Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Fresh perspectives: Young Journalist Award 2022

01/07/2022

Thomson Foundation is celebrating 60 years of promoting excellence in journalism and to mark the occasion, we're offering six rising stars the chance to connect with six of the best journalists in the industry as part of our prestigious Young Journalist Award 2022.

This year's award will be extra special for another reason, too. It will be the first time in two years that our three finalists will be able to attend the glittering ceremony in London in person. The pandemic of the past two years has meant finalists could only attend virtually.

For our 60th anniversary, there's an added bonus which we're calling Connect 6'. To mark six decades of the foundation, our three finalists as well as the next three highest in our shortlist will have the opportunity to be mentored for six months by six established journalists from our alumni.

Entry form here.

For our 60th anniversary, there's an added bonus which we're calling Connect Six'.

Entries are now open for the Young Journalist Award. It has given a boost to some brilliant journalists over the years, each one of them demonstrating a rich tapestry of investigative journalism, exposing social issues and holding power to account.

Previous winners of the prize include Sudanese journalist Yousra Elbagir, now Africa correspondent for Sky News, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning documentary maker, Waad Al Kateab from Syria, and Peruvian journalist, Martin Leandro Camacho who has received a series of accolades since winning in 2020.

The three Young Journalist Award finalists will automatically qualify for the mentorship programme. The additional three will be selected from the shortlist of 12 to join them as part of our ongoing investment into ethical, independent and trusted journalism. If you are one of the selected six, you'll be provided with a unique package of support and paired with an established journalist matched to your region from our extensive alumni network. You'll learn from them how their exclusives and investigations have changed the world, and how yours can too.

In addition, all 12 journalists in the shortlist will be given space on our website and social media channels and receive a certificate from Thomson Foundation commending them on the high standard of their work.

Loyal supporters of the foundation will already know how the award works, but heres the lowdown for newcomers.

How it works Now in its 10th year, the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award in partnership with the UK Foreign Press Association (FPA) is open to journalists aged 30 or under from countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than $20,000. Those who meet the criteria are welcome to submit a portfolio of three published pieces of work produced in the 12 months preceding the deadline for submissions, which is 12 August, 2022. They can be in any medium - print, audio, video or multimedia.

A panel of Thomson Foundation judges will tackle the substantial task of scouring through hundreds of entries, for stories that are revelatory, prompt public debate and have led to, or have the potential to lead to, positive change in society.

We draw up the shortlist of 12 then leave the final decisions to our international supreme court. Last year, we welcomed three independent FPA judges from Spain, Denmark and Bangladesh. This year's external judges are Michael Crick, a British journalist for more than 30 years, who was also founding member of Channel 4 News, Stryker McGuire, former senior editor at Bloomberg Markets, and Megha Mohan, the BBC's first gender and identity correspondent.

The chair of the FPA judges will be Alessandro Allocca, a freelance journalist working for the Italian daily newspaper, La Repubblica.

Key dates Deadline for entries: 12 August 2022

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 UK time on the night of deadline day

Long shortlist of 12 announcement: 28 September 2022, World News Day

Shortlist of six announcement: w/c 3 October 2022

Three finalists announcement: w/c 10 October 2022

Young Journalist Award winner announcement: 28 November 2022, FPA Awards

We look forward to seeing this year's submissions for the Young Journalist Award. Good luck to all those entering.

How to apply The entry form can be found here.

Visit our dedicated competition page to see our previous winners, find out what the judges are looking for and how you can impress them. For enquiries relating to your submission which are not answered here or in the entry form, email: awardfpa@thomsonfoundation.org

#TFYoungJournalist

Kind words Winning the award remains the pinnacle of many careers. Here, some of our previous winners explain how the victory positively impacted their journalism and why others should enter.

I recommend journalists under 30 apply for this incredible opportunity. It opened so many doors for me. A huge thank you to Thomson Foundation for empowering local journalists - Yousra Elbagir, Sudan, 2016 Young Journalist Award winner

I was very honoured to receive this award. But it's not just about the award, but the relationship and support received from the foundation after the award. It gave me a lot of confidence and hope that we, as new voices around the world, are heard - Waad Al Kateab, 2017 Young Journalist Award (special recognition) winner

The award has made me believe that everything is possible. Now sometimes I dream of winning a Pulitzer. I have become more disciplined in my work, I have more confidence in my pen and it's encouraging to know that peripheral issues often ignored can garner worldwide media relevance and perhaps achieve a flash of justice - Martin Leandro Camacho, 2020 Young Journalist Award winner

Related content

Persistence pays off

Meet our 2021 Young Journalist winner, Kai Hui Wong from Malaysia

Doing the groundwor
LINK: http://www.thomsonfoundation.org/latest/fresh-perspectives-young-journ...
See more stories from thompsonfoundation

More from Thomson

01/05/2025

Safety, media freedom and integrity top agenda for World Press Freedom Day

As Tanzania approaches a pivotal election year marked by both promise and concern over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on media, more than 300 journa...

