This is not an award for journalists who play it safe.
The Courage in Media Awards (CIMAS) are designed to honor communicators who exhibit bravery, determination and integrity in the telling of their stories – despite the costs.
Are you one of these heroes?
Do you know someone who exhibits such characteristics?
The free press is under fire as never before, both in the U.S. and abroad.
In foreign tyrannies, the threat may be more obvious. Record numbers of reporters, bloggers, authors and other communicators are being imprisoned, tortured and killed.
Here in the U.S. the threats come from different directions, lawsuits, self-censorship by corporations looking only at the bottom line, firings, ideological rigidity and conformity, pressure groups, business interests and out-of-control judges.
CIMAS are not awards for the faint of heart.
Rather, they are designed for those who personify the independent spirit that represents the best, no-sacred-cows tradition of the American free press in informing the public about vital issues.
Winners of CIMAS are likely to have faced opposition. They are likely to have faced adversity. Their work involved some sacrifice, not just in terms of hard work and time, but in facing ostracism, criticism, threats and, perhaps, worse.
CIMAS are not intended for the timid.
They are for those who relentlessly pursue the truth, not just presenting both sides. It takes courage and passion to follow this course when it means defying conventional wisdom or questioning prevailing beliefs. And now, for the first time, there is a cross-media award for those communicators‚ honoring the best, the bold and the brave.
The CIMAS also recognize, in the best of the American journalism tradition, that the central role of a free press in a free society is to serve as watchdog on government and other powerful interests.
The Courage in Media Award recognizes the changing face of communication. Awards are given in the media of print (newsprint, newssite, and magazine), letters (books), audio (radio and Internet), and video (television and Internet), blogs (written and video).
Winners are awarded a certificate, a check for $1,000 and a handcrafted, engraved, sterling silver cup, lined in gold, which represents victory – the victory that comes from choosing courage over compromise.
Criteria and categories of media qualified to submit.
Important information on submissions.
Attend the Courage in Media Awards Gala!
Call for more information: 1-800-THECIMAS
