PRINT MEDIA
CATEGORIES 1 THROUGH 17
(Paid or unpaid circulation)
General instructions: A tear sheet (full page or pages containing the article, special page, etc.) must be submitted for entries published in newspapers or other publications. Clearly mark the tear sheet by highlighting or underlining the headline or title. Photocopies or print PDFs of tear sheets are permitted when originals are not available, but they must show publication name and date of issue printed on the page.
Note: A single story OR a package (story, sidebar(s) and/or related information boxes) published on a single day constitutes one article. Each article may be entered only once. A story entered as a single feature, news story cannot also be entered in a multi-part category such as series. Sections, special editions and publications must be submitted in their entirety. Sections and supplements should indicate clearly that they are part of a larger publication.
All electronic pieces should be submitted in the Electronic Communications category.
1. News reporting
Submit TWO (2) articles. Judges will consider planning and general organization of story, initiative in obtaining story, news writing, readability and impact.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
2. Continuing coverage or unfolding news
Open competition. Submit a maximum of SIX (6) articles representing the course of the story. The entry date is the date of the final article, which must be on or before Dec. 31 of the contest year. A one-page written statement noting general chronology of the unfolding news and any special circumstances or events related to the topic MUST be included with the entry.
Judges will consider the writer’s ability to stick with the story, the handling of the subject, writing style, readability and thoroughness of coverage (e.g., a trial underway with daily coverage, or surprising new facts discovered at a later date on a story that is not a planned series).
3. Investigative reporting
Open competition. Entry should demonstrate entrant’s ability to provide treatment of an issue that has an impact on the publication’s coverage area but that has not received prior coverage or would not have been told without the reporter’s diligence in uncovering or reporting of the subject. Submit a maximum of SIX (6) articles representing the course of the story. The entry date is the date of the final article, which must be on or before Dec. 31 of the contest year.
A one-page written statement MUST accompany the entry. It should include the entrant’s role in preparing the coverage, chronology of events, current status of issue covered and any unusual circumstances or difficulties encountered in preparation of the series.
Judges will consider the initiative, thoroughness of research, documentation, clarity of writing and/or presentation and technical excellence.
4. Enterprise reporting
Open competition. Entry should demonstrate entrant’s ability to expand on and add in-depth information to an issue that already has been reported and had an impact on the publication’s coverage area. Submit a maximum of SIX (6) articles representing the course of the story. The entry date is the date of the final article, which must be on or before Dec. 31 of the contest year.
A one-page written statement MUST accompany the entry. It should include the entrant’s role in preparing the coverage, chronology of events, current status of issue covered and any unusual circumstances or difficulties encountered in preparation of the series.
Judges will consider the initiative, thoroughness of research, documentation, clarity of writing and/or presentation and technical excellence.
5. Special series
Open competition. Submit a minimum of THREE (3), but not more than SIX (6) developed articles. The articles must be numbered or must otherwise indicate with an editor’s note, a consistent series title or a logo that the articles were intended as a series, published either over time or in the same issue. The entry date is the date of the final article, which must be on or before Dec. 31 of the contest year.
A one-page written statement MUST accompany the entry. It should include the entrant’s role in preparing the coverage, chronology of events, current status of issue covered and any unusual circumstances or difficulties encountered in preparation of the series.
Judges will consider the initiative, thoroughness of research, documentation, clarity of writing and/or presentation and technical excellence.
6. Editorial/Opinion
Submit ONE (1) article. DO NOT SUBMIT personal columns. This category is for non-bylined pieces that appear on editorial or op-ed pages.
In addition to considering local interest of the publication for the readers, judges will consider clarity of style, sound reasoning and effort to influence readers’ opinions in what the writer believes to be the right direction.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications, and websites
- Editorial cartoon
7. Feature story
Submit ONE (1) article. DO NOT ENTER interview as feature (see Category 8, Personality Profile).
Judges will consider interest and unusual aspects of the feature material itself and/or the handling of it, writing style, readability and thoroughness of coverage.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
8. Personality profile
Open competition. Submit ONE (1) article that gives a portrait of an individual based on interviews with one or more persons.
Judges will consider how well the writer reveals the personality of the subject by exploring the subject’s actions, background, motivation and character.
