The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
MOST Awards 2023: Interview with Mike von Tonder, sales director at Digital Turbine
Mike van Tonder, Sales Director at Digital Turbine, was the MOST Awards Media Owner Rising Star winner in 2018, chats to Arye Kellman, managing director of TILT, about upskilling the youth coming into the market.
Ghana’s Paa Kwesi Asare wins 2023 BBC News Komla Dumor Award
Ghanaian television and radio presenter, Paa Kwesi Asare has won the 2023 BBC News Komla Dumor Award. Asare is currently a TV and radio presenter with Ghanaian television station, TV3, where he has worked since 2016.
Previous winners include Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya (Zambia), Victoria Rubadiri (Kenya), Solomon Serwanjja (Uganda), Waihiga Mwaura (Kenya), Amina Yuguda (Nigeria), Didi Akinyelure (Nigeria) and Nancy Kacungira (Uganda).
As part of the award, Asare will spend three months working with BBC News teams in London across television, radio, and online. He will be given the opportunity to further develop his journalism skills through training, workshops, and mentoring with leading BBC journalists.
The award was created in 2015 to honour the memory of Komla Dumor, a presenter for BBC World News who was known for his commitment to reporting African stories comprehensively and authentically.
Asare said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won the Komla Dumor Award. This is arguably the most prestigious award for any African journalist, and I am honoured to be in the company of such incredible previous winners. Komla Dumor was a true pioneer in African journalism, and it’s a great privilege to be following in his footsteps. This award gives me the motivation to continue striving for excellence in my career, and I am excited to use this platform to amplify African voices and tell the stories that matter to our continent.”
The judges were impressed by the quality of Paa Kwesi’s journalism, his ability to grasp complex topics and explain them clearly, and a commitment to telling stories that matter.
SAB in partnership with ESG Africa events launches the Beyond Awards
The South African Breweries (SAB) will host its first ever Beyond Awards, a sustainability recognition platform, in partnership with ESG Africa events taking place on Tuesday, 3 October 2023.
In addition to this, the brewer will also be a gold sponsor of the ESG Africa Conference taking place from the 4-5 October at the Sandton Convention Centre. It aims to bring business leaders from across Africa together to discuss, debate and find solutions to some of the most pressing issues faced in driving the adoption of sustainable practices.
Zoleka Lisa VP Corporate Affairs at SAB, said, “Sustainability is vital for our growth and is essential in shaping a responsible and resilient future for our business and our world. With this in mind, we are proud to launch our very first Beyond Awards with the objective of recognising the champions among us who put sustainability front and centre.
“Through this platform organisations will have the opportunity to showcase their work or their environmental and social advocacy programmes. The ultimate goal is to get buy-in across the private and public sectors to drive sustainability through their respective organisations. It is a win for them and a win for our people and the planet.”
The Beyond Awards falls under the brewery’s strategic sustainability framework, SAB Beyond, which prioritises entrepreneurship, circular packaging, sustainable agriculture, water stewardship, climate, smart drinking & moderation, diversity, equity and inclusion. The awards will be host to four categories, including:
Sustainable Development Goals Champion Award: This award seeks to recognise the organisation with the most comprehensive and impactful overall contribution towards the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
To know more about this award and apply click here
Best Sustainability Report Award: This award rewards the most comprehensive, relevant and engaging sustainability report
To know more about this award and apply click here
Best Sustainability Project Award: This award rewards the most comprehensive, relevant and engaging sustainability report
To know more about this award and apply click here
African Trailblazer Award: This award acknowledges remarkable individuals who contribute towards advancing sustainability in Africa. From business leaders; media personalities; civil society or government officials – any individual with a proven footprint in sustainability may apply
To know more about this award and apply click here
Entry to all categories is free of charge and the deadline for completion is September 6th 2023. Winners will be announced at an official ceremony on the 3 October 2023.
Takalani Sesame nominated for SAFTA’s Best Children’s Programme award
Takalani Sesame, South Africa’s longest-running children’s educational programme, has been nominated in the 17th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) in the Best Children’s Programme category. The nomination is for Season 13’s ‘Seeing Red Not Yellow’.
The South African Film and Television Awards is a prestigious, annual South African awards ceremony hosted by the National Film and Video Foundation, to honour creative excellence in the local film and television industry.
“Sesame Workshop is honoured that Takalani Sesame has once again been nominated at the SAFTAs. We are always grateful that the ground-breaking South African program continues to be recognised. To be nominated for BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME is a nod to the difference that Takalani Sesame makes to the children of South Africa,” says Innocent Nkata, managing director of Sesame Workshop South Africa.
