Community journalists are watchdogs for, and the voices of the various communities they serve across South Africa. These journalists are embedded in their communities as they serve hyper local, relevant content. Often the community media exposes that which has been neglected by mainstream media. Support for community media thus remains a crucial part of ensuring a strong fourth estate.
Hence, the Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) NPC is excited to announce that it has partnered with Avbob Mutual Society as the main sponsor of the FCJ’s Annual Excellence Awards for the next three years (2022-2025).
Marietta Lombard, the FCJ’s Executive Director, says that the generous sponsorship from Avbob will go a long way in supporting and acknowledging the important role of community journalists in society. “The FCJ commends Avbob for joining hands with us. We would also like to thank our fellow director and founding member of the community awards, Hugo Redelinghuys, who was involved in the initial discussions with Avbob on this new journey,” says Lombard. “It is only with support such as that of Avbob that we can continue building a free, reliable and credible press for future generations,” Lombard says.
The sponsorship and agreement come after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic during which the FCJ’s annual awards had to be scaled down and postponed for large in-person gatherings.
