Judges' Report on MWAG Media Awards 2006

JUDGES’ REPORT MEDIA WORKERS ASSOCIATION OF GRENADA ANNUAL AWARDS 2006

The judges wish to recognise the efforts of the Grenadian media fraternity, the Media Workers Association of Grenada, and particularly all those who submitted entries for the several awards. The volume of entries indicated significantly great enthusiasm among the country’s media workers, as much as it did, perhaps, an appetite for some professional recognition that has been missing for many years. It is in this regard, however, that the judges would like to make a recommendation to the Media Workers Association, and to media workers. It is a request for a form of quality control. There were in some categories up to eight entries for the same category from the same media house. In one case, one journalist submitted six entries in the same category. The judges felt it necessary to advise media workers that in future efforts, they should be selective in their entries. Quality, not quantity, is what the judges are looking for. Consequently, the judges suggest that media houses and individuals should exercise their own quality control and submit their best work for consideration. The judges found also that there was confusion about a distinction between news and commentary. Most entrants in the news and features categories appeared not to recognise the difference. There also appeared to be difficulty in recognising the essential differences between the news feature and a long news story – both in structure and content. Submissions in the features category are expected to give broader treatment to a news story or subject of interest. This should include some background, analysis, and context or consideration of implications of the subject matter and of the current approaches related to the issue. The judges were disappointed also that many of the entries for the news story categories were limited to routine coverage of press conferences, speeches and statements, road accidents or based on interviews. These did not give any indication of the ability of the journalist to provide context that would have given added news value to the listener, viewer and reader. The judges did not make awards in all categories. Although some of these categories were enthusiastically supported by the volume of entries, the judges concluded that the criterion of quality was not met, and refrained from making an award. However, this is not to be taken negatively by Grenadian media workers. The judges hope that, rather than supporting entries that did not meet basic criteria, the absence of awards in some categories will lead Grenadian media workers to improve the quality of their entries next year. Again, the judges would like to congratulate the Media Workers Association and all workers in the Grenadian media for this sterling effort that inevitably will lift the quality of the profession in the country.

Photo caption: Wesley Gibbings presenting the judges' report, courtesy GrenadianConnection