JURYS
CIVIS Media Prize 2020
A total of 36, very experienced experts from the fields of media, culture and politics were involved in the three juries for the CIVIS Media Prize 2020.
Members of the YOUNG C. jury and the video jury both met for several days in the premises of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) in Vienna. The AUDIO jury met at the ARD television studio in Berlin. Each jury viewed up to 40 hours of material. In total there were over 900 entries in 2020. A day on a CIVIS jury team means full concentration for every member and many lively discussions. Nominated contributions are selected according to strict criteria and high journalistic standards.
Here you can see the jury members of the CIVIS Media Prize 2020 during the meetings in Vienna and Berlin:
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick
Uni Bielefeld | Director Institute for Conflict and Violence Research
"The young journalist’s view of integration and migration is more radical, because it highlights the miserable situation of refugees from all backgrounds, shows that diversity is more lip service than reality and confronts us with stereotypes and prejudices that we’ve secretly accepted so as not to make our countries too open. Beware: young also means fast, factual and forward-thinking."
Christoph Takacs
ORF | TV Director Salzburg Regional Studio
"Remarkably to the point and strikingly original. That’s what distinguishes this year’s work and particularly the prize winner. Well done! (It’s the details that create something really valuable and when these details fit perfectly together, something really extraordinary is the result, like this prize-winning 2020 entry)"
Cherno Jobatey
TV presenter, journalist
"The Young CIVIS 2020 cohort has been encouraging: Great ideas emanating from the creativity of a new generation can surprise even in difficult times."
Schiwa Schlei
WDR | WDR Digital Commissioner, Programme Director COSMO
"It’s amazing how much power can be unleashed by intelligently applied humour – especially in the case of a serious topic like integration."
Andreas Orth
TV journalist, author
"Visual creativity, detailed presentation and humour are all on the rise!"
Pinar Atalay (Chairmanship)
ARD | TV presenter > Tagesthemen, Plusminus, NDR Aktuell<
"We’re honouring a film that addresses an unfortunately increasingly explosive topic in depth but also uses intelligent humour. Which is why we quickly reached agreement, because we the jury were extremely moved by this film."
Friederike Behrends
ZeeOne | Business Head, CEO German Speaking Countries
"As every year, there was an intense, enriching and sometimes highly contentious discussion with my jury colleagues about a number of excellent entries on this important topic. However, we very quickly agreed upon this year’s prize winner. The entries are once again a yardstick for the issues that are currently the focus of our society. Never has a prize been so important!"
Stephanie Neumann
UDK Berlin | Lecturer, photographer and interactive designer
"Yet again, what ought to be a matter of course has still not been achieved in 2020, showing how important it is to always take a clear stand – for a diverse society, in which we all live together as equals."
Bernd Knopf
Federal Chancellery | Commissioner for Integration, Media consultant
"Young CIVIS never ceases to amaze even old men!"
Wolfgang Vichtl
BR | Head of the online editorial department BR24
"We as the CIVIS jury had the opportunity to honour cool videos that make us smarter and immune to conspiracy theories. During the coronavirus pandemic, this is even more important than before."
Michael Radix
CIVIS Media Foundation | Managing director until 31.03.2020
"What I find remarkable is the state failure at the EU’s external borders. In 2020, numerous programmes tackle the issue of oppressive border experiences: the uncompromising isolationist policy of ‘Fortress Europe’, without any uniform asylum laws, the repatriation of refugees without any legal basis. The inhumanity. The reports and features about the anti-democratic developments in our society, both left and right-wing, and the seductiveness of autocratic systems were also striking. What are we letting ourselves in for – life in transit?"
Ferdos Forudastan
CIVIS Media Foundation | Managing director from 01.04.2020 (not shown)
"I was particularly struck by how many different, exciting, thought-provoking forms there now are, in which media professionals address the issues of migration, integration and cultural diversity."
Michael Radix
CIVIS Media Foundation | Managing director until 31.03.2020
"What I find remarkable is the state failure at the EU’s external borders. In 2020, numerous programmes tackle the issue of oppressive border experiences: the uncompromising isolationist policy of ‘Fortress Europe’, without any uniform asylum laws, the repatriation of refugees without any legal basis. The inhumanity. The reports and features about the anti-democratic developments in our society, both left and right-wing, and the seductiveness of autocratic systems were also striking. What are we letting ourselves in for – life in transit?"
Igor E. Bergant
RTV Slovenia | TV Anchorman >ODMEVI<
"For me, the jury’s work is a valuable learning process of democratic thinking: once again, hours of discussions with excellent colleagues about many excellent entries gave me the opportunity to hone my own sense of democracy."
Irène Challand
SRG | Directorate General, Head >Contribution to Society<
"The selection of films in 2020 reflected the various threats to integration and diversity in our democracy. All over Europe, these values are in danger. I don’t see colour. I simply see. And the CIVIS Prize is intended to give us all the courage to keep seeing people and finding solutions!"
Dr. Udo Grätz
WDR | Deputy Chief Editor Television, Head of Domestic Affairs
"A quick look at the productions submitted is enough to see what’s working well and not so well in our society."
Ferdos Forudastan
CIVIS Media Foundation | Managing director from 01.04.2020
"I was particularly struck by how many different, exciting, thought-provoking forms there now are, in which media professionals address the issues of migration, integration and cultural diversity."
Susanne Sturm
MDR | Head of Editorial Office for Religion & Society
"The jury days were a first for me. I was impressed by the passion, persistence and courage that were necessary to enable many of the submitted films to be made. Respect to all the journalists who exposed themselves to risk and suffering in order to be able to share their experiences first-hand."
