Tongan journalists excel in first Journalism Awards programme [1]
Saturday, April 20, 2013 - 21:00. Updated on Sunday, April 20, 2014 - 09:52.
Journalism awards went to, from left, Lesila Lokotui To‘ia (Women and Children Crisis Centre); Mele Vaka Havili (Tonga Broadcasting Commission, Radio Tonga AM); Finau Fonua (Vava'u Press Ltd.); Marian Kupu (Broadcom 89.5FM), and Linny Folau (Matangi Tonga Online). Basilica, Nuku'alofa, Tonga, 19 April 2013.
Five award-winning writers received prizes on Friday April 19 in the first Tongan Journalism Awards programme, organised by the Tonga National Planning Committee for International Women's Day 2013.
The awards programme which attracted 29 entries, was part of a five-days workshop for "Upskilling journalists and advocates on reporting family violence", held at the Basilica in Nuku'alofa from 12-19 April 2013.
The Guest of Honour the Australian High Commissioner H.E. Mr Brett Aldam reaffirmed his own commitment to the "White Ribbon" campaign, which is organized by men working to end men's violence against women, before he presented the Journalism Awards to the winners.
Matangi Tonga Online journalists won two prizes in the awards for their outstanding stories on domestic violence.
Linny Folau, Matangi Tonga's crime reporter and photo-journalist, was the overall winner, winning the Journalism Award for the most informative news article on the proposed changes to family violence policy and laws in Tonga, with her article: Changing laws, changing attitudes - new Family Protection Bill aims to stop violence [2]
Journalism graduate, Finau Fonua, an intern with Vava'u Press Ltd., won the Journalism Award for the most newsworthy article on the consequences of family violence on the health sector in Tonga – based on an interview with Tonga's Dr Mapa Puloka, Family violence causes mental illness, says Tonga's psychiatrist [3]
Marian Kupu, a journalist and announcer with Broadcom Broadcasting, Nuku'alofa 89.5 FM, won the Journalism Award for the most newsworthy article revealing statistics and the current family violence situation in Tonga, with her story: Speak out! It can save someone like you [4]
Lesila Lokotui To'ia, of the Women and Children Crisis Centre, won the Journalism Award for "Ko ho fo'ui pe" for the most informative news article exploring religious and cultural issues around domestic violence.
Mele Vaka Havili, a Radio Tonga AM announcer, Tonga Broadcasting Commission was the first runner-up in the current family violence category, with the real voices in her story "Emotional violence shatters families' hearts."
There was no winner in the category for "The Impact of Family Violence on the Tongan Economy," - the judges noted this is a concept that is new in Tonga and an area that has still to be researched and explored.
The aim of the workshop was to raise national awareness on family violence issues in Tonga by upskilling journalists and advocates.
The judges for the journalism awards were Stephanie Edmond, a journalism trainer and programme facilitator from New Zealand's Ministry of Social Development, Sione Vikilani from the Tonga Legislative Assembly office, and Gabriel 'Ilolahia the co-author of the Tonga National Report on Family Violence. Articles were number-coded, before judging so the writers and their organizations were not identified during the independent judging process.
Cash prizes of $100 each were sponsored by the Tonga Development Bank, WISE Tonga Inc, Lepolo Taunisila of the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team, and Matangi Tonga Online. The winners of the awards also receive a complimentary one-year subscription to the Matangi Tonga Online.