Friday 10 February 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- Full list of entries for Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing published
- Record
263264 books, 140 journalists, 226 bloggers entered - Prize advertises for new administrator as deputy director leaves
The Orwell Prize, Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing, today publishes the full list of entrants for the 2012 Prize. A record 263264 eligible entries for the Book Prize (up from 213 in 2011), 140 entries for the Journalism Prize (up from 87 in 2011) and 226 entries for the Blog Prize (up from 205 in 2011) have been received. A full list of entries can be found on the Orwell Prize website. The Prize is one of the very few to publish such a list, believing it an excellent way to publicise as much political writing as possible as well as being transparent. Director of the Orwell Prize, Jean Seaton, said: “In 2011 there was so much news that mattered, and that posed problems for which the solutions are not easy and will affect all of our futures. “The writers and thinkers and journalists and bloggers that have flooded into another record haul for the Prize reflect this – and will hopefully point us all, public, politicians and press, in the direction of some of the answers.” The Orwell Prize is also advertising for a new administrator. The current deputy director, Gavin Freeguard, will be leaving the Prize and the Media Standards Trust (which administers the Prize on behalf of the Council of the Orwell Prize) at the beginning of March. He has been responsible for running the Prize since November 2007. The job advert can be found on the Orwell Prize and Media Standards Trust websites, and w4mp.org. The closing date is Friday 17 February 2012. This year’s Book Prize judges are author and previous winner Miranda Carter, previously shortlisted Helena Kennedy QC and Daily Telegraph assistant books editor Sameer Rahim; judging the Journalism Prize are previous Book Prize winner Brian Cathcart and professor of journalism Ian Hargreaves; and, for the Blog Prize, journalist Suzanne Moore and previously shortlisted blogger Hopi Sen. The longlists will be announced on 28th March 2012, the shortlists on 25th April 2012 and the winners on 23rd May 2012. ENDS 1. The Orwell Prize is Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing. Every year, prizes are awarded to the work – for the book, for the journalism and for the blog – which comes closest to George Orwell’s ambition ‘to make political writing into an art’. 2. The Prize was founded by the late Professor Sir Bernard Crick in its present form in 1993, awarding its first prizes in 1994. The Media Standards Trust, Political Quarterly and Orwell Trust are partners in running the Prize, through the Council of the Orwell Prize. Richard Blair (Orwell’s son) is a sponsor, with support from A. M. Heath. 3. For further information, please contact the Deputy Director, Gavin Freeguard, at gavin.freeguard@mediastandardstrust.org, or on 0207 229 5722.