Tom Zwiessler
RTLZWEI | Head of Program Department
"Now more than ever in these turbulent times in Europe and the world, we need courageous film-makers who closely examine and debunk prejudice and whose dedicated objectivity defies the populists. This year’s CIVIS Media Prize once again honours outstanding achievements by media professionals who are contributing to a better society – because they show it as it is."
Ingrid Thurnher
ORF | Chief Editor ORF III Television
"It was my first CIVIS jury meeting and the intensity of the discussions certainly matched the quality of the submissions."
Michael Loeb
WDR mediagroup | Head of Management Board
"For me, working with the CIVIS jury is the best time of the year, because integration and cultural diversity are essential goals for a free democratic society at the heart of Europe. CIVIS provides a forum for everyone whose entries, be they a magazine, documentary or entertainment programme, help to achieve these goals. It’s a privilege to be able to watch these entries in all their diversity."
Buket Alakus
Film director, screenwriter
"Society is held up to the mirror by its creatives, by what they choose to deal with and how they tell their stories. During this CIVIS jury stint, I was pleased to see that the diversity and differences affecting many aspects of our lives were also addressed."
Bakel Walden
SRG | Director of Development and Proposals
"The passion in the numerous entries was fully reflected in the passionate discussion of the jury."
Roger de Weck (Chairmanship)
Publicist, media manager (GD SRG SSR 2011-2017)
"A great anti-racist movement has emerged from these difficult coronavirus times. That reinforces the work of CIVIS and its juries."
Anja Reschke
NDR | Head of Culture and Documentation Programme Division
"Once again, I was really impressed by how many different, convincing, strong, emotional and excellently researched entries are produced on the subject of integration and diversity."
Maren Wintersberg
DW | Head of HA Feature and Documentation
"We on the jury were particularly impressed by the close examination undertaken by some authors, who took the kind of stories of refugees and migration we’ve often heard before and brought them closer in a new and emotional way."
Dr. Markus Nievelstein
Arte | Managing Director Arte Germany
"In this year’s CIVIS I was particularly struck by the close examination, detailed questioning and persistence of the research. The authors and film-makers aim to uncover the truth, they persevere and are not afraid to show reality, thereby inviting us to take a close look in the mirror. Anyone who’s watched these films will have a different view of the reality of integration and human dignity."
Martin Durm
ARD | SWR 2 radio reporter, foreign correspondent
"The final round included entries that resonate and haunt me to this day."
Jan Heiermann
BR | Head of "Zündfunk"
"My first stint as a member of the CIVIS jury community, among such diverse and fantastic journalists, was entertaining and challenging, featuring thrilling content – and therefore highly enriching for me! Thank you!"
Ulf Köhler
MDR | Head of Radio Feature: MDR FIGARO
"Hours of focussed listening, days spent sitting down, talking long into the night – the images created by the noises and sounds of the programmes for the CIVIS Radio Award will remain with us – for a long time, if not forever. They’ll recount the fate of individual people in the world, which should be a better place than it actually is."
Vivian Perkovic
Deutschlandradio | Journalist, moderator
"I was particularly pleased about the sometimes almost forensic investigators in this year’s competition. Whether on the Balkan route, among fruit pickers or in Syrian prisons. Diligently securing evidence is the most basic qualification for journalists: seeking, gathering and sorting. Everything else builds on that."
Prof. Dr. Jo Groebel
Digital Institute Berlin | Director
"Yes, the CIVIS jury meetings may be hard work. But they were and have become much more than that. A chance to meet up with old friends. And even more so, to develop new personal friendships that are both deep and lasting. Thank you!"
Jona Teichmann
WDR | Editor-in-Chief, Radio
"This time, there were competition entries that did what only radio can: used noises, sounds and voices to help me witness events for which there are no images."
Jochen Rausch
WDR | Broader programme manager (1Live, WDR 2, WDR 4), Deputy WDR Programme Director
"It’s amazing how many outstanding audio pieces were submitted – the jury was spoilt for choice!"
Barbara Stanton
ORF | Head of Chronicle Department Radio-Information
"The entries this time were distinguished by particularly diverse approaches; we laughed at humorous pieces and fell despondently silent at others."
Martin Wagner (Chairmanship)
BR | Radio Director
"Audio is fascinating, audio is exciting, audio is fun - that was the recurring theme of the jury’s lively discussions!"
Dr. Beat Soltermann
SRF | Head of "Echo der Zeit", foreign correspondent
"Wow, that was a pleasure to listen to! So much great audio!"
Michael Radix
CIVIS | Managing director until 31.03.2020
"What I find remarkable is the state failure at the EU’s external borders. In 2020, numerous programmes tackle the issue of oppressive border experiences: the uncompromising isolationist policy of ‘Fortress Europe’, without any uniform asylum laws, the repatriation of refugees without any legal basis. The inhumanity. The reports and features about the anti-democratic developments in our society, both left and right-wing, and the seductiveness of autocratic systems were also striking. What are we letting ourselves in for – life in transit?"
Prof. Jörg Hafkemeyer
UDK Berlin | Journalist, Author, Lecturer (not shown)
"The main focus of the CIVIS jury meetings is on discussing fairly, assessing and making decisions, all with a great deal of expertise. The high quality of the pieces submitted is striking, regardless of the genre. This applies to both the content and the technical aspects of the journalistic work."