2018 RDMA winners announced

Last week, the winners of the 2018 Diageo SA Responsible Drinking Media Awards (RDMAs) were announced, following an awards ceremony held at Summer Place in Johannesburg.

Both the Best Radio Award (Category 1: National/commercial) and the Journalist of the Year Award for the best overall entry were won by Megan Lubke.

Newspaper winners

Best Newspaper (Category 1: +50,000 circulation) was won by Claire Keeton for her article in the Sunday Times titled “A tortured soul who flew too close to the light.” The article is the story of landscape artist Walter Meyer and his lifelong struggle with alcoholism.

Samantha Lee from People’s Post won in the Best Newspaper (Category 2: below 50,000 circulation/Community) for her article titled “Interventions for change,” which reported on alcohol abuse and how it contributes to domestic violence.

Magazine winners

Lynette Botha won the Best Online category for “Sober Up” on Marie Claire Online. Lynette tells her personal story of being a wine-lover and giving up alcohol for a month. She also interrogates the health implications of alcohol abuse.

Best Magazine went to Ilse Salzwedel for her article in Rooi Rose magazine “Dink nuut oor drank en swangerskap.” This was a heart wrenching account of a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome and the adoptive mother who loved and cared for her.

TV and radio winners

Cleopatra Jones won both Best TV and Best Up and Coming for her insightful exposé on SABC’s Special Assignment called “Rock Bottom”.

Best Radio (Category 1: National/commercial) was won by Megan Lubke for her impactful multi-media piece on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome which was interrogated on the Eusebius McKaiser show on Talk Radio 702. Megan also won Journalist of the Year for the best overall entry.

Juju Senyatsi from Alex FM took the award for Best Radio (Category 2: Regional/Community) for another incredible look at Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Media House of the Year and Consumers’ Choice Award

Media House of the Year was awarded to Media 24 for having submitted the most amount of entries this year.

Finally, to mix things up a little and get the South African public involved, Diageo SA opened up all the finalists’ articles to a public vote on Facebook. Marvin Charles from Cape Argus was selected as the winner of the Consumers’ Choice Award.

Influencing perceptions and influence behaviour positively

Diageo has heard the recent calls by government and communities for members of the liquor industry to help curb the negative drinking culture in South Africa. The RDMAs is probably one of the strongest ways to do this. With entries increasing exponentially year on year, Diageo will remain committed to this initiative because every story put out to the South African public will help change perceptions and influence behaviour positively,

Says Sibani Mngadi, corporate relations director of Diageo South Africa.

Judged by a mix of media experts consisting of Phathiswa Magopeni, Bongani Siqoko, Mahlatse Mahlase, Mary Papayya and Caiphus Kgosana, the winners of each category won R15,000. Finalists were also treated to an exclusive event, hosted by MC Eusebius McKaiser and attended by Diageo executives, industry stakeholders and media.

The RDMAs recognise journalists and media at large for their efforts to positively influence perceptions and habits related to the irresponsible use of alcohol.

For more information on the awards and how to enter next year, click here.