Independent Media’s entry of a social media campaign promoting its “baby trade” video series based on its debunked Tembisa decuplets reportage to a global news contest has been withdrawn amid controversy over its veracity.
The SA National Editors Forum had voiced its concerns to the International News Media Association (Inma) after the awards competition shortlist was made public on March 8.
The organisation said this week: “Inma understands how important trust is to news media. The shortlist process can be, and in this instance has been, used to provide additional information which the judges had no access to at the time of judging.
“Given the opportunity to review information from all parties related to the concerns raised, our international judges have reconsidered the entry, and it is no longer a finalist.”
The global media awards winners will be announced on June 8.
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Social media campaign based on ‘Tembisa decuplets’ withdrawn from awards shortlist
Image: 123RF / Prometeus
Independent Media’s entry of a social media campaign promoting its “baby trade” video series based on its debunked Tembisa decuplets reportage to a global news contest has been withdrawn amid controversy over its veracity.
The SA National Editors Forum had voiced its concerns to the International News Media Association (Inma) after the awards competition shortlist was made public on March 8.
The organisation said this week: “Inma understands how important trust is to news media. The shortlist process can be, and in this instance has been, used to provide additional information which the judges had no access to at the time of judging.
“Given the opportunity to review information from all parties related to the concerns raised, our international judges have reconsidered the entry, and it is no longer a finalist.”
The global media awards winners will be announced on June 8.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
TOM EATON | And the category is: best use of media to discredit itself
Debunked ‘Thembisa 10’ baby saga shortlisted in global media awards, to SA editors’ shock
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