Journalism Prize Opens Up

Since its founding in 2001, the Finnish Grand Prize for Journalism has been one of the most prestigious media awards in Finland, recognizing the best in journalistic efforts for the year. And the awards for 2011 will be no different, except for one change: The public will be able to cast its vote for a special "Audience Favorite" prize. "We as journalists do our daily job for the audience," says Mari Haavisto, producer of the awards show that is broadcast live on MTV3, this year on March 21. "So I think it's important that the audience also can give their opinion about journalists and decide who should win the award. And this way I want to get the audience more involved in the gala as well."

The public voting is done via the prize website - the only requirement is that those voting are registered also on Facebook - and the voting is already open at the site in Finnish and Swedish. Not only does this help spread the word, it also helps the prize committee ensure that only one vote is cast per person. Of course the traditional categories - Journalist of the Year, Story of the Year and Journalistic Achievement of the Year - are still in place, with three nominees in each category chosen by the prize committee. For the Audience Favorite, the public will choose from among all nine.

"When people vote, they can share the opinion on Facebook," Haavisto says. "We're promoting the voting on Facebook as well, and we'll have banners on different sites about the voting. Plus every year we have a television commercial about the TV broadcast of the gala and this year we'll be promoting Facebook voting there as well. This way I want to take audience more involved in gala as well."

The Audience Favorite prize will not include a monetary award, however. "The prize is something interesting connected to the Internet and social media world, but it is still a surprise," says Haavisto.