Global Reith Awards
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Categories and Criteria for Nominations 2010

GENERAL CRITERIA

Unless otherwise stated, nominations can be made by anyone working for BBC Global News, either directly employed, or supplying output or services to BBC Global News.

  • No individual may make more than 3 nominations overall.
  • The nominee can be based anywhere in the world and work for the BBC full-time, part-time or on a regular freelance basis.
  • Qualifying period: The activity must have taken place between 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009.
  • Translations: All entries in languages other than English must be accompanied by a translation in English, in order for the judges to gain a good understanding of your programme / website / service. Where programmes or items that are submitted are longer than 5 minutes, entries will need to be accompanied by up to 5 minutes (maximum) translated material into English showcasing the best of the piece. The English translation may take the form of either a script or audio recording. You may also provide a full running order in English, together with the summary description in English. The judges reserve the right to request further translated material.

1. Best Global News Output

This award is for a production team for their outstanding journalism. Teams working on any genre, any language and on any platform may apply. There will be three sub category winners covering:

  • Vision
  • Audio
  • Multimedia

What the judges will be looking for:

  • evidence of journalistic achievement
  • creative, for example, imaginative conception or a new approach
  • high journalistic standards
  • application of the BBC’s editorial values
  • the ability to contextualise the story and make it relevant for the target audience
  • the story’s impact with the target audience
  • any special circumstances such as a calculated risk that paid off
  • use of resources available to the team
  • for the Vision award, judges will consider either television or video for another platform, such as the web or mobile
  • for the Multimedia award, judges will be looking for creative output which effectively combines the use of video, audio, the web and/or another medium to serve an audience.

Submission information:

A written submission, in 250 words or fewer, plus supporting evidence such as a recording of the output or links to webpages. Non-English entries see note about translation. Entries may be from a single broadcast (up to 30 minute section) or three unedited extracts from a single programme totalling no more than 30 minutes along with relevant printed material from web pages or TV output on DVD. The entry may be from a single day or a week’s campaign. Extracts may be taken from the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply translated reports, website links, printed or other materials that provide further evidence.

2. Breaking news

This award is for a production team or individual for their outstanding journalism in breaking a news story. Open to teams or individuals working in newsgathering, in production, on any language and on any platform, in the UK and internationally may apply. There will be one winner.



What the judges will be looking for:

  • evidence of journalistic achievement
  • swiftness and comprehensiveness of response
  • good angles or treatments
  • how well the emerging picture was made clear and intelligible to the audience
  • application of the BBC’s editorial values

These points may also be relevant depending on the entry or platform:

  • follow-up programme material or debate
  • use of resources available to the team
  • impact of the breaking story in the target market
  • highly creative approach
  • collaboration with colleagues

Submission information:

A written submission, in 250 words or fewer, plus supporting evidence such as a recording of the output or links to webpages. Non-English entries see note about translation. Entries may be from a single broadcast (up to 30 minute section) or three unedited extracts from a single programme totalling no more than 30 minutes along with relevant printed material from web pages or TV output on DVD. The entry must be from a single day’s output. Extracts may be taken from the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply translated reports, website links, printed or other materials that provide further evidence.

3. Best service not in the English Language

This award aims to recognise the best language team in Global News. It is open to language service production teams in World Service, BBC Monitoring and the BBC World Service Trust on any platform, in the UK and internationally. African English and Caribbean English teams are eligible to enter this category too. There will be two sub category winners covering:

  • Best example of output not in English
  • Best example of newsgathering not in English

What the judges will be looking for:

  • evidence of success in informing and engaging audiences including strengthening their relationship with the BBC as a catalyst in the community.
  • journalistic strength, whether output or newsgathering and research.
  • the ambition and range of work of the service or team.
  • impact of the team in relation to the resources at their disposal
  • the entry should demonstrate a range of creative approaches or new ways of engaging with its audience.
  • application of the BBC's editorial values
  • highly creative approach.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words, detailing the strength of output over the last year. The submission should also describe the ways in which the team’s objectives have been achieved and the reasons why the team should be judged the best. Output services should submit a compilation DVD of significant extracts demonstrating the range and quality of the team’s output. Extracts may be taken from the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply translated reports, website links, printed or other materials that provide further evidence.

