BD Nominated Among Finalists in Diageo Awards

Nation Media Group-owned newspaper, Business Daily, has been nominated among the finalists in the 2008 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards (DABRA).

This is the most prestigious business journalism award scheme dedicated towards honouring the best journalism coming out of the continent.

The awards are named for Diageo, a global spirits and brewing business with significant interest on the continent, which founded and funds the initiative.

BD, as the newspaper is popularly known by its readers and journalists in Kenya, is now 15-months old and is competing for the "Media of the Year" award against The Africa Report of Paris-based Jeune Afrique publishers, African Banker and African Business, both of London-based IC Publications.

The Business Daily is now a must read among top company executives, fund managers, investors and other decision makers in Kenya.

It is now pursuing editorial and marketing initiatives that will expand its influence beyond the corner office to the ranks of senior managers, small and mid-sized business owners, majority of which are family-owned.

Major entrant

Though the newspaper largely circulates in Kenya, it has been a major new entrant on the continental business scene through its website, www.bdafrica.com, which has benefited from NMG's globally respected editorial franchise and a correspondent network spanning across Africa and in China.

"The hundreds of submissions received this year are a true reflection of the changes that have taken place over the five years since Diageo launched these awards.

"Reforms and investment opportunities have increased all across Africa. This has in turn increased demand for accurate, timely and, most of all, accessible information," said Nick Blazquez, the Managing Director of Diageo Africa.

"The international media have responded, and now more than ever, the role of business journalists and editors in informing and empowering investors deserves recognition. I would like to congratulate the finalists - the competition was especially tough this year," he said.

Diageo plc is the world's leading beverage company and produces brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys and Captain Morgan. The company has a controlling stake in East African Breweries Limited through its Diageo Africa subsidiary.

Hugh Levinson of the BBC Radio 4, Jonathan Clayton of The Times, Caroline Lambert of The Economist, Tristan McConnell, a freelance journalist and Anver Versi of African Business have been nominated for the "Journalist of the Year" award.

Other finalists in various categories include Jonathan Clayton of The Times of London for his piece entitled "Organic farmers face ruin as rich nations agonise over food miles", and a Kenyan journalist working for Reuters who has been covering the current struggles facing the South African economy over electricity shortages in a series entitled "South Africa Power".

The finalists for the "Best Radio Feature" include Steve Evans for a piece broadcast on BBC World Service entitled "Ghana - Rural Business", Hugh Levinson of BBC Radio 4 for the piece "Africalab" and Mr Adan Mynott on the same channel for a report, "Kenya Economy".

"Best Television Feature" category finalists include Rory Cellan-Jones, for the feature, "Laptops for Africa" that appeared on BBC One, BBC News 24, BBC World.

Tim Whewell and Caroline Pare have been nominated for "China in Congo" that appeared on BBC Newsnight. Marie Lora of Agence France Presse TV, was nominated for a feature entitled, "Business in East Africa."

The "Best Published Photograph" categories included Christophe Archambault of Agence France Presse whose photograph entitled, "When trade winds smell sweet", was published in The Economist, and Bernat Armangué Renter of the Associated Press whose photo "Kenyan flower fears", was published in the Guardian.

Winners will be selected by a panel chaired by Diageo's Chief Executive Officer, Paul Walsh, and comprised of notable broadcasters and personalties at a gala ceremony in London on Thursday, July 3.

2008 FINALISTS

Media of the Year

• The Africa Report (Jeune Afrique)

• African Business (IC Publications)

• African Banker (IC Publications)

• Business Daily (Nation Media Group)

Journalist of the Year

• Hugh Levinson (BBC Radio 4)

• Jonathan Clayton (The Times)

• Caroline Lambert (The Economist)

• Tristan McConnell (Freelance)

• Anver Versi (African Business)

Best Published Feature

• "Organic farmers face ruin as rich nations agonise over food miles" - Jonathan

Clayton (The Times)

• "The New Colonialists" - Alec Russell (Financial Times)

• "South Africa Power" - James Macharia (Reuters)

• "Tourism Special" - Alison Kingsley-Hall & team (BBC Focus on Africa Magazine)

Best Radio Feature

• "Ghana - Rural Business" - Steve Evans (BBC World Service, Business Daily)

• "Africalab" - Hugh Levinson (BBC Radio 4)

• "Kenya's Economy" - Adam Mynott (BBC Radio 4)

Best Television Feature

• "Laptops for Africa" - Rory Cellan-Jones (BBC One, BBC News 24, BBC World)

• "China in Congo" - Tim Whewell and Caroline Pare (BBC Newsnight)

• "Business in East Africa"- Marie Lora (Agence France Presse TV)

Best Published Photograph

• "When trade winds smell sweet" - Christophe Archambault, (Agence France Presse) published in The Economist)

• "Safaricom" - Joseph Sohm (Alamy, published in Timesonline)

• "The future is female" - Charles Bibby (Financial Times)

• "Hard labour" - Georgina Cranston (BBC Focus on Africa)

• "Kenyan flower fears" - Bernat Armangué Renter (Associated Press, published in The Guardian)