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SAJA
Journalism Awards
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Frequently
Asked Questions about the SAJA Awards
Q: There are already so many journalism contests. Why is this
one any different?
A: The SAJA Journalism Award is the only opportunity to recognize
and honor exellence in coverage of one of the most under covered
strategic regions in the world: South Asia. Winning media outlets
will receive an instant accolade for their foreign coverage. By
entering this contest, editors can help draw recognition for their
foreign correspondents. In addition, with our other awards, editors
can give their employees of South Asian origin a chance to be honored
by their peers.
Q: What is this new, one-time category for the 10th Anniversary?
A: To mark SAJA's 10th anniversary, the SAJA Board has instituted a special,
one-time award for outstanding coverage of South Asians in the United
States or Canada by an individual journalist, 1994-2003. This is a
one-time only award, to honor a journalist working for a North America
media outlet (mainstream or ethnic press; in print, TV or online) who has
produced a strong portfolio of work covering the growing South Asian
community in the U.S. or Canada. The entries should consist of three to
five stories, representing the best work by that journalist and can have
been published or aired any time between Jan. 1, 1994, and Dec. 31, 2003.
Q: I am
not sure if we did any stories that are eligible for the contest.
Any suggestions about what kinds of stories are being entered?
A: We are receiving stories on the following topics (among others): Coverage of war in Afghanistan; coverage of Indo-Pak relations; the Dalai Lama; the growing South Asian community in the U.S.; Hemant Lakhani, an alleged arms dealer caught in a U.S. sting operation in the war on terror; Jhumpa Lahiri, Pulitzer-prize winning author who had a new book out in 2003 - and much much more. For the categories about work by South Asian
journalists in the US & Canada, the subjects are much too numerous
to be dealt with here. Feel free to ask us if you have questions.
Q: What
exactly is South Asia?
A: South Asia consists of the Indian subcontinent: Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. As far as
Afghanistan is concerned, we are accepting stories about Afghanistan
as it is linked to Pakistan and the war on terror. SAJA members
trace their origins to those countries, so this includes thousands
of Indo-Caribbeans in the U.S.
Q: What
is SAJA?
A: SAJA was established in March 1994 as a networking group
with 18 members in New York. We are now 800+ journalists and students
of South Asian origin across the U.S. and Canada.
Q: What
are the entry fees?
A: $10.00 for submissions by students, $20.00 for submissions
by individual journalists, $50.00 for submissions by companies (up
to three stories per category). US funds, please. There is a discount of $5 for paid SAJA members; yes, you can still sign up here.
Q: What
kind of companies entered your contest last year?
A: Last year, 115 of the largest media companies in the U.S.
and Canada sent in more than 475 entries.
Q:
Where can I get entry forms?
Entry form and contest rules are available on the SAJA Web site
(www.saja.org/form.html).
Q: Do I have
to be a South Asian to participate?
A: Our prizes for reporting on South Asia are open to ALL journalists,
as long as they work for a company that is HQ-ed in the U.S. Only
our other prizes are restricted to journalists of South Asian origin
working in the U.S. or Canada (regardless, by the way, of their citizenship
or place of birth).
Q: Who
judges these awards?
A: Our judging panel consists of distinguished journalists and
leading South Asia experts. Each of our judges has a solid background
in international affairs or international journalism. A list of
the judges is available in the rules section.
Q: Are
self-nominations allowed?
A: Absolutely.
Q: I
no longer work for the company in which I wrote my blockbuster story
last year. Can I still enter it?
A: Yes, you may enter such stories, even if you no longer work
at your former employer.
Q: Can
I enter the same story in more than one category?
A: Yes, you may. Just make sure you fill out two (or more) entry
forms and enclose two sets (or more) of handling fees.
Q: For
the South Asian journalist category, can I enter a story in which
I shared a joint byline with a non-South Asian?
A: Yes, such entries are welcome, as long as you received a
joint (equal) byline.
Q: I
am a wire service reporter. Do I need pickups from newspapers to
qualify?
A: No pickups required for the wires, as long as the story(ies)
went out over the regular feed, they can be nominated.
Q: I
am a journalism student of South Asian origin, but I don't have
any printed clips. Can I still enter?
Yes, as long as you get a professor to sign the entry form.
Q: For
stories about South Asians in the U.S. or Canada, what percentage
of an entry can be about non South Asians?
A: Approximately, less than 30 percent (feel free to check with
us if you have questions about this).
Q: Does
SAJA have a political agenda?
A: Not at all. The South Asian Journalists Association is not
an advocacy group. Its main function to provide a networking opportunity
for its members. Click here to learn more
about SAJA.
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