4. Professional Services

BBC Global News is a multifunctional division. This award celebrates and respects the great work our professional service areas do. It is awarded for excellence in teams which support BBC Global News, without whom things wouldn’t get done and we’d soon be off the air.



The award is open to both internal and external teams who support BBC Global News, for instance, technical, professional and specialist support areas within the division, such as Finance, Strategy & Business Development, MC&A, Legal, etc, as well as technical and professional support areas in the rest of the BBC which support Global News, and suppliers such as JCI, Siemens, VTC, etc.

What the judges will be looking for:

  • a team that has delivered exceptional service to the organisation.
  • a team that has gone the extra mile.
  • strong evidence of team working throughout.
  • a team whose work or project made the strongest contribution to achieving the Global News vision and objectives.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words. Reference may only be made to work or projects undertaken during the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply other materials that provide further supporting evidence of the team’s successes.

5. Individual of the Year

This award recognises an individual who has done something exceptional that has made a difference in the eyes of colleagues and/or our global audience. The winner might be an unsung hero who has worked behind the scenes to keep the show on the road, or they might be a well-known figure who has had an exceptional year.



There will be one winner and the award is open to anyone working for BBC Global News, either directly employed or supplying output or services to BBC Global News, across journalism and production areas as well as professional and support services. The nominee can be based anywhere in the world and work for Global News full-time, part-time or on a regular freelance basis.

What the judges will be looking for:

  • an individual who has done an exceptional piece of work in performing their role, either behind the scenes as an unsung hero, or in reaching an audience.
  • an achievement that is either sustained or around a single, unique event.
  • the impact of the work can be shown to have made a difference in the eyes of colleagues and/or our global audience, shown in feedback and/or audience data.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words. Reference may only be made to work or projects undertaken during the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply other materials that provide further supporting evidence of the individual’s achievement.

6. Team of the Year

This award recognises a team which works closely together consistently and well, with different team contributions over a period, a group where all parts come together to produce excellent results and you make a difference to the world and/or to the organisation.



There will be one winner and the award is open to anyone working for BBC Global News, either directly employed or supplying output or services to BBC Global News, across journalism and production areas as well as professional and support services. The nominated team can be based anywhere in the world and in more than one location.

What the judges will be looking for:

  • a high performing team who have worked together to achieve exceptional results.
  • the impact of the team’s work can be shown to have made a difference in the eyes of colleagues and/or our global audience shown in feedback and/or audience data.
  • Collaboration within the team who can demonstrate that working well together is integral.
  • an achievement that is either sustained or around a single, unique event.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words. Reference may only be made to work or projects undertaken during the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply other materials that provide further supporting evidence of the individual’s achievement. For the Journalist award, to aid the judges’ decision you may supply translated reports, website links, printed or other materials that provide further evidence.

7. The Global News Craft Award

A new award for 2010, the Global News Craft Award will celebrate all of the technical behind-the-scenes work that goes on to make sure our audiences receive our output at the very best quality.



The award is open to both internal and external teams and individuals who support BBC Global News, for instance, technical, professional and specialist support areas within the division and in the rest of the BBC which support Global News, and suppliers such as JCI, Siemens, VTC, etc.



Anyone can submit a nomination for either a team or an individual who has shown exceptional craft skills in editing, recording, filming, design and a wide range of other skills. Nominees might be studio managers, camera operators, digital designers, graphic designers, or those who work with visual/sound effects, production design or lighting. This is not an exclusive list but aimed to give you an idea of what the judges might expect.



What the judges will be looking for:

  • Craft skill excellence
  • innovative and inspirational use of technology
  • the impact of how the nominee’s work can be shown to have made a difference in the eyes of colleagues and/or our global audience
  • the ability to turn raw material into a high quality product that resonates to our audiences
  • achievement that is sustained in regular output or around a single, unique event.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words, together with supporting evidence. Reference may only be made to work or projects undertaken during the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply other materials that provide further supporting evidence of the success of the achievement. Where appropriate, these might include translated reports, website links, printed or other materials that provide further evidence.

