M-Net Television Awards for Good again inviting entries for public TV ads; holding national workshops.

The South African pay TV broadcaster M-Net is again inviting South African filmmakers to enter its TAG (Television Awards for Good) competition by submitting a public service announcement or PSA for a worthy cause.

M-Net is this year also presenting special TAG workshops for newcomer filmmakers and to explain how the competition works. Workshops will take place in Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town and lunch will be provided on these days.

Filmmakers interested in attending can email candice@thebomb.co.za for bookings and more information.

M-Net's TAG workshops will be taking place as follows:

Johannesburg: Thursday 17 & Friday 18 May
City Varsity, Newton
09:00 - 17:00

Durban: Monday 21 May
Botanical Gardens
09:00 - 17:00

Port Elizabeth: Tuesday 22 May
Port Elizabeth Town Hall
09:00 - 17:00

Cape Town: Wednesday 23 May
Labia Theatre
09:00 - 17:00

BREAKING. M-Net launches brand-new bursary fund to help students in advertising, communication and film schools in South Africa.

M-Net has launched a bursary fund for previously disadvantaged students going into their 2nd and 3rd years of study within the broader South African media industry.

In December 2010 I broke that news RIGHT HERE about the South African pay TV broadcaster's plan to launch a bursary fund in 2011 to help students attending South African film, advertising and communication schools.

For bursaries from the new M-Net bursary fund, providers have to apply on behalf of their learners, since individuals can't apply. Providers are only allowed to apply on behalf of learners going into  their 2nd and 3rd years of tertiary study and who won't be able to continue their studies because of financial reasons. Students studying within the fields of animation, advertising, film or television are eligible.

The new M-Net bursary fund will form a part of the newly relaunched M-Net Vuka! Awards that's now known as TAG, or the M-Net Television Awards for Good which is aimed at rewarding Public Service Announcements, or so-called PSA ads in South Africa. The M-Net bursary fund will help disadvantaged students from advertising, communication and film schools in the country.

The deadline for applications for bursaries from the new M-Net bursary fund is 31 October and an application form needs to be filled in. The names of the successful beneficiaries will be announced in the second week of January 2012. Application forms for the M-Net TAG Awards bursary fund can be emailed to Shelli Miller at shelli@thebomb.co.za or faxed to 086 503 4540.

M-Net's long running Vuka! Awards replaced by the M-Net Television Awards for Good (TAG).

M-Net's long running Vuka! Awards honouring and mentoring upcoming filmmakers, producers and creatives in South Africa's advertising and film industry is being replaced by the M-Net Television Awards for Good (M-Net TAG) for Public Service Announcements, or so-called PSA ads, in the trade.

''We decided to rename the M-Net Vuka! Awards to M-Net Tag to underline our fresh new approach to this important M-Net Cares initiative,'' says Koo Govender, M-Net's director of corporate marketing and communications. All the winning PSAs of the M-Net Television Awards for Good will be shown on M-Net and the M-Net sister channels on DStv.

M-Net says the pay broadcaster wants to take the awards ''to the next level with a much stronger focus on developing and mentoring new talent.'' Besides the usual categories, the new M-Net Television Awards for Good will introduce an additional category called TAG 10 that is focused on black economic empowerment (BEE).

Film and advertising school graduates (or those between 20 and 27) and with less than 5 years' experience in directing, producing, copywriting or art direction, could win a trip to the Cannes Film Festival or the Cannes Young Lions. Teams entering for TAG 10 should take into account the race, language and cultural demographics of South Africa says M-Net.

More information, entry forms and deadlines are available at http://tag.mnet.co.za or phone Shelli or Candice on 011 804 2552.