2009 Page One Awards – Category Descriptions

Go to MN SPJ’s online entry form to enter the 2009 Page One Awards. Explanations of each entry category, as well as contest entry tips are below. Entry deadline is Wednesday, February 18, 2009.

ENTRY TIERS:
NEWSPAPER: Less than 50,000 circulation/50,000+ circulation
MAGAZINE: Less than 50,000 circulation/50,000+ circulation
RADIO: Less than 3 newsroom employees/3+ newsroom employees
TELEVISION: Less than 50 newsroom employees/50+ newsroom employees
(newsroom employees can include reporters, producers, anchors, photojournalists, etc.)
ONLINE: Affiliated with print or broadcast news outlet/Independent Web site

1. NEWSPAPER — NEWS AND FEATURE
A. Spot news (One or more stories on a spot news event)
B. Short feature (A single feature story of less than 30 inches)
C. Long feature (A single feature story of more than 30 inches)
D. In-depth (One or more stories that help the reader understand a situation beyond information provided in a typical news story)
E. Investigative (One or more stories containing information not readily available to the news media or public and obtained through reporter initiative)

2. NEWSPAPER — BUSINESS
A. Spot news (One or more stories on a spot news event)
B. Feature (A single story written because of some factor other than timeliness)
C. In-depth (One or more stories that help the reader understand a situation beyond information provided in a typical news story)
D. General column (A single column written for a business section)

3. NEWSPAPER — SPORTS
A. Spot news (One or more stories on a spot news event involving a sport)
B. Feature (A single story on sports written because of some factor other than timeliness)
C. Column (A single column written for the sports page)

4. NEWSPAPER — EDITORIAL AND OPINION
A. Editorial (A single editorial)
B. Editorial column (A single editorial page column)
C. Editorial page cartoon (A single cartoon)
D. General column (A single column written for a news page)
E. Arts and entertainment (A critical review or column on a single event, issue or presentation)

5. NEWSPAPER — GRAPHICS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
A. Spot news (Charted information, graphs, diagrams or maps that illustrate a spot news event)
B. In-depth (Charted information, graphs, diagrams or maps that help the reader understand a situation beyond information provided in a news story)
C. Art and illustration (Original artwork used to illustrate a story)

6. NEWSPAPER — PHOTOJOURNALISM
A. General news (Best use of photography in a hard news story)
B. Sports (Best use of photography in a sports story)
C. Feature (Best use of photography in a features story)
D. Portrait (Best portrait)
E. Photo essay (Best photo essay)
F. Pictorial (Best pictorial)

7. NEWSPAPER — PAGE DESIGN/LAYOUT
A. Page 1 layout (A single layout)
B. Section front layout (A single layout)
C. Feature page layout (A single layout)
D. News headline (A single headline, submitted with story)
E. Feature headline (A single headline, submitted with story)

8. NEWSPAPER — PACKAGE
A. Best overall package (Based on writing, photography, graphics/illustration, layout, copyhandling)
B. Best special section (Based on writing, photography, graphics/illustration, layout, copyhandling)

9. MAGAZINE — NEWS, FEATURE AND BUSINESS
A. Best Profile Story (A single profile story)
B. Best Feature Story (A single feature story)
C. Best Department (a magazine component appearing under the same heading and possibly, but not always, written by different writers); send 3 unique examples
D. Best Column (a magazine component appearing under the same heading and always written by the same author); send 3 unique examples
E. Best Service Package (non-narrative feature meant to be primarily useful)
F. Best Cover Using Photography (A single cover)
G Best Cover Without Photography (A single cover)
H. Best Single Page Design (A single page)
I. Best Spread Design (two-page or double-truck)
J. Best Feature Design (entire story, published in feature well)
K. Best Commissioned Photography (A single photo or photographs accompanying a story)
L. Best Commissioned Illustration (A single illustration or illustrations accompanying a story)
M. Best Overall Design (based on photography, graphics/illustration, layout, etc.; send 3 unique issues)
N. Best Overall (based on writing, photography, graphics/illustration, layout, copyhandling, etc.; send 3 unique issues)

