Eloge Willy Kaneza is an intrepid radio reporter from Burundi who, despite the increased violence, continues to report on his country for Burundians and the outside world.
“Not only does Eloge Kaneza embody the journalistic values the Peter Mackler Award seeks to honor, he and his colleagues have also found creative ways to push back on repression using online technologies,” said PMA Project Director Camille Mackler.
Eloge Kaneza, who stayed home in Bujumbura after the failed 2015 coup, became the only public face and the essential local link for the online news network SOS Media Burundi. The network publishes local, verified information via Face Book and Twitter as well as on the music sharing site SoundCloud.
The Award ceremony was held at the National Press Club in Washington DC on October 13th, and was followed by a panel discussion: Today’s front lines: From pen and camera to iPhone and WhatsApp.
Panelists were Malachy Browne (Senior Producer New York Times video,) Eloge Kaneza (2016 Peter Mackler award recipient,) and Scott Stearns (Managing editor of the Africa division at Voice of America,) with Louise Roug (contributing editor, Politico Europe) moderating.
