Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) Media Awards

The media awards are intended to stimulate interest among the media in covering international ICT policy issues and create awareness about CIPESA and its role in international ICT policy processes.

The awards
The following awards will be given to the best three winners.
First prize: Laptop computer (Inspiron 1200)
Second prize: Cam coder (JVC series)
Third prize: Digital camera (Sony)

The winners will also receive certificates of merit for their achievement. Seven other outstanding journalists will also be recognized and awarded a hand held computers each.

Eligibility
The competition is open to both full-time and freelance journalists interested in writing news, opinions, commentaries and analyses on international ICT policy issues in the print media. Articles to be submitted for this competition must either be published in any newspaper, magazine or newsletter. The competition is also open to entries, which have not been published. Although journalists in the electronic media are encouraged to write on international ICT policy issues, this year's competition is only open to entries that are published in print.

The International ICT policy issues
Journalists intending to participate in this year's awards competition are encouraged to focus on the major international ICT policy issues under CIPESA's work plan for this quarter. These include;

(i) ICT indicators
(ii) E-readiness and MDGs
(iii) ICT financing
(iv) The WSIS process
(v) E-waste and the implications for Africa
(vi) Interconnection costs for telecommunications and Internet
(vii) Intellectual Property Rights
(viii) Trade agreements and ICT in the context of the World Trade Organization

Period of competition
This year's competition will run between September 1 and December 31, 2005.

Mode of submission
All journalists interested in entering the competition must send their entries to: media@cipesa.org. The submission can be made either by directly sending the article or providing the link (URL) to the newspaper/magazine/newsletter where it has been published.

Competition judges
A highly distinguished panel of judges comprising experts in the media and ICT researchers and policy analysts will review all submissions and select the winning entries. Entries outside the award-winning categories but considered relevant to international ICT policy-making processes will be published in a special CIPESA bulletin for this quarter.

Award ceremony
This year's award ceremony will be held in Kampala, Uganda at a date to be determined early next year. The overall winner will be flown into the country for the function to be attended by CIPESA partners and stakeholders in Uganda.