Rabat, Morocco(Al Jazeera)-Al Jazeera English has won two awards at the One World Media Awards in London, for Best Digital Media Award and Women’s Rights in Africa Awards.
Pirate Fishing, based on a People & Power report on Sierra Leone’s illegal fishing trade by Juliana Ruhfus, won the Best Digital Award. According to the awards jury, Pirate Fishing “was a highly engaging piece of digital storytelling and current affairs journalism.” The jury liked how it used documentary footage as part of an investigative journalism game, allowing players to get close to an issue that they may never have engaged with.”
Filmmaker Rosa Rogers’ Casablanca Calling, which was an Al Jazeera Witness production, won the inaugural Women’s Rights in Africa Award. Filmed over two-and-a-half years, Casablanca Calling is an intimate portrait of three Moroccan women – Hannane, Bouchra and Karima – working as official Muslim leaders within the community. According to the jury, Casablanca Calling “was an original, powerful film about women making a difference to their communities and a positive portrayal of Islam.” Al Jazeera had two nominations in this category, with the second for Small Small Thing: The Olivia Zinnah Story, another Witness production.
“The award for Pirate Fishing is a testament to the dedication of our teams in providing new and innovative ways for our audiences to engage with our content,” says Giles Trendle, acting managing director of Al Jazeera English. “Casablanca Calling winning the Women’s Rights in Africa award shows how the central tenant in programme making is the human story. Both awards highlight Al Jazeera’s determination for story-telling through innovation; telling the human story is at the heart of everything we do.”
Overall Al Jazeera had seven nominations, with six of the seven nominations for programming set in Africa. Other nominations included:
It is worth reminding that One World Media is a non-profit organisation that supports international journalism and promotes media coverage of global issues. For over 25 years they have been working with partners in the UK and internationally to enable media that informs and connects the world’s people.
