“The SpaceStation believes that the MOST Awards offers truly valuable industry recognition and feedback, and encourages excellence in service delivery and innovation, from media owners and agencies,” says Kathryn Astbury, marketing manager at The SpaceStation.

According to Astbury, The SpaceStation chose to sponsor The Media Agency Rising Star Award  because, 'specifically in the digital arena, the landscape changes almost daily.'

The SpaceStation invests in the MOST Awards research reports and has been doing so since 2010. “The MOST Awards research is a vital learning tool for us. We take this industry feedback very seriously, and work hard every year to ensure we adapt and improve across all our business divisions as needed,” adds Astbury.

How to nominate a Rising Star or Legend 

Potential Rising Stars and Legends can be nominated through the online MOST Awards survey. Participants may vote for anyone in the media industry, including people who work for their own company. The only people excluded from nomination are those who have won the award previously.

The full list of nominees is then presented to a panel of former winners. The judges discuss each candidate before voting on the final winners. The judges reserve the right not to present an award.

What does it take to be a Rising Star?

To qualify to be either a Media Agency or Media Owner Rising Star the candidate must be 39, or younger. The Media Agency Rising Star Award goes to the person who has consistently displayed the following characteristics; excellent relationship skills, open-minded, innovative, confident, able to challenge the status quo, outspoken, decisive, able to take the lead, involved in the industry, and able to develop a profile.

Previous Media Agency Rising Stars: 
  • Chris Botha; 
  • Ryan Williams; 
  • Tanya Schreuder; 
  • Wayne Bishop; 
  • Illan Lazarus; and
  • Ilsa Gräbe.
Previous Media Owner Rising Stars:
  • Jacques Du Preez;
  • Brett Tucker; and
  • Wanele Mngomezulu.

What makes a Legend?

To qualify to be either a Media Agency or Media Owner Legend the candidate has to be over 40. They must display; leadership, passion, commitment, mentorship, inspiration, consistency, wisdom, and are relationship builders and negotiators, involved internally and within the media sector.

Previous Media Agency Legends:
  • Gordon Patterson; 
  • Virginia Hollis; 
  • Gordon Muller; 
  • Michelle Meyjes;
  • Harry Herber; 
  • Rob Smuts; and 
  • Josh Dovey.
Previous Media Owner Legends:
  • Ken Varejes;
  • Trevor Ormerod;
  • Peter MacKenzie;
  • Linda Gibson; 
  • Gill Randall;
  • Adelaide McKelvey; 
  • Chris Hitchings; and 
  • Barry Sayer.

Voting for the ninth annual MOST Awards will continue until Friday, 30 June.

You can access the online survey here.

For more information, or to sponsor the MOST Awards, contact sgordon@stonesoup.co.za or michelle@wagthedog.co.za.