AIB launches search for outstanding coverage of media freedom
New award category for the best media freedom coverage added to the AIBs
The Association for International Broadcasting has launched a new award category for its 17th annual competition for journalism and factual productions, the AIBs. The AIB Media Freedom Award complements the Association’s media freedom initiatives that supports its members around the world.
The ground-breaking award will recognise the TV or radio broadcaster or digital media house that has actively covered, promoted and protected media freedom. The prize may go to the organisation that has developed a special strand of programming around media freedom, or it could be awarded to a company that has stood up to attacks against it through intimidation of staff or by means of illegal “judicial dragnets”, for example.
“This Media Freedom Award is an important development in the work of the Association for International Broadcasting in this vital subject,” says Tom Wragg who represents the AIB on the consultative network to the inter-governmental Media Freedom Coalition. “The AIB is committed to helping its members, as well as all journalists at risk, raise awareness of issues around media freedom. The AIB supports them in engaging audiences and helping them to understand the vital need for media freedom in all parts of the world. This award will celebrate the organisation that’s making a substantial mark in this area and encouraging others to add to their coverage of media freedom issues.”
The constant and growing number of attacks on news organisations that seek to hold power to account are designed to have a chilling effect on journalism. This new award provides a focus on those telling stories about upholding media freedom across the world.
The AIB Media Freedom Award is one of 21 categories in the AIBs 2021 that reward journalism and factual productions across TV, radio and digital platforms. The AIBs are open to work in any language and produced anywhere in the world. The judging panel is made up of experts from across the media industry worldwide, from Oceania, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
Past winners of the AIBs include ABS-CBN, CNN, Al Jazeera, RTHK, BBC World Service, VoA, RFA, RFE/RL, ABC, DW, STV, CBC, Mediacorp, eTV and many other broadcasters and production companies. Full information about the AIBs 2021 is online at www.theaibs.tv. The winners of all the AIBs 2021 will be announced in November.