DAME AWARDS
Media Development
DAME HOLDS 30TH EDITION, December 19
Trustees of DAME have fixed the 30th presentation for Sunday, 19th December at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
Winners in different categories will be conferred with honours which comprise of cash reward, a work tool, plaque, and certificate for individuals. For institutions, there is no cash reward. The presentation is the culmination of an elaborate process of calling for entries, sorting and collating them at the secretariat before allocating to different committees of judges to screen and shortlist for final assessment.
DAME works with partners from various sectors of society: international NGOs, professional associations, individuals, public and private organisations deemed sufficiently committed to a free, strong and responsible media.
To date, 560 prizes have been awarded in 29 outings. The rank will be swollen from awards given out of the 24 advertised.
DAME AT 30: SALUTE TO TENACITY
After hosting 29 successive editions of its annual presentation, the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) qualifies to be described as Africa’s longest-running media awards programme. 560 awards later in diverse fields of media work, DAME is a long-distance runner that has discharged its mandate creditably.
That mandate is to give the media a platform to honour and encourage her to put the best foot forward always as an important partner in nation-building. From the perception of journalists as an angry lot ready to muddy reputations as the phenomenon of junk journalism threatened in the late 80s and early 90s, the example of DAME shows that the media can be encouraged to tread the path of professionalism and honour.
Year after year, DAME has come to occupy an important chapter in the media calendar as a platform where professionalism is enthroned above politics and honour is not for sale. A controlled number averaging 19 awards is given annually to underscore DAME’s commitment to quality and not quantity.
DAME winners have witnessed an upsurge in their professional fortunes since being bestowed with honour. From the tribesmen of serial winners of the Informed commentary prize such as Azu Ishiekwene, Reuben Abati, and Sam Omatseye to winners in multiple beats such as Ronke Olawale, Olatunji Ololade, Joseph Jibueze, and Eric Dumo, DAME continues to offer professional validation for those willing to subject themselves to its magisterial scrutiny.
The Nigerian media and indeed the nation remain the winners. We must continue to appreciate DAME for the faith imbued in the Nigeria project through its consistently transparent services for 30 years.
In line with its mandate to enhance professionalism in the media, DAME is active on the training circuit. In June and August 2014, she held two workshops in Akure, Ondo State and Ibadan, Oyo State respectively on Election Reporting for participants drawn from the Southwest. 58 journalists were trained at the two workshops.The workshop was designed to expose political correspondents to how the media, by employing best professional approaches to election reporting, could add value to electioneering in Nigeria. The Nigerian Press Council funded the training whilst DAME provided the expertise.
Widening the Pools of Excellence
On April 1, 2014 and May 2015, DAME also organized one-day workshops, themed, Widening The Pools Of Excellence, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Lagos. The workshops addressed the poor state of news reporting in the country, evidenced in the underreporting and misreporting of some categories in the annual DAME awards. The exercise as presented in 3 sessions sought to build journalistic capacity in Improving Research, Instilling Journalistic Values and Deepening News Judgment.
68 journalists from various media organizations across the country attended the first edition whilst 44 participated in the second. Media partners such as Hon. Nduka Irabor, who sponsors the Alex Ibru Lifetime Achievement Award under DAME, Sovereign Trust Insurance Limited, Punch Nigeria Limited, and Vintage Press Limited amongst others provided support.
Conflict-sensitive Communication and Reporting Training
Beginning from November 2014, DAME has been active in various centres equipping Nigerian journalists and spokespersons of security institutions with conflict sensitivity skills to manage better the communication aspect of the war against insurgency in the country. DAME’s partners include: the Nigeria Stabilisation and Reconciliation Programme and the Office of National Security Adviser. Whilst funding has come from NSRP, ONSA provides technical support.
Starting from Abuja in November, the training has held in Kano (December 2014), Jos (January 2015), Port Harcourt (March 2015) and Gombe (July 2015). 160 participants have been trained. The twin aim of bridging the gap of mistrust between both professional groups and honing their skills to communicate better has been achieved. What remains is to expose the bosses—the media leaders and heads of the security institutions—to similar sensitization so as to consolidate on the gains of the training.
Modules taught range from Understanding the Root Causes of Conflicts, to Information management by spokespersons, Media reporting of conflicts, Gender sensitivity in reporting, Analysis of lessons from conflicts in Africa, Understanding Stress and Trauma, Fostering partnership between spokespersons and the media.
e-Book Download in PDF
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PAST DAME WINNERS
