Letter: Martha Gellhorn prize of pounds 5,000

A PRIZE FOR journalism is to be offered in honour of the late Martha Gellhorn, one the the 20th century's greatest reporters.

The award will be for the kind of reporting that distinguished Martha: in her own words "the view from the ground". This is essentially a human story that penetrates the established version of events and illuminates an urgent issue buried by prevailing fashions of what makes news. We would expect the winner to tell an unpalatable truth, validated by powerful facts, that exposes establishment conduct and its propaganda, or "official drivel", as Martha called it. The subjects can be based in this country or abroad.

A prize of pounds 5,000 will be awarded annually. However, this will be withheld if we, the judges, decide that none of the contenders has fulfilled the above terms. This letter supersedes the announcement of a Martha Gellhorn Award made last year. Anyone who submitted entries then is invited to reapply.

Entries should be for newspaper, journal or magazine journalism published in the United Kingdom during the year 31 October 1998 to 1999. A minimum of one article and a maximum of three should be submitted. Send six copies of each piece to: The Martha Gellhorn Trust & Prize, Rutherfords, Herbert Road, Salcombe, Devon TQ8 8HN.