It was a female first and second for the United States embassy reporting contest for Sierra Leonean journalists. Martha Kargbo of Sky Radio and Sylvia Villa of Awoko topped the crowded field.
The fellowship, according to the US Mission, was organised to encourage local journalists to focus on long form, investigative reporting that seeks to address societal issues and strengthen democracy.
The Sierra Leone media is viewed by many as one of the most pluralistic in the sub region, largely so due to the proliferation of media outlets. But very few people outside the media industry think it is serving its watchdog role. The media mostly focus on politics, the trivial aspects of it, rather than shining the light on more important issues, in the view of experts.
The story writing competition was first announced in May when the Public Affairs Section of the embassy offered an opportunity for journalists to submit story ideas along three main areas: Climate Change, Girls’ Leadership and Press Freedom.
According to the embassy, 30 journalists sent in story pitches.
And in June entries from 18 journalists were shortlisted with of the shortlisted candidates receiving US$400 to complete their stories within a month.
Participating journalists were drawn from both newspapers and and radio including four members of the editorial team of Politico.
Other media houses represented included CTN, Star Radio and Standard Times and Blade newspapers.
Martha Kargbo of Sky Radio clinched the top spot with a radio programme on press freedom, while Sylvia Villa, a reporter with the Awoko newspaper, won the second prize with an article on the increasingly disturbing phenomenon of disposable plastic.
Sillas Gbandia, also of Awoko, took the third spot. He, like Villa, wrote on climate change.
The winners were presented their prizes recently at a small ceremony graced by US ambassador, John Hoover.
The first prize winner got US$ 1, 000 while the second and third prize winners bagged US$600 and US$400 respectively.
Martha Kargbo is the programme manager at Sky Radio. She is considered as one of the best female journalists in the country.
Hers is a fitting performance in a country were female journalists are limited by a horde of factors that make it hard for them to attain managerial levels.
(C) Politico 2016
