Competition Rules
RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE MARIUSZ WALTER AWARD COMPETITION
1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1. The competition under the name “Mariusz Walter Award Competition” (hereinafter referred to as “the Competition”) is organised by the Bożena and Mariusz Walter Foundation with its registered office in Warsaw (02-901), plac Bernardyński 2 lok. 7, entered in the register of associations, other social and professional organisations, foundations and independent public health care institutions under the number KRS0001082778, hereinafter referred to as “the Foundation" or “the Organiser".
1.2. The aim of the Competition is to select the laureates from among journalists, media creators, publishers and media managers who have distinguished themselves significantly in one of the 4 (“four”) categories in a given year (“Categories”):
1) MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MAIN AWARD OF THE COMPETITION
2) EVENT OF THE YEAR IN THE MEDIA
3) NEW VOICE IN THE MEDIA
4) SPORTS IN THE MEDIA
1.3. The Organizer may award a selected journalist a special prize for lifetime achievements and remarkable achievements and accomplishments in the work of a journalist (“SPECIAL AWARD”). In each information about the next edition of the Contest, the Organizer will inform whether a SPECIAL AWARD will be granted in a given edition of the Contest.
1.4. The competition is organized in the territory of the Republic of Poland periodically - once a year. The first edition of the Competition will take place in 2024. Information about each subsequent edition of the Competition will be published by the Organiser sufficiently in advance on the Competition website.
1.5. Awards in the Competition are founded by the Foundation. The Foundation as the Organizer may acquire other prize founders. In such a case, such a founder will be indicated on the Competition website.
1.6. Point of View Business Communications Consultancy with its registered office at ul. Bagatela 10/7, 00-585 Warsaw (“substantive Partner”) is responsible for the technical organisation and proper course of the Competition, including in particular the acceptance and review of applications in formal terms, organisation of the Jury’s sittings and meetings and organisation of the Competition Gala.
1.7. SKP Ślusarek Kubiak Pieczyk Sp.k. with its registered office at ul. Ks. I. J. Skorupki 5, 00-546 Warszawa (hereinafter „the Auditor”) is the auditor and legal counsel of the Competition, whose tasks include ensuring compliance of the Jury’s works with the provisions hereof and supervising the verification and confirmation of voting results, as well as interpreting the Rules and Regulations at the request of the Organiser.
1.8. These Rules and Regulations stipulate the rules of carrying out the Competition and are available on the Competition website and at the Foundation’s headquarters.
2. JURY OF THE COMPETITION
2.1. The selection of nominees and laureates of the Competition in each Category belongs to the tasks of the Competition Jury ("the Jury").
2.2. Only Members of the Jury are entitled to submit participants to the Competition in each Category.
2.3. The Jury consists of persons from the world of journalism, media, culture and social activity, appointed by the Organiser, in the number of not less than 13 ("thirteen") persons, for each edition of the Competition the Jury composition will be announced on the Competition website at the beginning of the Competition in a given edition. The Organizer may appoint its representative to the Jury.
2.4. If, as a result of resignation or inability to perform their duties, the number of Jury members falls below 13 (“thirteen”) persons, the Organiser will select additional members of the Chapter. The Organiser will inform about any change in the composition of the Jury by posting a relevant message on the Competition website.
2.5. Members of the Jury undertake to conduct a fair, professional and impartial evaluation of the Competition participants and laureates selection of the winners and to act in accordance with the provisions of these Rules and Regulations.
2.6. The Organiser shall designate the Chairperson of the Jury who shall direct the works of the Jury in a given edition of the Competition. In case of doubts concerning the proceedings, the vote of the President of the Jury Chairperson prevails.
3. PARTICIPANTS. SUBMISSION OF PARTICIPANTS.
3.1. Only natural persons of legal age with full legal capacity who will be submitted in due time by members of the Jury to the respective competition Categories may participate in the Competition.
