PRAIS Foundation

You are not alone!

The project “You are not alone, we will find the path together!”, launched by PRAIS Corporate Communications in 2001, consisted of a National Competition for Community Journalism addressing mass-media institutions – written press, radio, television – the first such contest in Romania. The competition was initiated and supported by PRAIS Foundation, in its action to become actively invol programmes developed to the benefit of the Romanian society.

Program objectives

The main objective of this competition was to launch a public debate in the mass-media, on the topic of abandoned children in Romania and the social and economic causes which drove this situation, changing the mentality of the communities, of those who decide our faith, as well as the families and youngsters preparing to step into life. Another aim was also to educate the community about the importance of family, keeping the moral values and affective climate for children development, with focus on education, solidarity and mutual help at social level in periods of difficulty.

Project development

The competition for community journalism was launched on June 1st, 2001, being developed for a period of one year and addressing all Romanian journalists who collaborate with a Romanian media institution (a Romanian legal entity) in one of the legal forms provided by law (labour agreement, collaboration agreement). The topic of the competition was the situation of abandoned children in Romania, the need to change the mentality of families and youngsters preparing to step into life, promotion of a healthy attitude of the community towards the importance of family, with a view to mitigating the abandonment and institutionalisation of children.

The participants were asked to register with materials published or broadcasted in the period June 1st, 2001 – June 1st, 2002, taking into consideration the recognition of talent, professional deontology and social responsibility of the journalist in the Romanian written, audio and visual media. Materials published in the written press (editorial, investigation, report) or broadcasted on the radio (investigation, report) and TV (investigation, documentary, report), falling within the topic proposed, were registered in the competition.

The Jury

The media materials participating in the competition were selected and assessed by the Grand Jury of the National Community Journalism Competition „You are not alone, we will find the path together!”, which was made of:

• Ceyda Aydede, Elected Chairman of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA)

• Thomas Achelis, President of the European Public Relations Confederation (CERP)

• Aurora Liiceanu – Doctor in psychology

• Luminita Rosca – Doctor University Lector, Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Bucharest University

• Mihai Dinu – Doctor University Professor, Faculty of Letters, Bucharest University

• Alin Teodorescu – Sociologist, General Director of the Marketing and Surveys Institute (IMAS)

• Silvia Bucur – General Manager, PRAIS Corporate Communications

The Results

On November 14th, 2002, the awarding ceremony for the Community Journalism Competition “You are not alone, we will find the path together” was held at Hotel Marriott, Grand Ballroom, with the participation of more than 200 figures of the Romanian civil society and mass-media.

The competition awards were granted as follows:

Excellency Awards in Community Journalism for the winning materials in each section:

Written press

Investigation – Eva Maria BATHORY, SZATMARY FRISS UJSAG, „Nascut lipsit de sanse?”
Report – Irina DIMIU, AVANTAJE, „Din intunericul canalelor, in lumina rampei”
Report – Laura LICA, EVENIMENTUL ZILEI, „Un medic a adoptat 15 copii bolnavi de SIDA”
Editorial – Val VALCU, ADEVARUL, „Povara rautatii”

Radio

Report – Andreea DEMIRGIAN, RADIO ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL, „Se cauta parinti“

Television

Documentary – Silvia-Carmen CONSTANTINESCU, TV ETALON, „Fabricat in Romania”
Report – Gabriela ROSTAS, ANTENA 1 CLUJ, „Maturitatea copilariei”
Report – Mihai GADEA, REALITATEA TV, „Viata la Superlativ”

The four winners of the Grand Prizes were awarded a one-week vacation, in one of the Magic Life clubs. The four winners of the Excellency Awards were awarded a one-week vacation in Poiana Brasov. The winners of the awards in each category, as well as the media institutions they represented, were given a Community Journalism Excellency Diploma. All the journalists participating in the competition, as well as the media institutions they represented, were given a Community Journalism Merit Diploma. The jury results were audited by the consultancy company PriceWaterhouseCoopers.The development of the competition was made possible with the support given to PRAIS Foundation by its partners: Global Tanitim, Magic Life, Visual Promotion, Fan Curier, Stage Expert.

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