P24 announces EU Award for Investigative Journalism

Punto24 will administer for the second year running, the European Union award for investigative journalism in Turkey. Total prize money for the three winners will be € 10,000.
 
Jury members will reserve one of the prizes to recognize the work of journalists under the age of 35.
 
“This is designed to encourage younger journalists, many of whom have witnessed systematic sacking of journalists under political pressures,” according to Yavuz Baydar who is coordinating the award on behalf of P24.
 
“Once upon a time young people saw journalism as a dream profession. We are trying to restore that hope.”
 
The award is the brainchild of the South East European Network for the Professionalization of Media of which P24 is a member.  It is promoted and sponsored by the European Union Commission.
 
In all, seven countries participate in the scheme that is coordinated by the Peace Institute based in Ljubljana.
 
The award is intended to arrest the decline of media standards in a region all too accustomed to tacit censorship. “Governments and proprietors often collude in trying to prevent reporters from scrutinizing corruption and abuses of power and corruption. This EU award is a tonic for an ailing professional. It keeps alive hopes for a democratic order, based on accountability and transparency,' Baydar said.
 
The prize is open to print, broadcast and online media and to work that first appeared during the 2015 calendar year.  The deadline for the entries is 15 April, 2016. Journalists are encouraged to submit their own work. Those nominating the work of others can do so with  the responsible journalists’ consent.
 
“Emphasis will be given to stories that deepened understanding of social issues and promoted the public interest,” according to the contest rubric. The five jury members are instructed to pay attention to the quality of research and wealth of sources underpinning the news.
 
Last year’s top prize was given to Fatih Yağmur of the now defunct Radikal newspaper for his exposé of guns and munitions running to Syria by Turkish national intelligence.
 
''This award gains value every time it is made,” said P24’s Baydar.
 
Information about and entry forms for about European Union award for investigative journalism in Turkey can be obtained from (https://platform24.org/projeler/1411/ab-arastirmaci-gazetecilik-odulu-icin-basvuru-cagrisi ) or by writing to [email protected]
 
 
The award rubric is below.
 
Call for submissions:
 
The EU Award for Investigative Journalism in Turkey
 
A total of EUR 10,000 prize money will go to the best pieces of investigative journalism published or broadcast in print, radio, television or any online medium in Turkey during the year 2015.
 
 
The Istanbul-based independent journalism platform, P24, announces the call for entries to this year’s EU Award for Investigative Journalism.
 
Emphasis will be given to stories that deepened understanding of social issues, promoted the public interest and, had it not been for this particular journalistic initiative, might not otherwise have seen the light of day. The quality of research underpinning the submission will be an element of particular importance in the jury's evaluation; this encompasses the wealth of sources and documents underpinning the investigation's conclusions.
 
Any printed, electronic or televised news item is eligible provided it was published or first screened between 1 January and 31 December 2015.  
 
Winning entries may expose an abuse of power, warn of a specific (for example, environmental) danger or reveal instances of corruption and/or organized crime with the involvement of the public sector that significantly impacted on public budgets and public trust.
 
 
The third prize will specifically acknowledge the work of a young journalist (born after 31 December 1979). 
 
P24 is the regional partner administering the award scheme for Turkey. Similar awards are offered in other Western Balkan countries.  We are pleased to acknowledge the generous support of the European Union Commission that has made this award scheme possible. We are also grateful for the assistance of our partner, the Peace Institute based in Ljubljana.
 
Anyone can make a nomination with the consent of the responsible journalist(s) and you are encouraged to nominate your own work.

– All investigative stories are eligible that have been published or broadcast in any Turkey-based media– including print, radio, TV, online or a combination thereof.
– Journalists individually or as part of a team can be nominated for the award.
– The prizes will be offered in 2016, from the total prize money of EUR 10,000.
– Up to three best entries will be awarded.
– The individual prizes range between EUR 3,000 – 5,000.
-Parallel awards will be made in all seven participating countries.  

The full instructions for submission of entries/nominations, and entry forms are available on the following internet site:
www.platform24.org
 
The deadline for submission of entries is 15 April  2016, midnight.
 
For more information contact:
[email protected]
 
 
 

Tags: award, eu, punto24