advertiser and its 5 sister publications, excelled.
The hotel was buzzing with community journalists as they arrived from across the country. Graaff-Reinet Advertiser correspondent, Neco Bokwe joined the FCJs as a judge.
For the first time the competition opened and encouraged vernacular African language entries. It was a great opportunity to meet journalists from other areas and experience new ideas and ways to approach community journalism.
"We also attended a national training seminar about community journalism with Mondli Makhanya, editor-in chief of City Press, who applauded and appreciated the role community journalism plays in society," Bokwe said.
The awards are to celebrate the brilliance of South Africa's community journalists and their indispensable contributions to society. Categories included best photographer, best digital journalist, best hard news journalist, best paper, best front page, best back page, best sport writer and best all round journalist, among many more categories.
Master of ceremonies was SABC journalist Chriselda Lewis.
In the Group Editors stable senior journalist Michelle Pienaar of George Herald (Graaff-Reinet Advertiser's sister publication), won the coveted award as best digital reporter, also scooping third place in the category Journalist of the Year and third place for her hard news reporting. She was also in the top 10 as a finalist in the human interest category. The George Herald also won the best back page award.
Another sister publication, South Cape Forum was named the third best paid paper in the country, while its editor, Hugo Redelinghuys was awarded the title as best sport writer in the country. Redelinghuys was also a finalist in the top 10 in the human interest and sport photography categories.
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