MISA LESOTHO/RSL JOURNALISM EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2026
Official Awards Information Pack and Entry Guidelines
Official Theme: Ho Bua ‘Nete, Ho Haha Lesotho
Speaking Truth. Building Lesotho. Celebrating Journalism that Strengthens Democracy, Culture and the Public Interest.
1. Welcome and Programme Overview
The Media Institute of Southern Africa – Lesotho Chapter (MISA Lesotho), in partnership with Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL), officially invites all practising professional journalists, print reporters, broadcast presenters, photojournalists and digital media practitioners across Lesotho to submit entries for the 3rd MISA Lesotho Journalism Excellence Awards 2026.
Operating as the flagship recognition platform of MISA Lesotho’s broader annual Journalism Development Programme, the awards honour ethical integrity, investigative courage and public-interest storytelling.
The 2026 Awards are anchored on evidence gathered from past independent adjudications, directly rewarding journalists who produce grounded, verified reporting that exposes corruption, protects human rights, informs citizens and strengthens democratic governance across Lesotho.
2. Key Dates and Timeline
- Eligibility Window: 1 September 2025 – 12 October 2026. Work must have been published or broadcast within this timeframe.
- Call for Submissions Opens: Friday, 25 September 2026.
- New Final Submission Deadline: Friday, 23 October 2026 at 11:59 PM SAST.
- Culminating Gala Ceremony: Mid-to-late November 2026, in Maseru, Lesotho.
3. Eligibility Criteria and Exclusion Rules
Participation in the 2026 Journalism Excellence Awards is governed by strict professional standards to safeguard the integrity of public-interest journalism.
- Open to all practising professional journalists, print reporters, broadcast journalists, radio presenters, photojournalists and freelance journalists operating legally within the Kingdom of Lesotho.
- Submissions must originate from established newsrooms, accredited publications, licensed broadcast stations or recognised digital news outlets adhering to professional editorial standards.
- All submitted entries must have been published or broadcast in a legitimate Lesotho or regional news outlet between 1 September 2025 and 12 October 2026.
4. Award Categories: 19 Public-Interest Fields
Applicants may enter across the following thematic categories designed to reward excellence in critical public-interest reporting:
- Journalist of the Year (Overall Winner): Highest award recognising overall investigative depth, ethical clarity, public impact and storytelling mastery across all media formats.
- Best Investigative Journalism: Exposing corruption, official misconduct, financial leaks or systemic abuse through rigorous primary research and documentary evidence.
- Best Business and Economic Reporting: In-depth coverage of national economic policies, public finance management, revenue administration, trade and corporate governance.
- Best Health and Public Health Reporting: Illuminating healthcare delivery gaps, disease outbreaks, maternal and child health, public health policy and medical ethics.
- Best Human Rights Reporting: Defending fundamental freedoms, civil liberties, access to justice and civil rights for marginalised or vulnerable populations.
- Best Gender-Sensitive Journalism: Nuanced reporting that addresses gender disparities, gender-based violence (GBV), equity and gender empowerment in Lesotho.
- Best Environmental and Climate Change Reporting: Investigating climate resilience, environmental degradation, land conservation, water resources and sustainable development.
- Best Political and Parliamentary Affairs Reporting: Fair, balanced analysis of legislative reforms, political governance, electoral integrity and parliamentary debates.
- Best Photojournalism and Visual Storytelling: Excellence in capturing decisive visual truth, societal realities and human emotion through unstaged news photography.
- Best Early Childhood Development Reporting: Highlighting early childhood care, nutrition, pre-primary education and child rights in line with national protection guidelines.
- Best Digital, AI and Technology Reporting: Investigating digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, telecommunications policy or emerging technology trends.
- Best Sports and Entertainment Journalism: Insightful feature reporting on sports development, cultural heritage, arts and the socioeconomic impact of creative industries.
- Best Community and Development Reporting: Amplifying voices and grassroots challenges from rural districts, local government councils and underreported communities.
- Best Solutions Journalism: Rigorous, evidence-based reporting that investigates responses to social problems, analysing what works and why.
- Best Multimedia Journalism: Exceptional integration of audio, video, interactive graphics, data visualisation and written text in digital storytelling.