3.2. The following persons, distinguished in one of the competition categories in the year preceding the given edition of the Competition, may be Participants of the Competition: (1) Polish citizens active in Poland or abroad, as well as (2) citizens of other countries whose activities are carried out in Poland or have a positive impact for Poland.
3.3. Teams of journalists carrying out a joint project (“Project”) may be submitted as a participant. Representatives of an entity organising a media project, i.e. the publisher, editors-in-chief, members of the management board of the entity organising the given project, the entrepreneur running the medium or project, may also submitted as participants.
3.4. Each Jury member may submit candidates to participate in the Competition in each Category of the Competition referred to in point 1.2. hereof within the time limit specified by the Organiser. Each participant may be submitted by a given Jury member only to one of the Competition Categories. Members of the Jury are not allowed to enter the Competition. Should a given candidate be submitted as a Participant in more than one Category, the Organiser will indicate the appropriate Competition Category for the given Participant.
3.5. Applications should be sent electronically and include the name of the person submitted, and justification of the application. The justification for the application to the Competition should contain only publicly known information or information provided with the consent of the submitted person. In justified cases, with the consent of the Jury, the participant’s application may be made by each member of the Chapter during a meeting, however not later than until the commencement of the voting in order to select the Nominees.
3.6. 3.6 Concerning the cases referred to in point. 3.3. above, the application for participation in the Competition should indicate:
1) the Project carried out jointly by a team of journalists, the name and surname of the journalists creating the Project, and in the case of a larger number of co-creators of the Project, the leading creators of the Project should be indicated;
2) the publisher, editor-in-chief, representative of the unit organizing the media project, the entrepreneur running the given medium or project, or the creators responsible for the realization of the Project.
3.7. After receiving an application, the Organiser may request the Jury member submitting the application to supplement, confirm or rectify data or information necessary for the submitted participant to take part in the Competition. Failure to cooperate in this respect may result in rejecting the application. The Organiser may verify applications on their own using publicly available sources.
3.8. The Organiser may disregard an application breaching the Rules and Regulations, incomplete or submitted after the deadline.
3.9. During the Competition and the vote, the Jury may, by a majority of votes, decide to move a given Participant (Project) to another Category of the Competition.
4. SELECTION OF LAUREATES OF THE COMPETITION IN EACH CATEGORY
4.1. The selection of the laureates of the Competition in each of the Categories (“the Laureates”) is made through the following procedure:
1) verification by the Organiser of applications in formal terms, including compliance with the Rules and Regulations;
2) evaluation of the participants or Projects verified and accepted to the Competition by the Jury on the terms described below.
4.2. The participants and Projects will be assessed by the Jury in two stages at a Jury meeting:
1) Stage I – vote of the Jury, nominating 3 (“three”) persons or Projects in each category (hereinafter “the Nominees”);
2) Stage II – secret ballot of the Jury, through which laureates will be selected by secret ballot from among the Nominees in each Category.
4.3. The Participants and Projects submitted to the Competition will be assessed by the Jury in each category according to the following evaluation criteria:
1) MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MAIN AWARD OF THE COMPETITION
The awarded person is distinguished by above-average civil and creative courage. They create new visions, being able to go beyond the schemes thanks to their professional skills and creativity. This is an award for both persons with authority and debutants.
2) EVENT OF THE YEAR IN THE MEDIA
It is an award for a creator or creators in the media – the authors of journalistic material, program, format or innovative media product or technology, people, institutions and organizations involved in social initiatives aimed at activities for the benefit of the media and journalistic environment, which in a given year had a wide range and significant impact on reality.
3) NEW VOICE IN THE MEDIA
An award for a creator or creators for innovative use of media and interesting new voice “above” journalism, filling a niche and addressing topics neglected in traditional media. Often created at the grass-root level as a social initiative, the contents of which is largely created in dialogue with the audience.
4) SPORTS IN THE MEDIA
An award for a creator or creators for innovative ways of presenting and promoting sports using traditional and social media. Distinction of journalistic skills and the ability to take an unconventional perspective at sports – as a global cultural phenomenon and not merely reporting results. Appreciation of the popularisation of sports as physical activity and a tool connecting people in the joint experience of emotions.
