DAME Set For Recognitions That Spur Productivity Trustees of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence this month called for entries from radio, television, advertising and print journalists and organizations in 29 categories of DAME. This year’s Awards, the 18th edition, have in addition the Editorial Integrity category that aims to appreciate high ethical standards in Nigerian journalists. According to this announcement, only media works produced in Nigeria last year qualify for assessment in 2009. Advertising entries with effective application of the AIDA principle to attract, stimulate interest, create desire, and urge action will get high scores. Broadcast and Print entries are assessed according to the principle of Accuracy, Balance, Contextual Analysis, Depth of Research, Engaging use of language, and Relevance of the subject matter (ABCADER). The reflexive actions in a photo are important considerations under the Action Photography category. Award categories in print journalism open for this competition are Action Photography, Agriculture Reporting, Capital Market Reporting, Child Friendly Journalist, Child Friendly Media, Editorial Cartooning, and Editorial Integrity. For the Editorial Integrity category, journalists must explain within 500 words verifiable ethical challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome them. Other print categories include Editor of the Year, Editorial Writing, Health Reporting, Informed Commentary, Insurance Reporting, Judicial Reporting, Political Reporting, Press Reporter of the Year, Newsmagazine of the Year and Newspaper of the Year. Broadcasting categories are Radio Drama, Radio Presenting, Radio Reporting, TV Drama, TV Documentary and TV Reporting. In advertising, the six Awards for contestants are Press Adverts – Consumer Goods, Press Adverts – Services, Radio Commercials – Consumer Goods, Radio Commercials – Consumer Goods, Radio Commercial – Services, TV Commercial – Consumer Goods, and TV Commercials Services. Prizes for individual winners include DAME plaques, cash prizes, and Certificates of merit. Institutional winners will also get DAME plaques and Certificates of merit. Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) is a worthy humanistic scheme that rewards outstanding contributions by organizations and individuals in Nigeria’s media scene. It has awarded 343 prizes to individual and institutional media players in Nigeria since 1992 as Africa’s most consistent media awards platform. Individuals, organizations, and third party nominations are invited from July 1 to July 31, 2009. More information on entries application is available from advertisements in national dailies and news magazines and the Awards website: www. dameawards.com.