The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is in search of a rising star of African journalism for the BBC News Komla Dumor Award, which is in its eighth year.
Journalists from across Africa have been invited to apply for the award, which aims to uncover and promote fresh talents from the continent.
The award scheme was established to honour Komla Dumor, an extraordinary Ghanaian broadcaster and presenter for BBC World News, who passed away suddenly in 2014, at age 41.
The late Komla Afeke Dumor’s widow, Mrs Kwansema Dumor, disclosed that she was ‘proud’ of her husband’s impact at the British Broadcasting Corporation, adding that her family are “thankful to the BBC for remembering him” through the award scheme.
Known for championing robust, dynamic journalism and for his commitment to reporting African stories comprehensively and authentically, the late Dumor made a significant impact on Africa and the rest of the world.
The BBC is therefore committed to continuing his legacy through the award by empowering journalists from Africa to tell original and nuanced African stories to reach international audiences.
PRIZES
The winner will spend three months at the BBC headquarters in London, gaining skills and experience.
Also apart from receiving training, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that they have researched, with the report broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences.
Zambian TV host and reporter Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya was last year’s winner, the first to come from southern Africa.
During his placement, he travelled to Seychelles to report on how the country’s ocean plants could help tackle climate change.
“Komla Dumor was an inspiration to me, so to win the award and take part in his legacy has been an honour.”
“I encourage African journalists to apply for the awards. It’s an incredible way to learn and further develop skills needed to tell even more ground-breaking stories in Africa.”
Jonah
Liliane Landor, senior controller of BBC News International Services, stated that “The award and our previous winners are a fitting testament to Komla’s dedication to telling African stories with depth and integrity.”
The late Komla Afeke Dumor was the presenter of Focus on Africa, BBC’s first-ever dedicated daily TV news programme in English for African audiences. It was broadcast on BBC World News, which later this year is merging with the BBC News Channel to create a single 24-hour TV news service.
The Ghanaian Journalist, was also one of the lead presenters for BBC World News’ European morning segment. He joined the BBC in 2007 after a decade of broadcast journalism in his native country, Ghana where he won the Ghana Journalist of the Year award.
Between 2007 and 2009, he hosted Network Africa for BBC World Service, before joining The World Today programme. In 2009, the late Dumor became the first host of the African business news programme on BBC World News, Africa Business Report. He travelled across Africa, meeting Africa’s top entrepreneurs and reporting on the latest business trends around the continent.
In 2013 Dumor featured in New African magazine’s list of the 100 most influential Africans.
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