What we're building.
Phase 1 of the Next-Gen Journalist Program.
Launched in 2012, the National Newsroom Contest (NNC) is Media Challenge Initiative’s flagship journalism training and competition programme, created to identify, mentor and prepare the next generation of journalists in Uganda. For more than a decade, the contest has brought together university students from journalism and mass communication programmes, combining practical newsroom experience, mentorship and hands-on competition to nurture ethical, innovative and solutions-driven storytellers.
Now, the NNC is taking that experience beyond Uganda.
Welcome to the Africa Newsroom Contest (ANC), a new continental chapter of a programme that has spent more than a decade building the skills, confidence and newsroom readiness of young media talent.
The 2026 edition comes at a time when misinformation, disinformation and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing how news is produced, shared and consumed. While AI presents new opportunities for journalism, from verification and data analysis to investigative reporting, it also brings challenges including deepfakes, manipulated content and declining public trust. The contest therefore challenges emerging storytellers to apply critical thinking, verification, digital literacy and editorial ethics to the realities of today's information ecosystem.
Theme: “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Reimagine Our Communities through Responsible Journalism.”
We invite Journalism, Communications and Media students across Africa to participate in the following categories:
1. Photography: Submit a 6–10 image photo essay with a caption narrative of no more than 300 words telling your community’s story across three stages: Before, Now and After. Before should feature credited archive images, Now should capture original, unmanipulated photographs of current realities, and After should use AI-generated visions of a better future. The narrative should connect the three stages and show how AI and responsible journalism can contribute to positive change while maintaining accuracy and ethics throughout.
2. One Minute of Fame: Students submit a one-minute video presentation for TV or radio. The topic is open, this is your opportunity to show your presentation skills, confidence, clarity and ability to communicate a story in one minute.
3. Best Cartoonist: Cartoonists will produce original works inspired by the 2026 theme, using visual storytelling to explore AI, journalism and the communities around us.
4. Essay Writing: Participants will submit an original essay of 1,500–2,500 words exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping journalism and its role in strengthening truth while reporting narratives in our communities.
Since its inception, the NNC has engaged students from more than 20 accredited journalism and mass communication programmes across Uganda, with 135+ alumni now working across leading print, broadcast and digital media organisations. The programme has grown into a respected platform for discovering and developing young media talent, while strengthening journalism education and Uganda’s wider media ecosystem.
Throughout the contest, judges drawn from leading newsrooms and media institutions assess entries and provide constructive feedback to university teams and individual participants. Their role goes beyond scoring. Judges also serve as mentors, guiding students on storytelling craft, editorial judgement and industry standards, and helping them understand not only what worked, but how to sharpen their skills for the newsroom environments they are preparing to enter.
For participants, the contest is an opportunity to strengthen critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and storytelling skills, connect with peers and media professionals, gain recognition, and build high-quality work for their portfolios and future careers.
The journey also extends beyond the competition itself. Following the contest, the MCI Awards Night brings together students, judges, media practitioners and industry partners to celebrate the top-performing university teams and individual category winners for their creativity, professionalism and storytelling excellence.
And the Awards Night is not necessarily the end of the journey. Standout participants can carry their momentum into the MCI Fellowship Programme, which begins in February of the following year. In this way, the contest and Fellowship form connected stages of the same talent pipeline: one identifies and tests emerging talent through competition, while the other nurtures and deepens that talent through sustained mentorship and professional development.
From Uganda’s National Newsroom Contest to a newsroom that now opens its doors across Africa, ANC 2026 is the next chapter, and the newsroom is waiting for your story.
