Vodacom invites entries for the 2009 Vodacom Journalist of the Year, sponsored in association with 1Time airlines, Southern Sun, the Sandton Sun Hotel, Nokia, Media Express, and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The awards give recognition to excellence in South African journalism. The 2009 winner will be awarded with ZAR 125,000 in cash, as well as being given the opportunity to donate ZAR 125,000 to an official charity of his or her choosing. In addition to the grand prize, national winners will receive ZAR 15,000, while every regional category winner will receive ZAR 7,500. The awards are designed to celebrate the significant impact that journalism has on South African society.

There are 14 categories.

• TV General News
• TV Feature
• Print General News
• Print Feature
• Radio News
• Radio Feature
• Financial/Economic
• Columnist
• Cartoonist
• Photographer
• Sport
• Community Media
• Online Journalism
• Editor's Choice

Click here for more information about the Awards.

All entries must have been published or broadcast between May 1 2008 and April 30 2009. Each entry is required in triplicate to allow for the judging process. Each entry must have its own entry form. Entrants are to submit background information, and a motivation to the judges as to why they believe the submitted material deserves to win. Different guidelines exist for print, television, radio, and online journalism categories.

Click here for detailed entry information.

Click here for the Journalist of the Year application form in PDF format.

Editors throughout South Africa are encouraged to identify their most promising young journalists who have been in the business for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 years and enter them for the Editors Choice Award.

Click here for the Editor's Choice application form in PDF format.

Vodacom website on May 4 2009.