23/04/2025

Finding Accountability

In 2024, Thomson's Total Turnout project played a pivotal role in elevating ethical election reporting and strengthening journalist safety in Pakistan. Wit...

16/04/2025

A Voice Amidst Conflict

At a time when Sudanese women journalists face unprecedented challenges, She Speaks Sudan has provided a critical platform for training, mentorship, and collabo...

15/04/2025

We refuse to be erased: Zahra Joya on the women reporting under Taliban rule

As women in Afghanistan are stripped of their rights - banned from education, barred from public life and rendered invisible - a number of women journalists con...

14/04/2025

Reporting the Change

Rwanda's vulnerability to climate change is underscored by its ranking of 124th out of 182 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative's in...

19/03/2025

Validation Booster: Funding and Mentorship for European Media Innovators

Applications are open for the second cycle of the Validation Booster programme, offering European media outlets, networks, and content creators the opportunity ...

07/03/2025

The Women Journalists Defying Taliban Oppression

Increasing restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan is forcing women journalists take extraordinary risks to their own safety to tell their stories. The ...

21/01/2025

Leading journalists offer unique insights in war and conflict training course

Two senior war reporters from the BBC and Sky News have joined an outstanding array of experts in a unique series of training courses for journalists covering p...

16/01/2025

Thomson Appoints New Director of Research, Policy and Impact

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Mundy as Thomsons new Director of Research, Policy and Impact. Gary will join the organisation in March 2025,...

15/01/2025

Revolutionising News Production: Thomson's workshop at Al Jazeera's AI in Media Conference

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism reached a crescendo a...

08/01/2025

AI Disclosure in Journalism: New Report Highlights Challenges and Opportunities

A landmark document examining key issues into how the media industry is grappling with the challenges of explaining how its using AI in its publications and bro...

30/12/2024

21 Years of Media Development: Lessons, Challenges and Change

Leaving Thomson after 21 years, former Managing Director David Quin reflects on a career spent navigating the shifting sands of global media development. From r...

20/12/2024

Thinking of Launching a Podcast? Let Our New Guide Show You How

Podcasting has become one of the most popular ways to tell stories and connect with audiences, but getting started can be intimidating, especially when it comes...

16/12/2024

Balancing Innovation and Ethics: Thomson's AI in Media Masterclass in Prague

Thomson's Executive Learning Series wrapped up its 2024 calendar with a landmark event in Prague. The AI in Media masterclass brought together 24 media lead...

13/12/2024

Reporting in Silence: Young Journalist of the Year on working in secret under Taliban rule

Reporting in secret under the oppressive shadow of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, ...

04/12/2024

Behind the Headlines: Lessons from London for a Young Journalist Finalist

Somaiyah Hafeez, one of this year's finalists for Thomson's Young Journalist of the Year Award, had a transformative visit to London. As the only finali...

26/11/2024

Afghan Reporter Wins Young Journalist of the Year 2024

A woman journalist from Afghanistan has been named Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist of the Year 2024. The journalist, who we are not naming for her ow...

13/11/2024

EU Investigative Journalism Awards 2024 honour powerful storytelling

Award-winning journalists from the Western Balkans and T rkiye break new ground with impactful investigations on healthcare, environmental threats, human rights...

05/11/2024

Somaiyah Hafeez: Finalist for Young Journalist of the Year 2024

Somaiyah Hafeez, a journalist and writer from Balochistan, Pakistan, stands out for her commitment to telling the stories of overlooked communities in her regio...

05/11/2024

Aisha Farrukh: Finalist Young Journalist of the Year 2024

Aisha Farrukh a multimedia journalist from Pakistan focuses on human interest stories and aims to create change through her storytelling. Twenty eight year old ...

05/11/2024

Afghan woman reporter: Finalist, Young Journalist Year 2024

One of the three finalists for the Young Journalist of the Year 2024 is a woman journalist working in secret in Afghanistan because of the restrictions imposed ...

31/10/2024

Revealing our finalists for the Young Journalist of the Year 2024

Three journalists whose stories give a voice to people who are oppressed or marginalised have been chosen as the finalists for the 2024 Young Journalist of the ...

16/10/2024

New role at Thomson for Federica Varalda

We are pleased to announce that Federica Varalda has been appointed as Managing Director - Development for the Thomson Group. She will be leading project develo...

23/09/2024

Courageous journalism showcased as shortlist for Young Journalist Award 2024 announced

Reporting from a female journalist who is working in secret due to Taliban restr...

30/07/2024

Yara El Murr: A year on from winning the Young Journalist Award

We caught up with Yara El Murr, winner of the Young Journalist Award 2023, to find out how her life has changed since scooping the main prize for her investigat...

