Deadline extended for submission of entries for the MDDA-Sanlam Local Media Awards

30 January 2014

Sanlam and the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), co-sponsors and organisers of the MDDA-Sanlam Local Media Awards, have extended the deadline for submission of entries for the 2013 community journalism competition. The new deadline for entries is now Friday, 14 February 2014.

The call for entries for the Awards was issued in early December although the competition is open for work published or broadcast from 1 January to 31 December 2013.

The Chief Executive Officer of MDDA, Mr Lumko Mtimde says a substantial number of entries have already been received. The deadline has been extended to ensure that there is sufficient time for all prospective entrants to submit their work.

“This is one of the largest media awards in the country because of the community media footprint in South Africa and we want to ensure that media from the remotest parts of the country are able to participate,” says Mtimde.

“We have also introduced quite a substantial number of categories based on recommendations from our judging panel and we want to ensure that participants have the opportunity to respond appropriately to those new categories.”

The 2012 Awards presented in May last year attracted over 500 entries from across the community media sector.

Says Sanlam Group Head of Communications, Mr Ainsley Moos: “We encourage participants to use this opportunity to ensure that they do not miss out on being part of the Awards that offer recognition exclusively to community media.”

The Awards are held in partnership with the Print and Digital Media South Africa (PDMSA); Association of Independent Publishers (AIP); Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ); National Association of Broadcasters (NAB); National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) and the Association of Christian Media.

Entry forms are available from www.sanlam.co.za and www.mdda.org.za as well as from websites of the Awards partners – www.pdmsa.org.za; www.aip.org.za; www.fcj.org.za; www.nab.org.za; www.ncrf.org.za; and www.acb.org.za.

Issued by the MDDA and Sanlam Group Communications

For further information please contact: 
Nkopane Maphiri, MDDA Program Director at 083 644 9342, www.mdda.org.za
Pearl Majola, Sanlam at 083 286 7476 pearl.majola@sanlam.co.za