We all know a good story when we see it, right? So do the independent judges for the 2023 Sanlam Group Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism.
 The judging panel considers a variety of factors when carefully assessing the entries in each category.
 As you choose your story for this edition of the awards, it is worth noting the criteria applied by the judges covering the following key aspects:
- Balance or fairness:Â Stories must strive for balance and present all sides of a story. In fairness, the story should strive for accuracy and truth in reporting, and not slant in any way.
- Insight, analysis, or examination of the context of the story. This includes references to the journalist having probed the questions “why” and “how” behind a story.
- Originality includes ingenuity of an idea and/or its importance, originality of subject, originality of execution, initiative, surprising angle, and interesting subject matter.
- Relevance and public impact or benefit of the story, includes relevance to the community, public service impact, effect on society, challenges, and shows value/utility for the reader/listener/viewer.
- Reporting rigor includes references to information gathering, depth of research or number of sources, thoroughness of reporting, new information, and factual detail
- Writing and/or storytelling techniques include writing/broadcasting quality, engagement, and emotional impact, vivid presentation, compelling/captured attention, structure/architecture, creativity, style or flair, voice, and narrative technique.
 Full details about all the categories of the awards will assist you in deciding which story to submit and what category to enter. Find out more at this link.
 There are now three weeks left to submit entries which close on 29th February. The independent judging panel looks forward to seeing all the diverse business news stories telling the continuity of the continent through the best African financial journalism.