- Best Women in Leadership Reporting: Highlighting the achievements, structural barriers and impact of women leaders in public service, business and civil society.
- Best Women in Politics Reporting: Excellence in reporting on female political candidates, political participation, governance leadership and electoral equity.
- Best Reporting in Sesotho: Excellence in reporting published or broadcast in Sesotho that demonstrates outstanding storytelling, linguistic and cultural nuance, research depth and public-interest impact.
- Best Emerging Journalist Award: Recognising exceptional promise, investigative drive and professional ethics in a journalist with fewer than three years of newsroom experience.
5. Medium-Specific Entry Criteria and Submission Guidelines
To ensure fair evaluation across media formats, entries must adhere to specific technical submission standards. Judges evaluate entries based on journalistic substance, research depth and ethical compliance rather than expensive equipment.
5.1 Print and Written Online Journalism
Applies to newspapers, weekly journals, digital news sites and online news portals.
Format Requirements
- Print entries must be submitted as clean PDF newspaper tear-sheets clearly showing the publication name, headline, author byline and date.
- Online entries must include active URLs alongside a PDF capture of the article.
Core Evaluation Criteria
Entries are evaluated on:
- Primary-source diversity, moving beyond public relations handouts.
- Documentary and data research depth.
- Pre-publication fact-checking rigour.
- Editorial independence.
- Multi-sided balance.
- Prompt Right of Reply compliance.
- Prose clarity.
- Strict adherence to Child Online Protection (COP) guidelines for minors.
5.2 Radio and Broadcast Journalism
Applies to commercial radio, state radio and television, community radio stations and broadcast news features.
Format Requirements
- Radio entries must be submitted as clear audio files in MP3 or WAV format, accompanied by air-date confirmation, which can be included in the submission form.
- TV and video entries must provide a viewable video file or stable digital link.
Core Evaluation Criteria
Entries are evaluated on:
- Audio and visual craftsmanship, including writing for the ear, effective use of field soundscapes and actualities.
- Editorial autonomy from station owners or political sponsors.
- Multi-perspective balance on controversial topics in accordance with the Lesotho Broadcasting Code 2022.
- Pre-air verification.
5.3 Photojournalism and Visual Storytelling
Applies to standalone news photographs, photo essays and visual storytelling series.
Format Requirements
- Photojournalism entries must include high-resolution digital image files in JPEG or PNG format, with a minimum of 300 DPI.
- Entries must be accompanied by proof of publication, such as a newspaper clipping or digital tear-sheet, and the original published caption text.
Core Evaluation Criteria
Entries are evaluated on:
- Visual narrative power.
- Emotional resonance.
- Technical composition, including framing, focus, exposure, perspective and timing.
- Societal context.
- Strict ethical non-manipulation.
Strict Visual Ethics Mandate
Staged photographs, digitally altered or manipulated images, AI-generated imagery and heavy cloning or editing are strictly prohibited. Minor tonal adjustments and cropping are acceptable only if they do not distort the visual truth of the scene.
6. The Level-Playing-Field Equity Rule
Equity Principle for Community and Resource-Constrained Media
To protect community radio stations, district journalists and independent news outlets operating under severe resource constraints, adjudicators are formally instructed to prioritise research depth, investigative courage, ethical integrity and storytelling substance over high-end studio technology, expensive camera equipment or glossy layouts.
At MISA Lesotho, good journalism competes strictly against good journalism, ensuring that every reporter in Maseru or the districts has an equal opportunity to win.
7. Submission Instructions and Secretariat Contact
To streamline the adjudication process and ensure that no entries are lost or misplaced, all submissions must be made strictly through the official online submission form. Email or physical submissions, such as flash drives or printed tear-sheets, will not be accepted.
Please ensure that all your files, links and supporting documents are uploaded directly through the portal before the revised deadline of Friday, 23 October 2026 at 11:59 PM SAST.
Official Online Submission Form:
Enquiries and Assistance
If you experience technical difficulties with the submission portal or require further clarification on the guidelines, please contact the MISA Lesotho Secretariat.
- Telephone: +266 5877 9645
- Email: [email protected]
- Physical Office: House No. 1B, Happy Villa, Maseru 100, Lesotho
New Final Submission Deadline
Friday, 23 October 2026 at 11:59 PM SAST
Late entries will not be accepted.