 |
|
Guidelines for judging
- 1. Sections
The competition is contested in the sections described below. Awards will be made to the section winners, the best newcomer (first entry, less than three years’ experience) and the Financial Journalist of the Year. If the number of broadcast media entries warrants it, more than one award will be considered for this section.
The adjudicators may decide to transfer an entry to another section if, in their opinion, the content of the entry warrants such transfer.
- Economy and Industry (Daily newspapers and online news services)
- Economy and Industry (Magazines and weekly newspapers)
These sections will cover in-depth analyses of, relevant comments on and exclusive reporting (scoops) on the economy and industry in the broadest sense, including news and analyses needed to examine the shift in thinking and approach to economics in developing countries, the position of the private sector and the approach and role of the State, and the impact on South Africa.
- Markets and Companies (Daily newspapers and online news services)
- Markets and Companies (Magazines and weekly newspapers)
These sections would cover thorough and incisive analyses of and exclusive reporting (scoops) on the prospects of and developments in markets and companies, in their broadest sense, which could influence the merits and potential of the various investment mediums and facilitate informed investment decisions.
- Personal finance (Financial media)
- Personal finance (Non-financial media)
In these sections, the emphasis is on the manner in which reports succeed in interpreting involved concepts, economic and financial policy, and explaining the implications for the "average" person in a balanced and informative way. Typical articles are aimed at elucidation, guidance/advice and broadening readers' knowledge of and insight into the economy, the financial markets and the broad business and investment world.
- Audiovisual (including syndication and digital media)
In this section integrating expert comment and discussion, background research and balanced interpretation to broaden the insight of the listener/ viewer is of the essence. This will include explanations, interpretations, analyses and discussions of developments in the economic, financial and business sectors and personal finance which were broadcast on radio and television, or distributed by means of podcasting or RSS feeds, and in which the journalist/presenter/producer him/herself has made a significant contribution to the programme in terms of conceptualisation, insight, research, text or script.
- 2. Judging
Evaluate the content of the reports as objectively as possible on the basis of the assessment sheet provided for each section. Please note that the points allocation for the various criteria varies from section to section. Certain aspects carry more weight in some sections than in others. Weights also differ from print to broadcast media.
Try to bear the following in mind:
- the unique limitations, requirements and target groups of the various media and their techniques;
- the differences in the way news and facts are handled; and
- the time available for research and preparation.
- 3. Criteria
The criteria to be used are:
- Insight, analytical ability/ability to instruct and interpretation
Because the emphasis in most sections of the competition is more on in-depth analysis and comment vis-à-vis straight reporting,
- insight and the ability to analyse and taking a view; and/or
- the journalists' ability to instruct are most important requirements. (In the sections for daily newspapers and internet news services, however, these criteria carry less weight)
It is important ultimately to evaluate entries against the extent to which a conclusion is reached. The entry must also be "satisfying" with regard to the technical requirements, i.e. stating the problem, analysing the matter and reaching a conclusion. If one of the areas is neglected, chances are that the entire entry will fail.
The journalist who knows his/her subject and does thorough research, is able to take up a point of view. Stating a point of view is of the utmost importance in order for a report or investigation to succeed. Whether the point of view is generally accepted or not, is not important. It still counts. If it appears later that the point of view was timeous and led to some action or the other, premium points must be awarded.
Except in the sections for dailies and the internet, entries that concentrate only on reporting can, at best, prove only one thing - the journalist's ability to present the most important facts - and may in fact be ignored.
Naturally these criteria are very important, in particular in the sections for dailies and the internet.
However, in the personal finance and broadcast media sections the contribution to economic literacy and therefore the education factor also has its unique importance. Allowance should be made for differences in the profile of readers/listeners/viewers (“average” person = “average” reader/ listener/viewer).
The level of actuality will also be determined by the importance of the subject. An issue may, for example, have great actuality value and be very important, but sacrifice newsworthiness.
Here one could mention, for example, reports dealing with safety in the workplace and productivity. Such issues are vitally important to the economy, but rather "dead" when it comes to newsworthiness. Because news editors are usually focused on the maximum number of readers, viewers or listeners, they tend to place "uninteresting" subjects like productivity and occupational safety lower on their list of priorities. It is important for the judge not to act in this way too, and to try to judge such entries on merit.
