2009 issued for Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Reporters without Borders has been offering the annual PRESS FREEDOM AWARD – SIGNAL FЬR EUROPA to reporters, journalists and publicists in South East Europe and the neighbouring states of the European Union since 2001.
The prize is offered to critical, informative and investigative publications that cover: politics, press freedom, human rights, corruption, societal issues or related topics. Its target group are principally all publicists, regardless of age or status.

The PRESS FREEDOM AWARD – SIGNAL FЬR EUROPA is endowed with a total of 15.000 Euros and has been enabled by the OMV, the leading oil and gas group in Central Europe.
THE PRIZE IS GRANTED IN THREE CATEGORIES
• Print media
• Electronic media
• Series, books and life works

Categories above are subject to change as the jury sees fit.

THE JURY:
Freimut Duve -The first OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media
Monica Nagler-Wittgenstein - Writers in Prison, Sweden
Eva Nowotny -Austrian Ambassador in the USA
Wolfgang Petritsch -Austrian UN-Embassador in Geneva
Albert Rohan - Former General Secretary of the Austrian ministry of foreign affairs

THE AWARD CEREMONY
The award ceremony of the Press Freedom Award 2009 will take place in the Austrian Parliament on May 7th. It comes about under the patronage of the Austrian parliamentary president, Barbara Prammer and the auspices of the Austrian UNESCO Commission.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
• The deadline for submissions is March 1st, 2009.
• Pieces of work must have been published or broadcasted in 2008 in order to be accepted
• Letters of reference are of help but not decisive in the evaluation of submissions
• Detailed letters of reference are obligatory if a life’s work is submitted
• Only one publication can be submitted per person or series, where the following is necessary:
a. the publication in its original language
b. an English translation which is authorised by the contender
c. a CV, written in English
d. a copy of the piece of work
e. The above also applies to printed or electronic series, for example series or broadcasts
that align to the awards declared aims. In this case a description of the series or broadcast
is needed in addition to an exemplary submission in the relevant medium, which may include
the press, radio, television or the internet.
f. If a life’s work is handed in, a detailed letter of reference is required.
Printed pieces should be submitted as the original or if digitally, as a scanned copy. Radio or TV broadcasts should be submitted as cassettes, CDs, DVDs or via Email, depending on the size of the piece of work. In the case of books we ask for an English translation of the foreword and that a short statement of intent is included in the letter of reference, which should also be in English.

FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information or inquiries please contact Mag. Hanna Ronzheimer, office manager of Reporters without Borders Austria, or visit www.rog.at
Reporters without Borders Austria
Alser Straße 22/8
1090 Vienna, Austria
E info@rog.at
T +43 1 581 00 11 (Monday - Thursday 08.30-13.30 h)