10. TELEVISION — NEWS AND FEATURE
(Awards will be given to the reporting team and production team, if indicated)
A. Spot/Breaking news (coverage of an unscheduled event broadcast within 24 hours; may be a single story or compilation of coverage on a single event)
B. Hard News report (best coverage of a news-related topic; may include in-depth, planned coverage of a single event, or enterprise reporting)
C. Feature (single story done for some other factor than timeliness–may include profile, human interest, or trend stories)
D. Mini-documentary/in-depth series (a single report or series of reports going in-depth on a particular subject, helping the viewer understand a situation beyond information in a typical news story)
E. Feature-length documentary (Single feature-length program on a particular news subject, aired outside a regularly scheduled newscast)
F. Investigative (One or more stories containing information not readily available to the news media or public and obtained through reporter initiative)
G. Newscast (One regularly-scheduled newscast airing on any day in the contest year. The entry should represent the station’s best work in news content, execution, and overall presentation)

11. TELEVISION — SPORTS
A. Spot/Hard news (One or more stories, within a single newscast, on a spot or hard news event involving sports)
B. Feature (A single story done for some factor other than timeliness, concentrating on a sports-related issue, theme, or person)

12. TELEVISION — BEST USE OF AUDIO/VIDEO
A. Best use of Audio (demonstrates best use of audio techniques in a single story)
B. Best use of Video (demonstrates best use of video/photojournalism techniques in a single story)

13. RADIO — NEWS AND FEATURE
(Awards will be given to the reporting team and production team, if indicated)
A. Spot/Breaking news (coverage of an unscheduled event broadcast within 24 hours; may be a single story or compilation of coverage on a single event)
B. Hard News report (best coverage of a news-related topic; may include in-depth, planned coverage of a single event, or enterprise reporting)
C. Feature (single story done for some other factor than timeliness–may include profile, human interest, or trend stories)
D. Mini-documentary/in-depth series (a single report or series of reports going in-depth on a particular subject, helping the viewer understand a situation beyond information in a typical news story)
E. Feature-length documentary (Single feature-length program on a particular news subject, aired outside a regularly scheduled newscast)
F. Investigative (One or more stories containing information not readily available to the news media or public and obtained through reporter initiative)
G. Newscast (One regularly-scheduled newscast airing on any day in the contest year. The entry should represent the station’s best work in news content, execution, and overall presentation)

14. RADIO — SPORTS
A. Spot/Hard news (One or more stories, within a single newscast, on a spot or hard news event involving sports)
B. Feature (A single story done for some factor other than timeliness, concentrating on a sports-related issue, theme, or person)

15. RADIO — BEST USE OF AUDIO
A. Best use of Audio (demonstrates best use of audio techniques in a single story)

16. ONLINE — NEWS WEB SITES
A. Best Web site (Best use of a Web site for providing news to an online audience. Judges will look at areas such as ease of navigation, creative design concepts, good organization and degree to which online resources enhance reporting)
B. Best single news story (Best online coverage of a single news story or event)
C. Best continuing coverage (two or more online reports demonstrating ongoing coverage of a news event; including original or web-only content)
D. Best online magazine (a single issue of a magazine published exclusively on the Web)
E. Best use of multimedia (demonstrates outstanding use of photos, galleries, video, and/or audio to enhance original story)
F. Best use of video (demonstrates outstanding use of video produced exclusively for the Web)
G. Best newsroom blog (three blog entries demonstrating overall excellence in news coverage, affiliated with a newspaper, magazine, TV or radio station)
H. Best independent news blog (three blog entries demonstrating overall excellence in news coverage, not affiliated with a newspaper, magazine, TV or radio station)

ADDITIONAL CONTEST INFO:
•Journalists working for all print, broadcast and online news outlets in Minnesota (or news outlets in neighboring states that cover Minnesota) are eligible to enter.
•All work published or broadcast during the 2008 calendar year is eligible.
•Entries must be submitted and/or postmarked no later than Wednesday, February 18, 2009.
•The fee is $20 per entry.

An individual can submit only one entry per category except: 1) if a second entry is a multiple-byline entry or 2) if it is submitted by his/her employer because they could not agree on a single entry. Judges can move an entry from one category to another. Entries will not be returned. Entries will be judged by journalism professionals outside Minnesota. Up to three winners may be chosen for each category.

Questions? Contact: Sarah Bauer
p: 612-341-9357 | e: sarah.bauer@news-council.org