- Correctness and reliability
Any journalist (and especially any candidate for the Sanlam Awards) is expected to provide reliable information. This section therefore carries little weight. But the way in which background information and news sources are used to reach conclusions or do analyses, is also evaluated here.
- Writing style/appropriateness/impact of presentation
These criteria are important in determining whether a report succeeds. However, particularly in entries in the print/internet media, it is very difficult to determine how much the original report was edited. These criteria therefore do not usually carry much weight, although in the case of broadcast media it may be easier to judge personal presentation and style, especially if the entrant is also the presenter.
- Differentiation between facts and comment
This is crucial, but sometimes difficult to ascertain. It is sometimes neatly and clearly indicated that the entrant used sources, while the writer or presenter also makes it easy to ascertain his/her point of view or interpretation.
Sometimes there are grey areas where it becomes extremely difficult to determine whether it is the writer's or presenter's own view or that of someone else. The writer or presenter may also attribute his/her own statements to some other, nameless source.
It may be very difficult to pick up these "habits". The golden rule for the judge is to attach more value to such a suspicion if it is picked up in more than one report in the same entry.
Where it proves to be too difficult to distinguish the entrant's own opinion from that of external sources, the entry should be penalised. So, if a report that deals with the collapse of Communism, for example, fails to provide even one reference to the source of the information, such a report must be penalised.
- 4. Evaluation entries from broadcast media
Like in all other reports and articles, the content component of broadcast reports must be evaluated according to the main criteria. Besides that, however, particular attention should be given to the following when these entries are evaluated:
- 4.1 The extent to which the electronic journalist is "audibly and visibly" up to date on the facts of the particular subject or events. Reporting can be correct, reliable and authoritative only if he/she has full access to all relevant facts and background, and is able to present these in a pithy and understandable way (in accordance with the demands of his/her medium).
- 4.2 His/her insight, analytical ability and versatility should be reflected in the impact of the presentation. Is a noticeable and audible distinction made between fact and comment? This applies particularly in cases where the microphone and camera are the primary reporting instruments.
- 4.3 The presentation style, since the immediacy and intimate nature of the electronic media requires an ongoing "presence". The personality of the presenter, his/her appearance as well as his/her ability to edit and improvise continuously, form an integral part of the reporting (far more than in the case of the printed media). In fact, these determine the impact of the report, particularly in the case of eye-witness reports and interviews.
- 4.4 The particular demands of broadcast media, which make the messenger or reporter part of the report. Presentations must therefore also be evaluated according to the following:
- The ability to tell a "story" in the sense that the ear - or the ear and the eye - has to be told a story. Reports should therefore be in spoken form and everyday language. The electronic journalist talks to people with him/her and is not addressing a mass audience. The story-teller must have an eye and ear for the important fact, but must also note the finer, supplementary details and convey them expertly and authoritatively. If applicable, the journalist must have the editorial ability to combine images in his/her presentation authoritatively and relevantly.
- His/her preparedness and discussion strategies when conducting an interview in the field or in the studio. He/she must get to know the interviewee beforehand, or must have the ability to assess the person quickly. The journalist must be a good listener and observer. His/her questions must be clear, pithy, to the point, stimulating and fair. He/she must be quick on the uptake for follow-up questions to keep the discussion going.
- Accuracy of reporting, which is of the utmost importance in broadcast journalism. Because broadcast media have rapidly-changing audiences, corrections or repetitions are less effective here than in the case of the printed media. This applies not only to news facts, but also to names, initials and titles; words must have their colloquial meanings and statements, etc. must be kept in their correct context, particularly if they are or could be controversial.
- The pronunciation of words, place names and, most importantly, people's names, is important because it reflects the ability and authority of the presenter/reporter.
- The way in which figures and statistics are used in reporting. Because broadcast media audiences cannot go back and read the report again, figures and statistics must be limited to the most essential - yet meaningful - minimum, and must be clearly, meaningfully and correctly presented.
- The handling of controversial, sensitive and private detail, since the multimedia media are guests in every household, where young and old are reached at the same time. The journalist must give close consideration to the acceptance and tolerance levels of a diverse audience.
- The fact that broadcast reporting (particularly visual reporting) is usually a team effort, and that there should be evaluation of the contribution made to the presentation by the editing table and the camera. The journalist's news sense, initiative, resourcefulness, background knowledge and reporting skill (also in respect of this assistance) will determine the merit of his/her presentation.
Content within this section:
|
