US $25,000 prize for best investigative report on corruption in Latin America

The Press and Society Institute (IPYS) and Transparency International in Latin America and the Caribbean (TILAC), launched the 6th edition of the only Latin American award aimed at promoting investigative journalism on corruption. Funded by the Open Society Institute, the prize worth US $25,000 will be awarded to the best investigative report on corruption published in the Latin American or Caribbean media. A further two awards, worth US $5,000 each, will be given for valuable investigative works. To be eligible, reports must have been published between 1 January and 31 December 2007. The deadline for sending the reports (print, tv/broadcast, radio or electronic media) is 30 March 2008. The jury will meet in June 2008.

“With this latest competition we continue our work of promoting high quality journalism as a critical watchdog of all public affairs that should be encouraged” says Ricardo Uceda, Executive Director or IPYS. “Carrying out this kind of journalism is not easy. It demands time and resources that are not available, and it brings dangers and pressure coming from conflict of interests.”

The contest is aimed at gaining a better knowledge of corruption in Latin American countries, where the corruption is at such alarming levels that it hinders the economic and social development of its inhabitants, as several TI and other studies show. “These journalistic works show the reality of the machinery of corruption and indicate gaps in the system that support corruption”, says Marta Erquicia, programme coordinator of the Americas department of Transparency International.

The highly experienced jury comprises prestigious journalists with a broad understanding of Latin American: Marcelo Beraba, special reporter of Folha de S. Paulo; and President of the Brazilian investigative journalism association; Gustavo Gorriti, president of IPYS; Michael Reid, editor for America of The Economist; Gerardo Reyes, researcher/investigative journalist of El Nuevo Herald of Miami and co-winner of the Pulitzer Prize; and Tina Rosenberg, journalist of The New York Times and winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

For further information on TILAC click here.

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Transparency International is the global coalition against corruption.

For any press enquiries please contact

Berlin
Marta Erquicia
T: +49-30-3438 20651
Fax: +49-30-3470 3912
E: [email protected]

Lima
Carlos Bracamonte
T: +511 2473308
E: [email protected]