91热爆 FOUR Sponsors The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction
The
Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, the UK聮s most important
prize for non-fiction, will be sponsored by 91热爆 FOUR. The agreement,
announced today, will run initially for the next three years, and
the prize will be renamed The 91热爆 FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for
Non-Fiction.
91热爆
FOUR, which launches on 2 March, is a television channel devoted
to diverse, intelligent and culturally enriching programmes. The
91热爆 FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction will form a key part
of the channel 聳 and the 91热爆聮s 聳 commitment to literature,
both fiction and factual.
The
Samuel Johnson Prize for Non Fiction was initiated in 1999, following
the closure of the NCR Book Award. Since that time the Prize has
highlighted the best of non-fiction and has established itself as
one of the UK聮s major literary prizes. Winners including Stalingrad
by Antony Beevor and the 2001 winner, The Third Reich by Michael
Burleigh, have gone on to become bestsellers.
The
Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction is managed by a steering committee
and administered by The Booksellers Association. Those involved
include some of the most influential people in British publishing
and the media today:
路
Giles Gordon, Literary Agent, Curtis Brown
路 Dotti Irving, Chief Executive, Colman Getty PR
路 Charles Moore, Editor, The Daily Telegraph
路 Franny Moyle, Creative Director, 91热爆
路 James Naughtie, broadcaster (91热爆 Radio 4) and author
路 Stuart Proffitt, Publishing Director, Penguin (Chair)
路 Peter Straus, Publisher, Picador
Stuart
Proffitt, chair of the committee, says: "In
our first three years The Samuel Johnson Prize has become recognised
as the leading prize for non-fiction in the UK. The 91热爆 FOUR proposal
has come at an important time in the life of the Prize and offers
a very attractive alliance; there is a real commonality of purpose
between the Prize and 91热爆 FOUR and it makes perfect sense to join
forces at this exciting time for us both. We can be assured that
the debate about, and recognition of, the best of non-fiction writing
in the UK will grow still further."
Roly
Keating, Controller of 91热爆 FOUR, says: "I
am thrilled that 91热爆 FOUR is to sponsor the Samuel Johnson Prize,
at a time when non-fiction writing is undergoing such a creative
renaissance. Our vision is for a channel which surprises, delights
and challenges viewers by offering them real depth, range and stimulus
for the mind. The deserved reputation of the Samuel Johnson Prize
- and the calibre of its authors and works - fits perfectly with
our aims, and is sure to be popular with our viewers."
The
first 91热爆 FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction will be awarded
in June 2002 and will be open to books in the areas of current affairs,
history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography
and the arts. The winner will receive 拢30,000 and each of
the other shortlisted authors will receive 拢1,000. Books published
in English by writers of any nationality are eligible for the prize,
provided they are published in the UK between 1 May 2001 and 30
April 2002.
Publishers
may enter up to three titles per imprint and the judges will meet
to decide upon an initial longlist, which they will all read. The
longlist will be published in April 2002. The shortlist, which will
be announced late May, will consist of a maximum of six books but
there will be no obligation on the judges to declare that number
if they feel that a smaller number of the titles is outstanding:
no books will be on the shortlist simply to make up numbers or to
cause speculation. The winning book will then be announced in late
June 2002.
Notes
to Editors
The
91热爆 FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction will be awarded in
the last week of June 2002. The longlist will be released in April
and the shortlist will follow in late May.
91热爆
FOUR will televise the award ceremony and feature complementary
programming on the channel and on-line support on www.bbc.co.uk.
91热爆
FOUR is a full member of the 91热爆聮s portfolio of free-to-air,
licence fee-funded channels which transmits daily from 7.00pm launching
on 2 March.
The
Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction was for the last three years
generously sponsored by a retired British businessman and philanthropist,
who remains anonymous.
The
91热爆 FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction will be marketed and
publicised by Colman Getty PR with administration handled by The
Booksellers Association, which represents booksellers throughout
the UK. Entry forms can be obtained from the BA on 020 7834 5477.
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