23/07/2024

Finding a Balance as AI Advances

Brussels was the location of our third Thomson Talks with Madhav Chinnappa held on 25 June 2024, focused on the specific subject of AI/News & Regulation. Four k...

03/07/2024

AI in Central European Newsrooms: Thomson s New Study Reveals Insights

AI's integration into journalism has sparked a mix of enthusiasm and scepticism across Central Europe, according to research led by Thomson Foundation in co...

01/07/2024

Entry Opens for Young Journalist of the Year 2024

This was such a confidence boost and so much motivation to keep pushing forward in my work and public service journalism. Yara El Murr from Lebanon recollecti...

21/06/2024

Competition to achieve trusted newsroom status as new campus is launched

A new platform dedicated to helping journalists win audience trust and tackle disinformation has been launched and with it a competition offering newsrooms (fro...

30/05/2024

Empowering Media Leaders: Transformative Insights from the Executive Learning Series

Navigating Strategy, Ethics, and Innovation in the evolving European media lands...

28/05/2024

AI and Disinformation in Taiwan's 2024 Election

This is a summary of the report commissioned by Thomson on AI Disinformation Attacks during Taiwans 2024 Presidential Elections, written by Professor Chen-ling ...

13/05/2024

Entry opens for EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2024

Journalists from the Western Balkans and T rkiye can now submit their investigative stories published in 2023 for the EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2024...

03/05/2024

Sudan: New WhatsApp Course Equips Journalists to Report on Conflict Related Sexual Violence

An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...

29/04/2024

She Speaks Sudan': Thomson launches programme to empower women journalists and civil society actors in exile

A groundbreaking initiative offering training and mentoring to 30 women journali...

23/04/2024

Tackling lies online: the answer may be all in the mind

Psychology can play an important role in helping us understand what audiences respond to (Dr Jon Roozenbeek, Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab) For newsroo...

10/04/2024

AI and Regulation: Advocating for an Informed and Collaborative Approach

A regulator, a technologist and a politician walking into a conference room - the beginning of a very geeky joke - or more accurately, the start of the second T...

09/04/2024

AI and Disinformation in Taiwan s 2024 Election

This is a summary of the report commissioned by Thomson on AI Disinformation Attacks during Taiwans 2024 Presidential Elections, written by Professor Chen-ling ...

04/04/2024

Rethinking how we tackle disinformation in the age of AI

This fantastic course will help you understand and fight disinformation, an absolutely essential skill to acquire during this global election season. Sign up an...

02/04/2024

Transformative Technology in challenging media landscapes

Thomson's work in captive, closed and repressive media landscapes has long been about making sure we get the best possible idea of what people really need f...

28/03/2024

No votes for all

Out of an estimated 20,000 journalists in Pakistan, less than one thousand are women according to a recent Gender Disparity Report published by the Internationa...

15/03/2024

Connecting and training Sudanese journalists-in-exile

To help empower Sudanese journalists living in exile amidst the ongoing conflict in their homeland, Thomson trainers have been delivering workshops designed to ...

01/03/2024

Award winning young journalists get their mojo in London

MoJo is something I want to pursue further and include, not as a last thought, but as a one of the components of my daily work. Michelle Banda Vodacom Young Jou...

23/01/2024

Open Call: Executive Learning Programme For Media Professionals in the Western Balkans

A chance to apply for the new learning programme specifically designed for media...

16/01/2024

AI and Disinformation: why collaboration and culture change matter

This is a summary of the inaugural Thomson Talks with Madhav Chinnappa held on 30 November 2023 focused on the specific subject of AI/News & Disinformation. Th...

22/12/2023

Enhancing minority representation in run-up to Pakistan s elections

Pakistan is one of more than 65 countries where decisive elections will take place in 2024 in what will be the biggest election year in history. Thomson Media ...

19/12/2023

Rwanda: High-impact investigative journalism celebrates success

An innovative investigative training programme for Rwandan journalists has resulted in the publication of 15 impactful stories which have prompted widespread ch...

18/12/2023

Head of Development: New role for Thomson

As 2023 draws to a close, a new chapter begins for Thomson with the appointment of a new member of the team. Anton Artemyev joins us in January in a new role a...

24/11/2023

In the news - media insights for Young Journalist finalists

The three finalists for the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year 2023 enjoyed an action-packed trip to London which included meeting the Queen, visit...

21/11/2023

Yara El Murr wins Young Journalist Award 2023

Yara El Murr from Lebanon is Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist of the Year 2023. Yara received the honour at the Foreign Press Association Media Award...

17/11/2023

Yashraj Sharma: The 2022 YJA winner on a year of opportunity

Yashraj Sharma has seen big changes in his life since he won the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award in 2022. In the run up to the 2023 winner being anno...