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The phenomenon of brown envelopes, otherwise known as �soli� in Ghana, resonated in far away Lusaka, Zambia, last weekend at a forum organised as part of activities to mark this year�s CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards. The organisers of the awards laid out the programme at Chaminuka Lodge located in a forest reserve near the capital for the finalists of the awards, officials of CNN Multichoice and selected journalists from across the continent. Just as opinion on the subject of �soli� is divided in Ghana, the participants at the forum were not unanimous that brown envelop compromised ethical standards. While some agreed that brown envelopes posed a threat to ethical journalism, others said low remuneration was the reason for the growing phenomenon among journalists on the continent. However, majority of the speakers said brown envelopes undermined professionalism, as they gave the impression that �journalists give publicity to the highest bidder� and not because the stories served the public good. They argued that the power the media wielded was �phenomenal�, as readers took the printed word as the truth and suggested that journalists must base publications on the basic tenets of journalism that included accuracy, fairness and balance. Some of the participants also stated that some journalists become reckless because the legal controls had been moved, saying that the threat to media freedom was no longer from the ruling class but media practitioners who breached ethical standards with impunity. According to some media practitioners, media owners also breached ethical codes by not allowing critical analysis of issues involving corporate bodies that placed advertisements in their media. It came up that the solution to ethical breaches lay with clothing the state with enough powers to deal with the situation, just as it licensed other professionals before they could practise. That, they said, compelled such professionals, including even drivers, to respect their codes of ethics, as any breach could lead to the withdrawal of their licences and prosecution. Others were unequivocal on the brakes being applied on state control of the media and advocated self-regulation as the best way to guarantee standards in the media. During the awards ceremony last Saturday, Joshua Anny Osabutey of Joy FM, the only Ghanaian among the 34 finalists, made Ghanaians proud by winning the Radio Journalist of the Year Award with his piece titled: �Squatters in Paradise, a documentary on Sodom and Gomorrah.� In a speech read on his behalf at the Government Complex, President Sata of Zambia called on the media to play a critical role in exposing corruption on the African continent, as they were strategically placed to play a central role in good governance. He said as the continent moved forward, it was important for the media to be strategic and use their influence for the good of the continent. President Sata said his government was committed to freedom of the press and was putting in place the necessary legislation to ensure that the media operated freely. Mr Fritz Baffour, Ghana�s Minister of Information, was among ministers of state from African countries who graced the occasion. A story on a long forgotten and little known African ethnic group in India won two Kenyan journalists the top prize at the awards. Tom Mboya and Evanson Nyaga�s story, titled: �The African tribe in India�, which aired on Kenya�s Citizen TV, was selected from among 1,799 entries from 42 countries across the continent. Mboya and Nyaga also won the Television Features Award. �Journalism is a profession that allows you to bring out what the world needs to know. It is humbling that God has brought us this glory,� Mboya, a senior news anchor for Citizen TV, said. He now works for CCTV Africa. �The story introduced the viewer to something new, an African tribe in India few know about,� Joel Kibazo, a journalist and member of the judging panel for the past 15 years, said. Also recognised were Enenche Akogwu and Zakariya Isa with the Free Press Africa Award for their works in Nigeria. Isa, a cameraman for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), was killed in October 2011, while Akogwu, a news reporter with Channels Television, was shot and killed, having covered the Kano bombing incident last January. The award went to Nigerian journalists and Editors group. The CNN Multichoice Awards were established in 1995 to encourage, promote and recognise excellence in Africa journalism. Among the winners was Zambian freelance journalist Andrew Mulenga, who scooped the Arts and Culture category with his article, �In Mali, the Kpra is no one-night stand, it requires commitment�. Other winners were Ahaoma Kanu (National Daily Nigeria) - Tourism Award; Demelza Bush, Craig Mukume and Varashni Pillay, The Mail and Guardian Online (South Africa) - Digital Journalism Award; Megan Small and Clive Mtashai, 3rd Degree and ETV (South Africa) MSD Health and Medical Award; Adriaan Basson and Piet Rampedi (City Press - South Africa) - Print General News Award; Arsenio Henriques Cossa (Socio-STV - Mozambique) -Portuguese General News Award for TV/Radio, and Isabel Joao (Novo Jornal - Angola) - Portuguese General News Award for Print. The rest are Gerald Tenywa (Saturday Vision Uganda) - Environment Award; Antione de Ras (The Star - South Africa) - Mohamed Amin Photographic Award; Joy Summers (Carte Blanche - South Africa) Economics & Business Award; Manar Attiya (Ahram Hebdo - Egypt) - Francophone General News Award for Print, and Najlae Ben Mbarak (2M TV - Morocco) - Francophone General News Award for TV/Radio.