NEW DELHI: Enthused by the overwhelming response, CNN today announced the third edition of the CNN Young Journalist Award (CNN YJA) in India, having added a new category of camera person and increasing the upper age limit for participation to 28 years.
Speaking on this year's awards that come with added attraction, Mallika Kapur, the London-based reporter and producer for CNN International, said, "With every year we are adding new dimension to the YJA and this year's additions are based on feedback from participant and editors."
Dwelling on the new category --- an award for the best camera person of year --- Kapur said camera person are "very critical" to every report."Keeping these things in mind,we decided to recognise a camera person's contribution too," she added.
The winner in this category will do a stint a at CNN's Hong Kong bureau.
According to Kapur, who hails from Kolkata and did a stint with The Statesman there, the changing media scene in India looks "very exciting," especially the regional media.
"The broadcast scenario despite being comparatively young in India is doing exceedingly well with various news channels doing some excellent work," she gushed.
A first-of-its-kind award in the sub-continent to recognise quality journalism among young media professionals, CNN YJA 2005 is open to all journalists between the ages of 22 and 28 years from electronic, online and print media in India and Pakistan. The last date for submission of entries is October 15, 2005.
The best and valid entry in the television and print/online category will each win the title ‘CNN Young Journalist of the Year’ and will further undergo an intense schedule at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta, designed to add value to their existing journalistic experience.
The winners will be given a thorough insight into the functioning of the world's leading news network through a one-week stint at CNN Centre giving the winners a detailed overview of how the network operates. They will also meet with CNN International's editors and anchors, and experience first-hand the workings of CNN's editorial and programming teams.
The second best and valid entry in television and print/online category will observe and assist at the CNN news bureau in New Delhi for winners from India or CNN news bureau in Islamabad for winners from Pakistan for up to seven days. The winner of the Camera person of the Year Category will also undergo a week’s training at CNN’s regional headquarters in Hong Kong. The winner will follow an intensive training schedule and work closely with CNN’s editorial team stationed in Hong Kong.
Entrants to the television category must submit a feature style television news package that has been produced and aired between 1 January and 30 September, 2005. Submission must relate to a general news story relevant to any part of India or Pakistan.
For the print/ online category entries must include three copies of the original article or photocopy of the news article written solely by the Entrant and published in an Indian publication or on an Indian website during the period 1 January and 30 September 2005.
Entrants to the Camera person of the Year category must submit a feature-style television news package that has been produced and aired between 1 January and 30 September, 2005. Submission must relate to a general news story relevant to any part of India or Pakistan and also be accompanied by a note of a maximum of 250 words, stating what circumstances the piece was shot under.
Entry forms can be obtained either by writing to Turner International India office in Delhi or by logging on to the CNN website, http://www.cnnasiapacific.com/yja. All entry forms must be accompanied by proof of age and experience.
The CNN Young Journalist Award 2004 was awarded to Rahul Agarwal, Zee News in the TV category and Vikas Dhoot, Businessworld in the print/online category. Aman Khanna previously with Tehelka – The People’s Newspaper in the print/online category and Wajid Ali Syed previously with Geo Television, Pakistan in the Television category were felicitated with the runners up award. The awards were presented by CNN International managing editor Paul Cutler at a special award ceremony held in Mumbai in December 2004.
Like the preceding editions, CNN YJA 2005 would be adjudged by a panel comprising distinguished television and print journalists. The 2004 jury comprised Doordarshan DDG K. Kunhikrishnan, School of Convergence director Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) New Delhi director Prof B P Sanjay, columnist Sucheta Dalal, columnist Dr Muhammad Saffiq Jullandhry, Pakistan Advertising Institute former director Nisar Ahmad Zuberi and CNN’s New Delhi bureau chief and senior international correspondent Satinder Bindra.
