DSF 2004 Journalism Award jury reviews entries

DSF Journalism Awards are acknowledged as the highest recognition for meritorious print media coverage of the shopping and entertainment mega event of the region. Entries for the Awards are invited from print media organisations/journalists to participate in the 16 different award categories, giving away a total prize money of US$ 80,000.

The Jury consists of Ghassan Tahboob, General Manager (Media Studies) from the Executive Office, Ms. Mona Al Marri, Executive Manager, Dubai Press Club, Dr. Badran Badran, Associate Professor (College of Communications and Media Science), Zayed University, Dr. Ayesha Abdullah Al Naeemy, Associate Professor from the UAE University, Mr. Vivek Goenka, Group Editor, Indian Express and Dr. Jack Hillwig, Professor, College of Communication and Media Sciences, Zayed University.

DSF office has received a large number of entries from local, Pan-Arab and international in both English and Arabic languages. The huge number of entries received is testimony to the popularity of Dubai Shopping Festival amongst journalists working with newspapers and magazines based in these regions. The topics and the concepts that the journalists have chosen to write about also reflects the range of multi-faceted event. The Journalism Awards provide an opportunity for the journalists to research more aspects about the festival and win coveted prizes for the same.

Based on the trends in the forms of reportage for the Festival, the Awards distinguishes between two important writing styles, the first one being that followed by a feature writer, whether in the business, travel or cultural analysis categories and that followed by a reporter, writing on individual events and activities that constitute the 32-day extravaganza. Two awards in the Best Photography category recognize the best representation of the visual imagery of the event.

All the entries are judged on the quality of research, writing style, quality of content and overall presentation.

The winners of the Journalism Award will be announced on February 15, 2004 at the closing ceremony of Dubai Shopping Festival to be held at the East Hall of the Dubai Airport Expo at 7:00 PM.

Among the foreign recipients of the awards in the past were Ms. Tammana Bhatia of Aviation Times; Ms. Mildred Ngesa of Kenya Daily; Ms. Anubha Charan of India Today Plus, Delhi; Mr. Michael Frenchman of The Middle East, London; Mr. Gurbir Singh of The Times of India, Bombay; Mr. Khalid Salama of Al Watan, Qatar, and Mr. Mohammed Al Sheety of Al Qabas, Kuwait.