The Uganda National Journalism Awards 2022 are open to all professional journalists and independent content producers working in print, television, radio and online news platforms in Uganda for stories published or broadcast between 1 January and 31 December 2021.
The objectives are to:
- increase the quantity and quality of public affairs reporting and investigative journalism;
- promote accurate, knowledgeable and enterprising investigative reporting in all media;
- advance innovation in storytelling and news presentation;
- motivate aspiring and young journalists to attain and uphold standards of excellence in their profession; and
- increase the diversity of voices in media coverage and spaces within which journalists operate.
Key dates for the Uganda National Journalism Awards 2022
- Entries open: 22 February 2022
- Entries close: 31 May 2022
- Judging process: June-July 2022
- Awards ceremony: August 2022
Awards categories
The Uganda National Journalism Awards 2022 will be given to the best reporting in 20 categories, namely:
| Agriculture reporting | Land and property rights reporting |
| Arts reporting | Local reporting |
| Business, economy and finance | National news (broadcast) |
| Education reporting | National news (print) |
| Energy and extractives industries | News illustration |
| Environment reporting | Photo and video journalism |
| Features | Political reporting |
| Health reporting | Public accountability reporting |
| Investigative reporting | Public works and infrastructure |
| Justice, law and order | Sports reporting |
Visit the awards category page for detailed information on each competition category.
The judging process
An independent expert panel of 15 members will select winning entries based on accuracy, initiative, originality, clarity of interpretation, storytelling ability, public benefit, audience engagement, innovation, and writing and creative flair.
The prize
Both the winner and first runner-up in each category will receive a cash prize. Plaques and certificates will also be given to the top three winners in each category. Winners will be celebrated at a grand gala to be held in Kampala in August 2022. Additionally, winning entries will be published online and in a booklet to be distributed by ACME.
How to participate
All submissions must have been published or broadcast in a Ugandan media outlet or a regional outlet with a substantial Ugandan audience during the 2021 calendar year. Web-based news organisations that follow a strict code of journalistic ethics and publish original reporting on a regular basis may also submit entries.
To submit an entry for the awards, visit the Eligibility Rules and Submission Guidelines page.
Further information
For more information about the Uganda National Journalism Awards 2021, write to awards@acme-ug.org, subject: ‘UNJA 2022 inquiries’.