4.4. Meeting and discussions of the Jury will take place at the time and place indicated by the Organiser. Jury discussions and voting require the personal presence of the Jury Members. In justified cases, the Organiser may allow the presence of a Jury Member online, if his personal presence is impossible. Only Jury Members present at Jury meetings, including remote participation, will be allowed to vote in both Stages of the Competition.
4.5. Jury meetings will be held if at least half of the members of the full composition of the Jury are present at the meeting (including Jury Members participating in the meeting remotely). Otherwise, the Organiser will set another date for the Jury meeting, at which discussion and voting will be conducted, regardless of the number of Jury members present.
4.6. At Stage I, each of the Jury members, following their own opinion and on the basis of the selection criteria indicated in point 4.3. hereof will select 3 (“three”) Participants/Projects, which, according to them, should be nominated in a given category, giving the best-rated Participant/Project 3 points, the second 2 points, and the third 1 point. Voting at Stage I takes place at a Jury meeting on ballot papers submitted by the Organiser.
4.7. After counting the votes at the first stage of voting, the Organiser will inform the members of the Jury about the results of the voting, indicating 3 (“three”) Participants/Projects which, after adding up, received the largest number of points in their category and who are selected as Nominees. In the event that, due to the number of points received, more than 3 (“three”) persons/Projects are selected in a given category, the Organiser shall order a repeated vote in that category, with voting only from among those selected in the first ballot.
4.8. After the end of the I Stage, a discussion about the selected Nominees will be held, in which the Jury members have the right to change the assessment of the Nominees. A change of the Nominees requires a repeated vote of the Jury pursuant to point 4.6 above and takes place at the request of any member of the Jury.
4.9. After closing the discussion and the selection of Nominees, the Organiser shall arrange for a secret ballot through which the Competition Laureates will be selected. Phase II voting will be conducted separately in each Category. In each vote at Stage II, each of the Jury members shall vote only for 1 (“one”) Nominee in each category.
4.10. The Nominee who receives the largest number of votes in their category shall become the Competition Laureate. If 2 (“two”) or more Nominees in a given category receive an equal number of votes, the Jury will vote again to select the Laureate, with voting only from among the pre-selected Laureates. If 2 ("two") or more Nominees receive an equal number of votes again, the vote shall be repeated until the Laureate is selected.
4.11. After the selection of the Competition Laureates, the Organiser will inform the Jury about the completion of its meeting. Jury Members will not be informed about the results of the Competition and the details of the Laureates, which will be announced during the Final Gala of the Competition, that will take place at the place and date indicated by the Organiser.
4.12. Laureates of each Category of the Competition will receive the awards referred to in point 5.1. hereof, that will be awarded during the Final Gala of the Competition. The Laureate may appoint a person to receive the Award.
4.13. Should a Laureate not accept the award granted, the Organiser will allocate the financial award to charity, and the Statuette will remain at the disposal of the Organiser.
5. SPECIAL AWARD
5.1. The Special Award is an award for a journalist's lifetime achievement, as well as for extraordinary achievements and accomplishments that are particularly valuable to the profession of journalism, a role model for the younger generation of journalists.
5.2. The Special Award may be granted in a given edition of the Award depending on the decision of the Organizer, which shall be announced by the Organizer in accordance with Section 1.3 of the Regulations.
5.3. The Council of the Foundation shall indicate the Laureate of the Special Award based on a unanimous resolution of the Council of the Foundation.
5.4. The Winner of the Special Award may be: (1) only an adult natural person who has full legal capacity; (2) a citizen of Poland who conducts business in Poland or abroad, or (3) a citizen of another country who conducts business is on the territory of Poland or has a positive impact on Poland.
5.5. The Council of the Foundation shall indicate the justification for selecting the Special Award Laureate. The justification should include only publicly known information or information provided with the consent of the person of the Special Award Laureate. The announcement of the awarding of the Special Award shall be made at the Final Gala of the Competition.