- 500 words or fewer
- More than 500 words
9. Specialty articles
Open competition. Submit TWO (2) articles on the same basic subject for each sub-category. The two articles equal one entry and both should be listed on the same entry form and placed in one envelope. Entrants may enter one or all lettered sub-categories, but the two articles that make up an entry must be on the topic of that sub-category. Example: sub-category O (Sports), both articles may cover various sports topics; each may focus on a particular sport, e.g., basketball; or each article may cover a different sport – one on basketball and one on hunting, etc. Or, as in sub-category M (Reviews), one article may be a review of a play, while another is a review of a concert.
Judges will consider the same criteria as for news or feature stories and will include the author’s ability to write knowledgeably on the subject.
- Business
- Agriculture, Agribusiness, Aquaculture
- Arts and entertainment
- Physical health, fitness, mental health, self-help
- Education
- Science
- Food
- Government or politics
- History
- Home (interior decoration, furniture, architecture, landscaping)
- Fashion
- Religion
- Reviews (any subject, personal opinion must be expressed)
- Social issues (family, minority affairs, welfare, women, the elderly, consumerism)
- Sports
- Hobby or craft
- Travel
- Advertorials (writing done for special advertising supplements or special sections)
- Green/environmental
- Technology/Internet
10. Columns
Open competition, with sub-categories by column type. Submit TWO (2) columns. Columns should have a headline or logo that indicates it is a regular feature of the publication, should entertain and/or educate and should reveal author’s style.
Judges will consider interest, organization and ideas conveyed in the column as well as clarity, readability, style and author’s ability to write knowledgeably on the subject.
Columns published on a website should be entered in this category. Columns are NOT blogs.
- Humorous
- General Informational (how-to, Q&A, advice)
- Personal Opinion (bylined, not editorial)
11. Single page or pages regularly edited by entrant – Lifestyle or Entertainment
Specify frequency of page’s appearance and submit TWO (2) samples of the same type or subject (i.e., two food pages, two youth pages, etc.).
Judges will consider the planning and general organization of the page, the power of original editorial material, suitability and appeal of feature material, informational value, editing and headline writing.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
12. Single page or pages regularly edited by entrant – other than Lifestyle or Entertainment
Submit TWO (2) samples.
Judges will consider the planning and general organization of the page, the power of original editorial material, suitability and appeal of feature material, informational value, editing and headline writing.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
13. Section edited by entrant – frequent or regular sections
Specify frequency of section or supplement and submit TWO (2) samples. Regardless of frequency, newspaper supplements (such as Sunday magazines) MUST be entered in the appropriate newspaper sub-category below, not in magazine sub-category. If the section (e.g., Sunday magazine) is a supplement to a daily newspaper, but published weekly or monthly, it still belongs in the daily sub-category. The entry must specify the larger publication in which the section appeared.
Judges will consider planning and general organization, the power of original editorial material, suitability and appeal of feature material, informational value, editing and headline writing, cohesiveness, and thoroughness of coverage.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
14. Sections/supplements edited by entrant – infrequent
(one-time, annual, semi-annual, quarterly)
Submit ONE (1) sample. Regardless of frequency, newspaper supplements (such as Sunday magazines) must be entered in the appropriate newspaper sub-category. If the section (e.g., Sunday magazine) is a supplement to a daily newspaper, but published weekly or monthly, it still belongs in the daily sub-category. Entry must specify the larger publication in which the section appeared.
Judges will consider planning and general organization, the power of original editorial material, suitability and appeal of feature material, informational value, editing and headline writing, cohesiveness, and thoroughness of coverage.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
15. Publications regularly edited by entrant
Submit TWO (2) issues in their entirety. Note that there are categories for public relations magazines and other types of publications in the Public Relations division.
Judges will consider writing, editing, design and content.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
- Newsletters (not internal or public relations)
16. Page layout
Submit TWO (2) examples of pages regularly laid out by entrant. Entry may consist of front pages, youth pages, editorial pages, sports pages, family pages or others, all of one type or in combination.
Judges will consider the overall layout and design of the pages, typefaces, use of photographs and arrangements of the various elements to appeal to readers.
- Non-daily newspaper
- Daily newspaper
- Publication/magazine/supplement for general or specialized circulation, including internal publications
17. Headlines and original graphics
Judges will consider appropriateness to story, originality and appeal to the reader. Open competition. No sub-categories as to type of publication or circulation.
- Headline writing (submit FOUR (4) samples on marked tear sheets)
- Original graphics (submit TWO (2) samples on marked tear sheets)
