Graphic dominates GJA awards

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) has once again maintained its dominance on the Ghanaian media landscape as seven journalists from the stable are to be honoured at the 2012 Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards on Saturday.

At a ceremony to release the names of the GJA award winners, Edmund Kofi Yeboah, Seth J. Bokpe, Emmanuel Quaye, all of the Daily Graphic; Charles Benoni Okine, Maxwell Adombilla Akalaare, both of Graphic Business; and The Mirror’s Rebecca Kwei and William Asiedu were named among the 26 other journalists to be awarded at the 18th GJA Awards slated for November 2, 2013 at the State Banquet Hall in Accra.

Ghana’s state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, also had a strong showing in the awards as Kakraba Conrad, Fanny Nana Ampong and Isabella Owusu Oppong, all of GTV; Kingsley Obeng Kyere, Rosemary Gaisie and Rebecca Awuah, all of Radio Ghana, were named as part of journalists to be awarded.

Ms Gifty Andoh Appiah, Mr Kwaku Owusu Peprah, Mr Richard Kwadwo Nyarko and last year’s Journalist of the Year, Manasseh Azure Awuni, all from the Multi Media Group Limited, have also been shortlisted to be awarded.

The rest are Gloria Ofori and Efua Acquah Harrison, both of TV3; Kwetey Mantey, TV Africa; and Jemila Akweley Okerchiri, Daily Guide.

Among the media institutions to receive recognition are Radio Peace, Obonu FM, and Radio XYZ.

Entries

Four hundred entries were received for 35 award categories, out of which 26 categories would be awarded.

There were no winners for seven categories namely, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu Award for Business and Finance, Crime and Court, Online Journalism, Communication Reporting, Best Newspaper Lay Out, Best Radio/TV Programme in Nzema and Best Cartoonist respectively because none of the entries met the benchmarks for the awards.

There were no entries for Parliamentary Reporting, Best Radio/TV Programme in Ewe, Dagbani and Hausa respectively.

Announcing the results, a member of the awards committee, Mr Francis Sasu, a veteran broadcaster, noted with concern a general lack of interest among journalists in the competition.

“This has led to a particular group of people or media houses consistently winning the awards in the last three years,” he noted.

He explained that the applicants were assessed on their ability to demonstrate high levels of accuracy, balance, relevance and language in their writing, as well as the social impact of the story and the journalist’s initiative in developing the story beyond the assignment.

By Mary Mensah/Daily Graphic/Ghana