Accra, April 20, GNA - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Monday called for entries for its 14th media awards competition scheduled for August 15, 2009.

Entries for the competition are open to members working in the Ghanaian media and should cover works from January 1 to December 31, 2008. A statement signed by Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the Association, said the deadline for the submission of entries was 1700 on Monday, May 25, 2009.

Awards in Category One are for News Reporting and Features. There would be separate awards for Radio, Television and print. In category Two, there would be only one award to cater for both Print and Electronic.

They are investigative reporting; photojournalism; sports; arts/entertainment and domestic tourism; business/finance and economic reporting; environment; healthy and road safety; rural reporting; political and parliamentary reporting; crime and court reporting; water and sanitation; disability; telecommunications and Information and Communication Technology on-line journalism.

Category 3 for the Print Media only is for the Columnist of the Year. Entries for Category Four, which is for Media Houses only, are the best layout and designed newspaper, Best Morning Show- Radio; Best Morning Show Television; Best rural radio station; Human Rights and Peace building. The rest in this category are Best Radio programme in Akan, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, Hausa and Nzema.

The ultimate award is the Journalist of the Year. The statement said for all the 11 awards under Category Four and Journalist of the Year, entries would be considered alongside nominations by the public, including journalists, and the Award Committee. "For those awards, GJA members and the general public are invited to nominate candidates giving reasons for their nominations in not more that 160 words."

Entrants should submit original published work and 12 photocopies of each entry while radio and television entrants should submit one audio recording CD/DVD recording in addition to 12 authenticated copies of the original broadcast script. Photographic entries are subjected to the same requirement as print entries. The statement said all entries should be clear original published work and must show date of publication/broadcast and medium in which the work was published. News Agency stories carried by the conventional media or on the internet shall be considered as published and every entry should state which category and include name, address and telephone number of the applicant.

The statement said entries or nominations should be addressed to: The Chairman, Media Awards Committee, Ghana Journalists Association, P.O. Box GP 4636, Accra or may be delivered direct to the Ghana International Press Centre. The statement said the GJA was not bound to give an award in a category if it did not merit one.