Independent Media’s Baby Trade docuseries has been axed as a finalist for a global journalism award. (Read More Here).
The decision by the International News Media Awards (INMA) came after the SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) wrote to INMA, calling for the entry to be disqualified.
Last year, Pretoria News ran what it called an “exclusive story” claiming a 37-year-old Gauteng woman had broken a Guinness World Record by carrying and delivering 10 babies.
The organisation said it had written to the INMA to express its concern. Sanef called on INMA to remove the submission as a finalist and to disqualify the entry.
In a statement, INMA CEO Earl J Wilkinson said the entry had been removed from the list of finalists.
Wilkinson said “certain concerns” over the baby trade story had been brought to INMA’s attention after the competition shortlist was made public.
Independent Media had earlier demanded an apology from Sanef for writing to INMA and calling for the disqualification of an entry by the media house.
The forum has stressed the report has no basis in truth, is factually inaccurate and contributes to the spread of disinformation, deliberately misleading audiences.
Sanef says the story is not only fake but also dangerous as it sets back the advances made by the country in protecting women and children