The technical awards will be broadcast live on the SAFTAs YouTube channel on Friday, 29 September, with a later rebroadcast on SABC channels. This year’s theme is ‘Our stories flow together’. The main awards ceremony will be broadcast live on Saturday, 30 September, on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and SABC 3 at 19:00.
Call to all entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers working on ground-breaking technologies
A competition with a resounding call to entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers working on ground-breaking technologies to improve government, private and the quality of life of South African citizens is back for the 13th year running.
The Gauteng Accelerator Programme (GAP) Innovation Competition, run by The Innovation Hub (TIH), has assisted numerous entrepreneurs in launching their businesses with seeded funding over the years, enhancing sectorial competitiveness and contributing towards an improved local economy.
Thibi Matshele, TIH’s acting chief executive officer, said: “Our theme for this year’s iteration of the GAP Innovation Competition is Ignite Your Innovation. It’s a theme we crafted with the understanding that the country is filled with many creative and innovative entrepreneurs across our country. We call on these talented, creative and innovative entrepreneurs and researchers to enter the competition.”
The youth, females, people living with disabilities, and previously disadvantaged individuals eligible to enter the competition are encouraged to apply.
Matshele said that based on the kind of criterion of young people they expect to apply, he is confident there will be a good uptake for the competition. “We are a country that is regarded as one of the strongest economies not only in our continent but beyond, based on that reason, our economy needs the kind of sectorial competitiveness that will not only respond to problems but come up with innovative solutions. Our researchers and innovative entrepreneurs have continuously proved to be leading lights for innovation.”
The GAP Innovation Competition is being run with partners such as the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), Emory University Business School, and Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ).
Tears Foundation wins gold Stevie for use of smart technology in 2023 International Business Awards
TEARS Foundation (TEARS) was named a Gold Winner for the use of smart technology in the non-profit or government organisations category in the 20th Annual Stevie International Business Awards (IBAs).
The Stevie IBAs rank among the world’s premier business awards programmes. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word “stepho” meaning “crowned,” the 2023 Stevie IBAs received 3 700 nominations and entries from organisations in 61 nations and territories.
“Being recognised on a global platform, during Women’s Month, with a Gold Stevie Award is a significant milestone and underscores our commitment to fighting the scourge of gender-based violence. It confirms that we are on the right track and inspires me and my team to work even harder to find inventive ways of responding to survivors of rape and sexual abuse, free of charge,” said Mara Glennie, CEO and founder of TEARS.
Established in 2012, TEARS is a trailblazing organisation providing access to crisis intervention, advocacy, counselling, and prevention education services to those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse.
Judges from this year’s competition were overwhelmingly supportive with their comments about the work of TEARS. Some of the feedback received included the following comments:
“The organisation’s effective use of localisation and cultural adaptation in marketing was impressive. Outstanding achievements in cross-cultural communication and negotiation.”
“Offering several great services to people in need.”
“KUDOS to the TEARS Foundation for supporting women who need help. Using technology to provide maximum and quick support for the needy is commendable. Thank you for being the pillar of support of many women. All the best to bring more awareness among men and women, that sexual abuse is wrong.”
SPEAK UP®, a safe, easily accessible and informative tech-enabled solution, was created by TEARS to enable and provide South African youth with sexual health education on their cellphones and assist users in making informed decisions about their sexual health.
Winners will be celebrated during a gala banquet at the Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in Rome, Italy on Friday, 13 October.
BCX Digital Innovation Awards extends deadline for entries
Digital Transformation Solutions Provider BCX is extending applications for the BCX Digital Innovation Awards to 31 August. The shortlisting and judging of the awards will take place from September to October 2023, and BCX will announce the winners later in the year at their awards ceremony in Johannesburg.
The winners will also be featured in the Sunday Times Top 100, which acknowledges listed companies that have earned the highest returns for their shareholders over the last five years. For the BCX Innovation Awards 2023, businesses can enter one of three categories, namely public sector entities, corporate enterprise, as well as small and medium enterprise (SME).
The future growth of the awards will see an expansion into countries outside of South Africa. There will also be the inclusion of a university category. The BCX Digital Innovation Awards was launched for the first time in 2019 with the aim to recognise and celebrate digital innovation and excellence in South Africa.
Since 2019, the award has seen impressive growth, seeing celebrated companies submitting powerful examples of South African innovation, excellence, and success.
Last year’s winners were digital bank Discovery Bank, which took the first place for its shared value in banking. ShopriteX came second for Checkers Xtra Savings Sixty60 integration, while facial biometric digital authentic platform iiDENTIFii was third. In 2021, the awards received an incredible 61 entries, of which 45 were SME entries and 16 were corporate entries.