Competition: Young Journalist Award 2020 is open

One thing has been constant: since its inception in 2013, our Young Journalist Award has been cheering new arrivals in the media industry, introducing some of the world’s best journalists. 

Now in its eighth year, we again invite young reporters from across the world to make their submissions for the prestigious Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award, which is organised in partnership with the UK’s Foreign Press Association (FPA) and is presented at their annual awards event in London. 

The competition enables journalists aged 30 and under, from countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than $20,000, to send in their best stories to be examined by the judges. 

Find our competition entry form here.

“We have the rare situation where every journalist may have been affected by Covid-19”

A rich portfolio of broadcast, multimedia and print pieces are submitted during the summer from Africa to Central Asia, and from Latin America to the Middle East. The entries are scrutinised by the foundation and then independent, expert, FPA judges.  

Normally, the three finalists are flown to London, spend two nights in the city and attend the gala award night in London, along with a host of other potential award winners and leading figures from the world of journalism. This time, because of the pandemic, there may be changes to the way the ceremony is held.

“We have the rare situation where every journalist entering this competition may have been affected in some way by the global Covid-19 virus,” says Nigel Baker, chief executive, Thomson Foundation.

“These are unique circumstances for the award and we expect we will see some submissions that outline the impact of the virus on communities across the world, as well as the way the health crisis has been managed in a wide variety of countries.

“These entries will, I’m sure, be complemented by some examples of excellent investigative journalism that has had a positive impact on lives in some of the world’s most challenging media regimes.”   

How to enter

Each entrant has to submit a portfolio of three published pieces of work produced in the 12 months preceding the deadline for submissions which is 14th August, 2020. They can be in any format – print, audio, video, multimedia or a combination of all four.

All entrants should be reporting from their home country as defined by the GNI or, if not in their country of origin, in another country fitting the same criteria. Applicants also need to provide an explanation of any collaboration undertaken with colleagues or external organisations on the stories they submit.  

Journalists who enter for the FPA award will need to submit a written statement of no more than 600 words, giving a summary of the content of each story and any impact it had on the public debate in the country of publication.

Full details of the conditions of entry are on the entry form here: https://forms.gle/GxYAymzJsQbxu5837​

For more details on the competition and to see some of our esteemed alumni from previous years, see our Young Journalist Award competition page.

Closing date: 14th August, 2020

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