PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 September 2026 | Maseru, Lesotho
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Lesotho Chapter, in partnership with Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL), has officially opened the call for entries for the 3rd MISA Lesotho Journalism Excellence Awards 2026. Serving as a cornerstone of MISA Lesotho’s 2026 Media Development Initiative, the annual awards celebrate ethical integrity, investigative depth, and public-interest reporting across radio, print, television, photojournalism, and digital media.
Commitment to Fair & Inclusive Evaluation
The 2026 Awards reaffirm a strict level-playing-field approach, ensuring that entries are evaluated primarily on journalistic courage, research depth, and public interest impact. By prioritizing the core substance of a story over high-end technical production budgets, MISA Lesotho ensures that journalists from community and resource-constrained outlets are not left out and compete equitably alongside major commercial media houses.
Sponsorship Landscape & Featured Categories
MISA Lesotho is honored to announce Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) as the Principal Sponsor and Core Event Partner. Confirmed strategic partners also include Astratech as our Event Support Partner; UNDP Lesotho, sponsoring Best Reporting on Women in Politics; and UNFPA Lesotho, sponsoring both Best Reporting on Sexual & Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and Best Gender-Sensitive Reporting. We are also proud to welcome the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) and Standard Lesotho Bank as strategic partners, whose specific sponsored categories will be announced shortly.
Understanding that strategic partners manage varying annual budget cycles, MISA Lesotho is implementing a rolling sponsorship model. Journalists across Lesotho are encouraged to submit entries for any confirmed categories, as well as open categories, including a newly introduced recognition for excellence in Sesotho-language reporting, which remain fully accessible for submissions while additional partner sponsorships are finalized.
“These awards are not just a celebration of individual craftsmanship, but a commitment to media freedom, factual integrity, and public accountability in Lesotho,” said Nicole Tau, Acting National Director of MISA Lesotho. “By aligning our evaluation standards with national regulatory codes and regional best practices, we are ensuring that every journalist, regardless of their newsroom’s budget, has an equal opportunity to be recognized for their courageous work.”
Submission Guidelines
- Eligibility Window: Work published or broadcast between 1 September 2025 and 12 October 2026.
- Submission Deadline: Friday, 16 October 2026, 23:59 (CAT).
- Submission Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHUF6oPnMxTISCZm7M2LLSWU_q6M82w3BTxp-JgZm_vlr-hA/viewform?usp=header
The official submission form, comprehensive category details, and adjudication guidelines can be accessed via the Awards Information Pack or by contacting the MISA Lesotho Secretariat directly.
MISA Lesotho continues to welcome prospective corporate bodies, diplomatic missions, and civil society partners to join this national milestone by sponsoring open reporting categories. Official submission forms, category details, and adjudication guidelines are available directly through the MISA Lesotho Secretariat.
MEDIA INQUIRIES & SECRETARIAT CONTACT:
MISA Lesotho Secretariat | Maseru, Lesotho
Email: misalsexcellence.awards@gmail.com
Website: www.misalesotho.org.ls
