Introduction
Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, recently recognised for its Year of Reading efforts at the 2016 UAE Pioneer Awards. The Foundation supports and nurtures literature in the United Arab Emirates through a year-round programme of events and is home to the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. The ninth Festival will be held from 3-11 March, 2017 during the UAE’s Month of Reading.
The international and regional media has played an integral role in the success and prominence of the Festival and the promotion of literature in the UAE. Since the first edition of the Festival in 2009, the media have helped communicate the Festival vision and the importance of reading in the country.
As the Festival has evolved into the UAE’s premier annual literary festival, winning awards for four years running in the UAE, the Media Award is dedicated to the hard work of journalists and editors who will be honoured for their efforts and coverage of the ninth annual Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
Emirates Literature Foundation Media Awards 2016-2017
For the first time, the Emirates Literature Foundation has instituted Media Awards to reward journalists and editors who provide the most informative coverage about the Foundation’s flagship event, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, and spread the message of reading for pleasure.
The eligible coverage dates are 19 October 2016 to 10 April 2017. Participants will be invited to an Awards dinner in April, where the winners will be announced.
Participants
Language categories:
- Arabic
- English
Eligibility Criteria:
- Open to Print and Online media
- Participant must enter Three separate pieces of coverage to qualify for the Award
- Maximum number of coverage to be entered – Five
- All entries must be submitted either by delivering physical copies of the completed application form and the coverage to the offices of BPG Cohn & Wolfe – Emirates Airline Festival of Literature PR Agency, or by completing the online form and uploading the coverage on this page
Award Categories
| Category | Award |
| Best Arabic Media Feature About Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (Original Content Only) – Print or Online | 4-day weekend trip for two to New York or London including:
· Flights for two · Accommodation at the five star InterContinental Hotel |
| Best English Media Feature About Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (Original Content Only) – Print or Online | 4-day weekend trip for two to New York or London including:
· Flights for two · Accommodation at the five star InterContinental Hotel |
Judging Criteria
The award is supervised by a qualified panel of judges consisting of highly regarded media personnel and media experts. All nominations will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges whose decision will be final and binding. No correspondence will be entered into with the judges. The judges are chosen at the discretion of the Emirates Literature Foundation management.
Criteria for evaluation will include the following:
| Writing Style | Score |
| Quality of Research | 35 |
| Quality of Content and Focus on Promotion of Reading | 25 |
| Overall Presentation | 25 |
| Degree of Innovation | 15 |
| Total | 100 |
Click here to download the Media Awards 2016-2017 policy.
Definition and Specifics:
Quality of Research
The feature must be built on a solid foundation of research and should be the result of an actual interaction with the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, be it through author interviews, interviews with Festival representatives or a visit to the Festival to engage and convey an accurate impression of the literary event in the form of an article.
Quality of Content and Focus on Promotion of Reading
The content must show a high degree of professionalism, relevance and aspire to reach the highest standards of credibility as well as promote a passion for reading among the reader.
Overall Presentation of Article
This takes into account the overall visual attractiveness, the depth of the material, the clarity of the language and the impression that is left in the target audience’s mind.
Degree of Innovation
The news angle must stimulate the audience to ask deeper questions. It must spark a desire to find out more about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and prompt the readers to explore it.