Organising committee chairmanJeneraliUlimwengu said on Saturday, September 16, that this year’s award goes to CMG for maintaining their adherence to journalism ethics even after it was attackedby armed people in March.
Tanga. Clouds Media Group (CMG) has emerged the winner of the 2017 Daudi Mwangosi Awards.
The award was founded in memory of Daudi Mwangosi, a Chanel Ten photojournalist who was killed by the policeon September2 in 2012 at NyororoVillage in IringaRegion.
Organising committee chairmanJeneraliUlimwengu said on Saturday, September 16, that this year’s award goes to CMG for maintaining their adherence to journalism ethics even after it was attackedby armed people in March.
“The panel of judgesarrived at the decision to award Clouds Media Group after the station managers and editors maintained professional ethics despite threats,” he said.
The award was for the first time given toMr Absalom Kibandaof Mtanzania newspaper in 2013, after he survived physical attacks and refused to be cowed down bydeath threats and intimidation due to his investigative activities.
Delivering his speech, guest of honour who is alsothe executive director of the Tanzania Media Fund (TMF), Mr Ernest Sungura,emphasized on the importance of maintainingmedia professionalism for the betterment of the industry and the society at large.
He argued that journalists deserve recognition from the Constitution and not disappointment from the society.
“Rulers should understandthe contribution ofthe media in the fight against corruption, economic sabotage and embezzlement of public funds,” he said.
He said TMF would conduct studies on economic development, corruption, infrastructure and other cross cutting sectors, to expand public awareness on the various issues going on in the country.
For his part, the Executive director of Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) Mr Abubakar Karsan said press clubs could notcontinue pursuing the case of Mwangosi to other courtsoutside the country due to the lack of funds.
The UTPC President Deo Nsokolosaid journalists were currently facing many challenges in their lines of duty, including poor working conditions, threats and being tormented.“We need all of these challenges to be addressed,” he said.
Speaking after receiving the award, the CMG Public relations officer Simon Simalengasaid it was an encouragement for the media house to continue maintaining professional ethics.