8. One BBC Award

This award is a celebration of collaboration across Global News and the wider BBC. It recognises more than one team who have collaborated to embrace the One BBC value of working together.



As a new feature this year, the One BBC Award will voted for by staff in Global News. The judges will select the top three entries which will then be featured on the website and opened up to a staff vote. The winner will be announced with the other categories at the Awards ceremony.



The award is open to both internal and external teams who support BBC Global News, for instance, technical, professional and specialist support areas within the division, such as Finance, Strategy & Business Development, MC&A, Legal, etc, as well as technical and professional support areas in the rest of the BBC which support Global News, and partners such as JCI, Siemens, VTC, etc.

What the judges will be looking for:

  • outstanding examples of sustained collaboration across and beyond Global News, to achieve an impact wider than the department/individual concerned could achieve by themselves.
  • a clear benefit in the collaborative approach, so this award is about talking together regularly, sharing knowledge and expertise, experimenting with others, looking for ways of working together to the benefit of our audience, customers and stakeholders.
  • the platform, the output, the professional service, or the type of support, may be relevant, but will not be the defining factor.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words, together with supporting evidence. Reference may only be made to work or projects undertaken during the qualifying period 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009. To aid the judges’ decision you may supply other materials that provide further supporting evidence of the success of the achievement. Where appropriate, these might include translated reports, website links, printed or other materials that provide further evidence.

9. Outstanding Contribution

This award recognises the outstanding contribution to the BBC Global News by an individual over an extended period of time or for an outstanding single contribution beyond the call of duty that is so significant as to merit this award.



This award will be judged by a panel representing staff members.



What the judges will be looking for:

  • evidence of an individual who embodies the values and vision of Global News through their work, their achievements, their behaviour and values.

Submission information:

Anyone working for BBC Global News can nominate an individual, stating the reasons why the nominee has made such an outstanding contribution, explaining in no more than 250 words why the nominee deserves the award. The qualifying period for this award is not limited, but extends back to any time in more than 75 years of global broadcasting to the world. This is also the award for a single significant event that stands out as extraordinary in the eyes of colleagues and goes beyond the call of duty.

10. Kari Blackburn New Talent Award

This special award is for outstanding individual work by a newcomer, directly employed by Global News (BBC World Service, BBC World News, BBC Monitoring, BBC World Service Trust), to recognise and celebrate the life and work of Kari Blackburn. It is open to current journalists and programme-makers in their first two years with the division.



Anyone may nominate an individual (which may include Stringers and Freelance contributors), and will have joined after December 2007. They may be based in the UK or around the world.



The Kari Blackburn New Talent Award has been created to recognise Kari's memory in a way that she would have been proud, and which captures the values that she held so strongly about developing new journalists.

What the judges will be looking for:

  • an individual who, in their first two years with the BBC, has made a significant contribution to the BBC Global News output, reaching and connecting with our global audience.
  • the individual will embody the values of the BBC and BBC Global News, which they show through the excellence of their work, within the BBC's editorial guidelines, their journalistic achievements and their behaviour.

Submission information:

A written submission, in no more than 1000 words, plus supporting evidence such as work that the nominee has been directly responsible for during the period covered. Supporting evidence for all entries in languages other than English must be accompanied by a translation in English, in order for the judges to gain a good understanding of the programme / website.



During a BBC career that lasted for 30 years, Kari Blackburn became one of BBC World Service's most popular and respected journalists and executives, demonstrating an enthusiasm for Africa in particular. Kari embodied the values of BBC World Service and the international culture of its centre, Bush House. She developed and championed new joiners throughout her career. Kari herself joined the BBC in 1977 as a news trainee, becoming an African service producer for BBC World Service. In 1992 she was appointed editor of the BBC Marshall Plan of the Mind Trust. She returned to the African services to become head of the Swahili service, and later led the African services. Her last post was director of international operations for BBC World Service Trust, the centre of excellence in media techniques in development, aid and emergencies. Kari died on 27 June 2007.