..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 2 February 2007
Press Release No. N/02/2007

DEADLINE FOR ASIA-PACIFIC MDG MEDIA AWARDS EXTENDED TO 15 APRIL 2007

Bangkok (United nations Information Services) -- The deadline for the submission of entries to the 1st Asia-Pacific Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Media Awards, which honour outstanding reporting/writing on the MDGs in print, radio and TV, has been extended to 15 April 2007.

Due to requests from media networks, organizers decided to extend the deadline and give media practitioners and producers more time to submit their entries in English or in the local language.
The competition is open to all print, radio and TV producers/journalists from public service broadcasting organizations, private networks and free-lance producers covering the Asia and the Pacific. The Awards carry a prize of US$7,000 for first prize winners in each category, and a US$2,000 prize for runners up.

The Awards aim to generate better awareness and understanding of the MDGs, and motivate journalists from the region to cover stories on how MDGs are being pursued in the region. It is also hoped that media will be stimulated, through the Awards, to become a driving force in accelerating national action toward achieving the MDGs.

Entries in the three categories should focus on one or all of the following aspects in their reports:

• Tracking progress on the MDGs: How are countries in the region performing? Which countries are ‘on track” to achieve and which aren’t? Why are some countries performing well and not others?
• Human Face of MDGs: What does MDGs mean in people’s daily lives? What is the role of civil society? What are the success stories heading towards 2015 (the target date set for achieving the goals)? Who are the key players driving forward change and that are they doing?
• Changes needed in achieving the MDGs: What changes are needed to meet the 2015 target? Is it more financing? Improved public service delivery? More engagement with communities? Or use of public-private partnerships?

UNESCAP, UNDP and ADB launched the MDGs Media Awards during the South Asia MDG Forum held from 11-12 October 2006 in Kathmandu Nepal. Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) acts as the secretariat for the Awards.

The MDGs are the world’s time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions –income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion – whilst promoting gender equality, education and environmental sustainability.
Winners will be announced during the 63rd UNESCAP Commission Session scheduled for May 2007.

Competition Details

Print

For the print category, journalists whether freelance or affiliated or regularly employed in a newspaper or magazine company covering the Asia-Pacific region can participate in the Awards. Their entries could include a special report, investigative piece and explanatory reporting with a minimum length of one thousand (1,000) words.

Entries in the local language must be accompanied by the entry form, a typewritten English translation and a written certification from the chief editor of the newspaper/magazine, which published the article that the translation truly reflects the content of the article in the local language.

Broadcast TV & Radio

Entries by participating broadcast producers and journalists should cover the contest year from 1 January 2006 through 30 June 2007. Their entries could include a special report, public affairs programme, or a documentary with a length of between 15 and 60 minutes. Each producer/journalist can submit up to two programmes only.

For radio programmes in the local language, entries must be accompanied by an entry form, a typewritten English translation, and for TV, they must have English subtitles. The same requirement of a written certification on the translation from the executive producer/chief editor applies for broadcast entries.

Entry forms and contest rules are available on the following websites:
www.aibd.org.my/papers/MDG_Media_Awards_07, and
www.mdgasiapacific.org

For further information on the Awards, please contact:
Mr. Jose Ma. G. Carlos, AIBD Programme Manager
Tel: (+60) 3 22822761 / 22823719
E-mail: joecarlos@aibd.org.my

For further queries regarding the UNESCAP/UNDP/ADB MDG Project, please contact:
Mr. Ravi Ratnayake, Director
Poverty and Development Division, UNESCAP
Tel: (+66) 2288 1902
E-mail: ratnayaker@un.org

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