6. AWARDS
6.1. Laureates of the Competition in each Categories and Special Award Laureate will receive the following awards:
1) monetary award;
2) Statuette – sculpture by Tomasz Górnicki.
6.2. The amount of the monetary award for Laureates of the Competition in each Categories and Special Award Laureate will be disclosed by the Organiser in the announcement for the next edition of the Competition.
6.3. In the first edition of the Competition, the award for the Grand Award Laureate – Media Personality of the Year was PLN 100,000.00 (“one hundred thousand”), and for the Laureates in the other categories the award was PLN 30,000.00 (“thirty thousand”). The amount of the Award will be increased by the Organiser by the appropriate amount in accordance with applicable law to cover the flat-rate income tax.
6.4. The pecuniary award will be transferred to the Laureate’s bank account, no later than within 14 (“fourteen”) days from the date of providing the Organiser with the bank account number.
6.5. If the Laureate of the Competition is a Project carried out by a team of journalists, the Laureates shall be entitled to one statuette and the cash prize indicated in the Competition announcement to be divided among all journalists or creators to whom the Prize is awarded, who shall divide or otherwise distribute it at their discretion. The Organizer will transfer the cash prize to the designated bank account. The Prize is not subject to payment in cash. If not indicating the bank account, the Organizer shall call on the Laureate by e-mail to indicate the bank account within an additional period of not less than 10 ("ten") working days. In case of unsuccessful expiration of such period, the Organizer shall repeat the call setting an additional period of 5 ("five") working days. After the expiry of the additional period, the Organizer may donate the Prize to a charitable cause at the Organizer's discretion.
6.6. The Prizes referred to in sec. 6.1.(2) of the Regulations shall be presented during the Final Gala of the Contest.
6.7. If the Laureate or the winner of a Special Award is unable to attend the Competition Gala in person or is unable to collect the Prize on his/her own, the Laureate or the winner of a Special Award may appoint an authorized person to collect the Prize on his/her behalf and for his/her benefit during the Final Gala of the Competition.
6.8. The Laureate in each Category and the winner of the Special Award may resign from the awarded Prize no later than 14 ("fourteen") days after the Final Gala of the Contest, which requires a statement by the Laureate about the Prize resignation and informing the Organizer in writing or by e-mail to kontakt@walterfundacja.pl. The renunciation applies to both the financial prize and the Statue. If the Prize awarded is relinquished by the Laureate, the Organizer will donate the financial prize to charity, and the Statue will remain at the disposal of the Organizer.
6.9. The Laureate may not transfer the right to the Prize to another person before collecting the Prize, either by himself or through the Foundation. After collecting the Prize, the Laureate on his/her own and in his/her name has the right to dispose of the Prize freely, but without the assistance of the Foundation.
7. COMPLAINTS
7.1. Complaints concerning the manner of conducting the Competition may be submitted via e-mail to the following address: kontakt@walterfundacja.pl, within 7 (“seven”) days from the date of occurrence of the basis of the complaint, no later than the date of the Final Gala of the Competition.
7.2. The complaint should contain personal data (name and surname) of the claimant, including their e-mail address, and indicate the reason for the complaint and its precise description and justification.
7.3. If the data or information provided in the complaint needs to be supplemented, before considering the complaint, the Organiser will ask the Participant submitting the complaint to supplement it in the indicated scope.
7.4. Complaints will be analyzed by the Organiser within 14 (“fourteen”) days from the date of their receipt. The Participant will be notified of the analysis of the complaint and its result to the e-mail address indicated.
7.5. Complaints concerning the Jury verdict will be disregarded.
8. PERSONAL DATA
8.1. The controller of personal data of the Competition Participants and Jury Members is the Bożena and Mariusz Walter Foundation with its registered office in Warsaw (02-901), plac Bernardyński 2 lok. 7, entered in the register of associations, other social and professional organizations, foundations and independent public health care institutions under KRS number 0001082778.
