There are 29 contest categories in 2024. The General Excellence and Student Journalism awards, as well as awards for story types and story topics (see lists below).
Categories are broken out by size divisions, determined by the news organization’s total, distinct editorial staff.
Small: Fewer than 50 editorial staff
Medium: 51-300 editorial staff
Large: 301+ editorial staff
Industry Publications: There will be an additional General Excellence category for industry/topic-specific publications. Otherwise, these publications will compete against other similarly sized news organizations.
GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
This category has four subcategories: small, medium and large, as well as industry or topic-specific publications. Only one entry per publication is allowed in this category.
A cover letter of up to 400 words may be submitted with your entry.
Entries should showcase the depth and breadth of quality in your publication. Entrants will demonstrate general excellence by submitting at least one element from three of the five following areas of coverage. You may submit up to five elements.
- Scoop: A news story exclusive to your publication.
- Breaking news: One story from your organization’s coverage of an unexpected breaking news event. Entrants are encouraged to include in their cover letter a description of the full day’s coverage plan to give broader context.
- Explanatory/Feature: One significant explanatory or feature story.
- Investigative Project: The main story of a large-scale project or investigation. Entrants are encouraged to include in their cover letter a description of the overall package.
- Visual Storytelling: A stand-alone visual story — could be a video, a series of related photographs or an interactive data visualization.
Stories submitted for this award can also be submitted in a story type or story topic category.
BEST RANGE OF WORK
Entries should showcase distinguished work by a single journalist (not a team) across the broad spectrum of content platforms and categories, including the story topic categories (health, technology, etc.) as well as story types (investigative, breaking news, etc.). This category will name winners in small, medium and large divisions.
A cover letter of up to 250 words may be submitted with your entry.
Entrants will demonstrate the best range of work by submitting exceptional content from at least three different story topics or story types. You may submit up to five elements.
Stories submitted for this award can also be submitted in a story type or story topic category.
STORY TYPE AWARDS
There is no limit on the number of entries per news outlet; however, any individual story may only be entered into one story type, which is separate from story topics. For example, the same story or package of stories cannot be entered into the Investigative and Explanatory categories, both of which are story types.
News organizations compete against other similarly sized organizations, regardless of format, unless otherwise noted. Freelancers will be grouped based on the size of the outlet that published their work.
An entry shall consist of no more than three elements. An element can be a text, audio or video story, or an interactive. Accompanying photos and static graphics will not be counted as elements.
A cover letter of up to 250 words is not required but may be submitted with your entry.
Story Type Award Categories:
Breaking News: Coverage within the first 24 hours of a breaking story, demonstrating speed of delivering headlines, stories and analysis with relevant context and value-added information. Entrants in this category can submit up to five stories, segments or short-form alerts. All items submitted must include timestamps and the entry should include a reference to the time the news originally became public.
Commentary/Opinion: Reported coverage that reflects the point of view of the journalist or news organization. Category includes unsigned editorials, individual columns and blogs.
Data: Winners in this category will be recognized for exceptional content that is both premised on data and clearly and compellingly displays it.
Explanatory: In-depth reporting that presents, analyzes and simplifies a single important topic and/or news event in a way that allows audiences to understand it more clearly.
Feature: Enterprise storytelling that may be presented as a trend story, a profile or a narrative, that draws on in-depth reporting to offer fresh discovery or insight in a memorable way.
Investigative: In-depth reporting that: a) presents important and vital information largely unknown to the audience and unavailable from other sources before publication; and b) demonstrates an obvious need for change in law/policy/behavior.
Newsletter: Coverage that goes beyond a mere collection of links and informs and engages with the audience in a way that’s clearly meaningful and impactful to the audience.
Podcast/Audio: Coverage that demonstrates excellence in audio storytelling.
Video: Online or television coverage that is visually compelling and deeply engaging, demonstrating excellence in visual storytelling.
STORY TOPIC AWARDS
There is no limit on the number of entries per news outlet; however, any individual story may only be entered into one story topic, which is separate from story types. For example, the same story or package of stories about automated driving cannot be entered into the Transportation and Technology categories, both of which are story topics.
News organizations compete against other similarly sized organizations, regardless of format, unless otherwise noted. Freelancers are grouped based on the size of the outlet that published their work.
An entry shall consist of no more than three elements. An element can be a text, audio or video story, or an interactive. Accompanying photos and static graphics will not be counted as elements.
A cover letter of up to 250 words is not required but may be submitted with your entry.
Story Topic Award Categories:
Banking/Finance
Business of Sports
Economics
Energy/Sustainability/Climate
Government
Health/Science
International Reporting
Investing/Markets
Media/Entertainment
Personal Finance
Real Estate
Retail
Small Business
Technology
Travel/Transportation
STUDENT JOURNALISM
Open to undergraduate and graduate students. An entry shall consist of no more than three elements. Elements should represent the best work of the contributor(s) over the contest year. An element can be a text, audio or video story, or an interactive. Accompanying photos and static graphics will not be counted as elements.
A cover letter of up to 250 words must be included that includes whether each contributor is an undergraduate or graduate student, as well as the year of graduation (or expected graduation).
Stories for Professional News Organizations
Entries should focus on one student. The elements submitted can include other contributors, but all should primarily be the work of the entered student. The cover letter should address the contributions made to the entries by others.
Stories for Student News Organizations
Entries should focus on one student. The elements submitted can include other contributors, but all should primarily be the work of the entered student. The cover letter should address the contributions made to the stories by others.
Student Projects and Collaborations
Entries can showcase work by more than one student, with minimal contributions from non-students. Entries should focus on one theme.
