USP Journalism Student Awards recognise excellence in journalism

MASI President Charles Kadamana flanked by USP Journalism co-ordinator Dr Shailendra Singh (fifth from left) with Wansolwara supervising editor-in-chief Geraldine Panapasa, teaching assistant Eliki Drugunalevu and final-year journalism student Mitieli Baleiwai (right) at Laucala campus yesterday. Picture: JOELI BILI

By MITIELI BALEIWAI

Distinguished media academic, Professor David Robie, and two prominent USP Journalism alumni, will be the chief guests at the USP Journalism Student Awards at Laucala campus tomorrow.

Organized by The University of the South Pacific Journalism Programme, the event in its 18^th-year is the longest running journalism awards in the region. It is the only awards for journalism in Fiji at the moment.

Keynote speaker Robie has 40 years of international journalism experience and is a noted researcher in Pacific media.

The event is supported by the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education and the School of Language, Arts & Media and will see 13 awards and a total of $6000 in cash prizes given out for excellence in journalism and academic performance.

The Co-ordinator of the USP Journalism programme, Dr Shailendra Singh, said the prestigious event recognizes and rewards students who excel in their coursework, which includes producing news for print, online and broadcast media.

Dr Singh said it was critical to provide students incentives to motivate them to strive for excellence.

“The students need affirmation and recognition for their efforts. That’ why the awards are very popular and that’s why we go through the trouble of organising these awards every year,” said Dr Singh.

This year, 13 categories have been sponsored by the Journalism Programme’s media partners, including the Fiji Sun, which publishes the student training newspaper, Wansolwara, and distributes it nation-wide.

Other sponsors include Fiji Times Limited, Fiji Television Limited, Mai TV, FijiLive, Communications Fiji Limited, Islands Business, Pacific Islands News Association as well as international non-profit organization Internews and Earth Journalism Network.

The other special guests are USP Journalism alumni Rosi Doviverata, currently Fiji Sun’s digital managing editor, and Media Association of the Solomon Islands president Charles Kadamana, who arrived for the ceremony from Honiara yesterday.

Said Kadamana: “The awards are important for recognising the hard work and achievements of students who are serious about taking up a career in journalism. As a USP journalism alumni, I feel honoured and proud to be part of this important event and to witness the passion these students have for journalism. It is very encouraging and as president of MASI, I wish to congratulate those who will be receiving awards on Friday. We hope more young Pacific Islanders will pursue further opportunities in journalism.”

The awards event is an important occasion, given USP’s critical role in nurturing future journalists to meet the needs of the region.

The 13 categories are

• FijiLive Most Promising First Year Student Award
• FijiLive Best Online Reporting Award
• Communications Fiji Limited Best Radio Student Award
• Fiji Television Limited Best Television Student Award
• The Fiji Times Best News Reporting Award
• The Fiji Times Best Sports Reporting Award
• Islands Business Award for Best Feature Reporting
• Mai TV Award for Best Editor
• Internews/Earth Journalism Network Awards for Best Mojo Documentary (Individual and Group)
• Pacific Islands News Association Encouragement Award
• The Fiji Times Storyboard Award for Best Regional Reporting
• Fiji Sun Tanoa Award for the Most Outstanding Journalism Student.

* Mitieli Baleiwai is a final-year journalism student at The University of the South Pacific in Suva.