8.2. Personal data will be processed for the purposes of conducting the Competition, including for the purpose of registering the Participants and selecting Nominees and Laureates, as well as for the purposes of the complaint procedure. The personal data of the Nominees will be processed additionally for the purposes of recording promotional materials, while the data of the Competition Laureates will also be processed for the purpose of issuing the Award and for tax purposes.
8.3. The following personal data will be processed as part of the Competition:
1) Details of the Jury Members – name and surname, contact details, image;
2) Data of the Competition Participants – name, place of work and information about achievements;
3) Data of the Nominees – name, place of work and information about achievements as well as image and data indicated in the declaration of consent for the use of the image;
4) Data of the Laureates - name, place of work and information about the achievements, image and data indicated in the declaration of consent for the use of the image, data for the purposes of issuing and settlement of tax for the Award.
8.4. The legal basis for the processing of personal data is as follows:
1) Legitimate interest of the data controller, which is the organisation of the Competition, contact with interested parties and possible consideration of complaints – Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR
2) Consent of the Nominee and Jury members concerning the image – Article 6(1)(1) of the GDPR;
3) Obligation resulting from tax law and other provisions - Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR - for the purpose of issuing and settling the Award.
8.5. Providing personal data by participants is voluntary. However, failure to provide personal data results in the inability to participate in the Competition and possibly the inability to issue an Award or consider a complaint. Consent to the processing of personal data may be withdrawn at any time without consequences, which does not affect the legality of data processing before the withdrawal of consent.
8.6. Personal data will be made available to the Jury members in order to evaluate and select the Laureates and the broadcaster of reporting from the Competition, as well as to entities supporting the Organiser in the scope of organising the Competition, including in the fields of IT , PR. The data will be made available to the Substantive Partner and the Auditor. Members of the Jury and the Auditor are obliged to delete personal data that were provided with no later than within 3 (“three”) months from the Final Gala of the Competition.
8.7. Personal data of Participants who have not been qualified as Laureates will be deleted within 3 (“three”) months from the Final Gala of the Competition. The data of the Laureates will be deleted in the event of an objection or a request for deletion of data, subject to that the personal data may be processed longer if required by the law.
8.8. Each data subject shall have the right to:
1) obtain information on the processing of personal data, including the categories of personal data processed and possible recipients of data (right of access to personal data);
2) request correction of incorrect personal data or completion of incomplete personal data,
3) request the deletion or restriction of the processing of personal data – the request will be realised if the legal requirements for such a request are met;
4) transfer of personal data – by receiving the data in a format that allows it to be transferred to a selected third party;
5) the right to object to the processing of personal data – whereas raising an objection may result in the Participant being excluded from the Competition.
8.9. Each data subject has the right to lodge a complaint to the supervisory authority - the President of the Office for Personal Data Protection, ul. Stawki 2, 00 – 193 Warszawa – if it is found that their personal data is processed in breach of the law.
8.10. In any matter concerning personal data, you may contact the Organiser at the following e-mail address : kontakt@walterfundacja.pl.
9. FINAL PROVISIONS
9.1. The Organiser reserves the right to make changes to these Rules and Regulations only to the extent consistent with applicable provisions of the law. The changes will be published on the Foundation’s website. The changes shall not affect the rights acquired by the Participants.
9.2. All contents and information regarding the carrying out of the Competition included in information or promotional materials are for informational purposes. The provisions of these Rules and Regulations and mandatory provisions of the law shall be binding.
9.3. In the event that during the Competition a situation not provided for in these Regulations arises, the Organiser shall decide it by referring to the principles of equity, having the right to issue a binding interpretation of the Rules and Regulations.
9.4. In justified cases, the Organiser reserves the right to change the schedule of conducting the Competition, with immediate notification to the Participants and Jury Members.
9.5. Violation of any of the provisions hereof, provisions of the law or good manners shall entitle the Organiser to make a decision to exclude a Nominee from the Competition.
9.6. The Rules and Regulations shall enter into force as of the date of publication, replacing the previous Regulations that have been in effect since December 1, 2024.