Lagos-based Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-focused news site, ITRealms Online, www.itrealms.com.ng, has emerged the first runner up at the inaugural Telkom-Highway Africa New Media awards in the individual cum student category for the deployment of new media technologies in dissemination of information on the continent.
Presenting the award to the lead content strategist at ITRealms Online, Mr. Remmy Nweke, the Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University, Grahamastown, Dr. Saleem Badat, at a joint conference opening dinner on Sunday, July 4, held at the Nelson Mandela Dining Hall, for his blog; www.itrealms.blogspot.com, which is published in partnership with Champion Newspapers Limited, and urged him to sustain the pace and contribution of African voice in cyber space.
Highway Africa is the largest congregation of media practitioners, mostly practicing journalists from Africa who write and report on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the continent at Rhodes University Grahamstown campus, South Africa.
Also, on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Remmy Nweke was presented with the first-ever Free and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) and Deutsche Welle (DW) award under FOSSWAY project by the Director, Deutsche Welle Online, Mr. Thomas Bastian in company of FOSSFA chairperson, Ms Nnenna Nwakanma, as part of the weeklong fourth Idlelo conference at the State House, Banquet Hall, Accra-Ghana.
Speaking at the New Media Award nite, also witnessed by participants from the World Education Journalism congress, the Executive Director, Highway Africa, Mr. Chris Kabwato, noted that they were excited to unveil a new co-host for the annual New Media Awards 2010.
“Telkom, a founding partner of the Highway Africa conference, has become the full and permanent co-host of Africa’s foremost awards in new media, which will now be known as the Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards,” he said, stressing that the awards was supported by Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
According to the organizers, this year’s finalists for 2010 include nominees in the six categories, namely in the individual or student; Not-for-Profit; and corporate.
They also named Nweke’s blog, www.itrealms.blogspot.com was named the first runner up in the individual or student category by the judges, who equally described it as an extensive blog that updates on Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) developments with about 50 stories monthly.
They also recognized the fact that ITRealms Online integrated Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, Picassa album and Twitter feeds.
However, a South African-based ZA Tech Show, a weekly technology podcast hosted is by Simon Dingle and regular panelists emerged top in this category. While Kalahari People’s Network – www.kalaharipeoples.net and African Woman and Child Feature Service – www.awcfs.org emerged as first runner up and star winner in Not-for-Profit category, in that order.
As well, in the corporate category, Zoopy.com – www.zoopy.com and Dispatch Online Blogs - http://blogs.dispatch.co.za were announced as top prize winner and first runner up respectively.
For the organizers, the Kalahari People’s Network is a website providing a virtual space for networking and exchange of information among contemporary Kalahari communities and individuals throughout Southern Africa. Even as the African Woman and Child Feature Service builds capacity to report on gender issues and addresses the needs of a marginalized community.
In addition, the Eastern Cape, South Africa-based Dispatch Online Blog is a multimedia breaking news platform of the Daily Dispatch and environs, whereas Zoopy.com is an online and mobile social media community, where users upload, share and interact with videos, photos and audio.
The 2010 Telkom-Highway Africa awards cum opening ceremony were graced by the African Union Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Mrs Pansy Tlakula, retired Ghanaian president, Mr. John Kufuor and Mayor Vumile Lwana of Makana Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Head, School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University, Prof. Guy Berger, among other dignitaries across the continent and beyond.
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Contests Remmy! Just a correction: Zoopy was the winner of the corporate category, not the runner-up :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jason, noted and would revert accordingly.
ReplyDelete