ALPHA Media Holdings (AMH) triumphed at the 2023-24 National Journalism and Media Awards (NJAMA) hosted by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, as the media house secured 19 wins from 62 submissions.
In second place, Zimpapers had 18 wins from 86 submissions.
This was out of a total of 55 wins from 256 submissions.
AMH wins reinforced its market leader position in the industry in coming up with real, factual and compelling stories.
AMH are publishers of the weeklies Zimbabwe Independent, The Standard and daily NewsDay, and also own online broadcaster Heart & Soul.
The awards ceremony, held on Thursday evening in Harare, ran under the theme Empowering Marginalised Voices: Navigating Gender Dynamics and Harnessing AI-Driven Journalism.
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AMH’s presence was felt throughout the night, as not only did it secure most of the wins; it also took home the runner-up gongs too.
AMH chief executive officer Kenias Mafukidze highlighted that the NJAMA awards reflected the journalists’ dedication and commitment to excellence in the field, emphasising their role in delivering high-quality content to readers.
“I am absolutely thrilled and humbled by our journalists’ outstanding achievements at the NJAMA awards. Having 19 of our entries recognised as winners showcases the exceptional talent, dedication and hard work of our team,” he said.
“This accomplishment underscores our commitment to excellence in journalism and our mission to provide high-quality content to our readers.
“It reinforces our position as a leader in the media industry and showcases our unwavering dedication to telling the stories that matter most to Zimbabweans.”
He expressed gratitude to the award winners for their commitment to reporting factual and well-researched stories that impacted communities, affirming that AMH would continue to lead the media industry.
“I am incredibly proud of each journalist recognised, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire AMH team for their tireless efforts,” Mafukidze said.
“This success is a result of their collaboration, creativity, and passion. We will persist in investing in our people, technology, and processes to stay at the forefront of Zimbabwe’s media landscape.”
Also commenting on the awards, AMH Editor-in-Chief Kholwani Nyathi said the performance of AMH journalists at the NJAMA awards underscored their vital role in the media industry.
“The outstanding achievements of Alpha Media Holdings journalists at the 2024 National Journalism and Media Awards highlight our platforms’ status as beacons of excellence in Zimbabwe’s journalism landscape,” he said.
“We continually seek ways to enhance our journalism, and this year, we established an investigative journalism hub, Truth Diggers, to support the creation of quality content. It is, therefore, no surprise that many of the winning entries came from this hub.”
Speaking on the category selection, media expert Vincent Kahiya said those who won the awards had exceptional stories which were beyond just stories.
He highlighted the necessity for journalists to conduct thorough research, which was essential for producing insightful stories that truly informed readers.
“There was a consensus among the judges regarding the high quality of enterprise journalism reflected in several entries this year, a notable improvement compared to last year. Journalists are increasingly demonstrating a commitment to depth and integrity in their reporting,” Kahiya added.
AMH's 19 wins were in the following categories: renewable energy, health reporting, sports, mining, anti-corruption, community engagement, municipality reporting, business reporting, digital, agriculture, maternal journalist of the year, data journalist and SOGIE.
The winners were:
Moses Mugungunyeki: Anti-Corruption Journalist of the Year.
Sindiso Dube: SOGIE Journalist of the Year.
Tatira Zwinoira: Renewable Energy Journalist of the Year and Business Journalist of the Year.
Admire Jamu-Mlambo: Arts and Entertainment Journalist of the year (runner-up), Sports Journalist of the Year and Agriculture Journalist of the Year (runner-up).
Mthandazo Nyoni: Financial Journalist of the Year, Mining Journalist of the Year and Local Tourism Journalist of the Year (runner-up).
Vanessa Gonye: Health Journalist of the Year and Maternal Health Journalist of the Year.
Problem Masau: ICT Journalist of the Year.
Sharon Sibindi: Community Engagement and Rural Development Journalist of the Year.
Nqobani Ndlovu: Municipal and Service Delivery Journalist of the Year.
Harriet Chikandiwa: Internews — Trained Female Journalist of the Year.
Evans Mathanda: Data Journalist of the Year (runner-up)
Silence Mugadzaweta: ICT Journalist of the Year (runner-up)
Tendai Makaripe: The Yasser Arafat Journalist of the Year.
Aaron Ufumeli: Photographer/Visuals Journalist of the Year
ZUJ president George Maponga emphasised the vital role journalists played in information dissemination.
“Tonight, we gather to celebrate the exceptional talents, dedication and unwavering commitment by journalists who have made a significant impact in the field of information dissemination,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by ZUJ secretary-general Perfect Hlongwane.
“In an era where information flows ceaselessly, journalists play a crucial role in disseminating news, uncovering truths, and holding those in power accountable. On both the triumphs and challenges of our society, driving progress and shaping our collective understanding of critical national and world discourse.”
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister Jenfan Muswere urged journalists to uphold factual reporting while contributing to national development.
“As a number of journalists receive awards tonight, it is very important for members of the fourth estate to focus on national development,” he said.
“It is also very important for members of the fourth estate to report about the evils in society. But it is also not very important for members of the fourth estate to scandalise your country.”