The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) is inviting entries for the MISA John Manyarara Investigative Journalism Awards 2008. The awards seek to recognise excellence in investigative journalism in any form of media in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Two awards will be given:

• The MISA John Manyarara Investigative Journalist of the Year Award, whose winner will receive a cash prize of Euro 4,000.
• The MISA John Manyarara Upcoming Investigative Journalist of the Year Award, whose winner will win Euro 2,000 in cash and a scholarship to the value of Euro 6,000 to further develop the recipient's investigative journalism skills.

Another 11 journalists who enter could win a fully sponsored trip to participate in a 3-day training on investigative journalism convened by the Investigative Journalism Workshop (IJW) at the University of the Witwatersrand in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ), the London Centre of Investigative Reporting (CIJ), Investigative Reporters and Editors in the US (IRE), and the Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR). The event will offer training workshops and panel discussions by and for investigative reporters from Africa and abroad.

The awards are given for a journalistic story or series of stories broadcast or published between January 1 and December 31 2007 that demonstrate investigative journalism skills and presentation of facts. Judges will be looking for work which demonstrates investigative journalistic skill and methodologies like source building, data searching, as well as depth and insight, is newsworthy, and uncovers facts that someone or some agency may have tried to keep from public scrutiny.

Click here for more information about the award.

Entries should be sent in their original published format by post, fax, or email, including details of when and where it was published or broadcast to the contact below. Alternatively, they may be delivered to MISA country offices.

Click here to download award details and the application form in PDF format.