Managing Director of VOAMF, Pim de Witt was all glee. But, he will quickly give kudos and dedicate the award to his young Mobile Reporters, scattered across the African continent, who make the institution tick as the leg soldiers in the field.

According to de Witt, the award is just the beginning of greater things to happen for VOAMF and their Mobile Reporters in the African continent.

Fondly referred to as The BOBs Award, it is focussed on freedom of information and freedom of speech. Blogs have become more and more important. People use blogs for political activism; air their views, their opinions and more.

Around the world, courageous bloggers take the risk of being threatened and arrested for standing up for their opinion. Deutsche Welle recognises these efforts and awards the best blogs with an international blog award, The BOB.

The BOB awards are given in 16 categories both by online voting and by a blogger jury. Representative of all winners are invited for The BOB awards ceremony. Judges consider blogs in 11 different languages, making the BOBs the world's only awards competition that offers a comprehensive overview of the global blogosphere. The award winners provide an authentic impression of what the situation for bloggers is like in their respective countries, especially those from countries where the media is muzzled and how important new ways of communication, such as the mobile phones and the internet are for free expression. The question of how new technologies change the use of access to information and the (new) role of journalism in blogs can be discussed in an open panel.

The BOBs is your link to the global blogosphere. Deutsche Welle established this portal to put more focus on the world of blogs, podcasts and videoblogs and the culture that surrounds them.

With more than two-thirds of the world's population living in countries with limited freedom of the press, blogging has become the preferred media for free speech.
Developed in 2004, The BOBs is the world's largest international Weblog awards for blogs, podcasts and videoblogs. In 2007, more than 7,000 blogs were nominated and over 100,000 people voted for their favourites online.

Deutsche Welle's goal in hosting the awards is to reach out to talented bloggers, podcasts and videobloggers to promote free speech on the internet, highlight the diversity of the global blogosphere and encourage a multilingual dialogue.