North Central Florida
Society of Professional Journalists Awards of Excellence
Call for Entries

Eligibility: The Florida Society of Professional Journalists Awards of Excellence contest is open to all professional journalists in Florida in newspapers, television, radio and online.

Dates: All entries must have been published or broadcast between Aug. 1, 2005 and July 31, 2006.

Fees:$25 per individual entry (except "all media" categories). If you are a member of SPJ, fees are $20 per entry. ID number is required per entry to get discount. Full payment must accompany your entries by the contest deadline or your entries will be disqualified.
For "all media" categories-Public Service, Young Journalist of the Year and Journalist of the Year- fee is $35 per entry, $25 if a member of SPJ (again, ID number required)

Deadline: All entries must be mailed to North Central Florida SPJ, P.O. Box 3611, Ocala, FL 34478. Contest entries must be postmarked no later than Friday, September 29, 2006.
Payments must be received with entries. Make checks payable to North Central Florida SPJ. Please send all entries at one time and in one package.Questions? E-mail Larry Savage at lars62@earthlink.net or call (352) 867-4108.

Divisions: For newspapers, there are two divisions based on circulation figures that appear in the latest Editor & Publisher Yearbook. These figures include daily and non-daily publications.
Wire service entries will be judged in the highest circulation class.

When entering a category, please indicate the category number and either A (under 100,000 circulation) or B (over 100,000). For example, in newspapers, general reporting, single story category for the largest circulation would be 4-B. You may submit any given article to as many relevant categories as you wish, but must pay entry fee for each additional category.

Judges: Will be out-of-state newspaper editors and journalists, television anchors and reporters, and radio reporters. Decisionsby the judges are final.

Awards: Judges will select first, second and third place winners in each category. No entries will be returned. Judges may elect to not award a category.

Each winner (except all media categories) will receive an engraved plaque at the North Central Florida SPJ banquet in Gainesville in January 2007. Exact date and location will be announced and posted on our Web site (www.spj.org/northcentralflorida) in October. A list of winners will be posted on the chapter's Web site in early December. Winners of all media categories -Public Service, Young Journalist and Journalist of the Year - will each receive a trophy.

Entry format requirements

Please follow these instructions carefully. Entries incorrectly marked or not submitted according to the guidelines will be disqualified. No entry fees will be refunded and no materials will be returned. Photo copies of entry forms are acceptable.

For all entries

All entries must include two copies of the entry form. Staple one entry form to the inside left side of a standard 81/2 x 11 inch manila folder. Please do not use paper clips, only one staple. Place the other entry form on the front of the folder (taped securely). Make sure you fill in all required information on your entry forms or your entry will be disqualified. Please write clearly on the forms. Entry fees will not be refunded.

Newspapers

Staple the entry (one staple) in the appropriate manner on the right side inside the folder. You may fold the entry.

Submit tearsheets for layout entries. Date of publication must be included. Printed color PDFs are acceptable, but photocopies are not.

For writing entries, tearsheets are preferred, but PDFs and photocopies will be accepted. Date of publication must be included with entry (handwritten OK, but not on entry).


PHOTOGRAPHERS

Entries must in one CD or DVD per photographer with folders containing the category names. Include a copy of publication in which photo appeared with date. Photocopies of publication are OK as long as date is clearly recognizable.

Television

Entries must be in DVD or VHS format. Information relating to the entry may be included as narration at the lead of the tape or DVD.Label each VHS tape or DVD with the name of entry, station and entrants.

Radio

Entries must be in the form of an audio cassette or CD. Information relating to the entry may be included as narration at the lead of the tape or CD. Place the entry inside the folder. To secure the entry to the folder, please fold the folder and place rubber bands around the entry folder.
Online
Entries must include Web address on entry form.

Entry Categories

ALL MEDIA

1-Public service: This award will go to a news organization, not an individual journalist.
Judges will look for evidence of courage and initiative in overcoming opposition; effectiveness of the presentation; and results obtained, such as reforms effected or pledged.
Entries will also be judged on readability, effectiveness of interpretation, accuracy and completeness, enterprise, clarity and style and adherence to the SPJ Code of Ethics. To read SPJ's Code of Ethics, go to the following link: http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp?

2-Young Journalist of the Year: Open to journalists 30 years of age or younger. Submit five articles, fivebroadcasts or five photos, along with a one-page nomination by an editor or station manager.Entrieswill be judged on enterprise, initiative and depth. All published or broadcast material must bewithin the dates required.

3-Journalist of the Year: Open to all journalists (reporters, editors, photographers, anchors, online). Thisaward recognizes someone who has broken new ground in a way that impacts the practice of good journalismor has provided outstanding service or leadership to the profession. Entriesshould include supportingmaterial, such as articles or tapes (VHS, DVD or audio cassette). A letter of nomination from aneditor or colleague of the nominee, outlining the reasons why she or he should be considered asJournalist of the Year. All published or broadcast material must be within the dates required.


NEWSPAPERS
Categories (Indicate A or B circulation class)

Writing
4-General Reporting, Single story: Submit one story on a non-deadline event.

5-General Reporting, Series: Submit 3-5 non-deadline stories on the same subject.

6-General Reporting - Non-daily: Submit one story by a non-daily publication, such as a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Open only to Division A entries.

7-General Reporting - Non-daily series: Submit 3-5 stories on the same subject by a non-daily publication, such asa weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Open only to Division A entries.

8-Spot News - General: Submit up to three news stories on a breaking event.

9-Feature Reporting - Serious: Submit one story that has a serious tone

10-Feature Reporting - Light: Submit one story that has a lighter tone

11-Investigative Reporting: Submit one story or series of stories on one subject. Coverage should show enterprise and in-depth research. May include relevant information on the impact of report, such as supportingeditorials and letters to the editor. By a single reporter or a team of reporters.

12-Team effort: Staff coverage of a breaking event that has significant play, beginning on front page, with a main story along with sidebars, column and even an editorial. Minimum of three stories related to one breaking event. May include stories that appear in other section fronts. Staff award.

13-Business Reporting: Submit single story or series of stories on business events, trends

14-Humorous Column Writing: Submit up to three columns

15-Serious Column Writing: Submit up to three columns

16-Sports Column: Submit up to three columns

17-Sports Reporting - Deadline: One article, such as game story

18-Sports Reporting - Non-deadline: One article, such as feature or profile

19-Arts/entertainment reporting: Criticism or review of an entertainment event, preview or profile. Can submit up to three articles

20-Religion reporting: Submit up to three articles

21-Travel writing: Submit one article

22-Environmental reporting: Single article relating to environment

23-Education reporting: Single article about education

24-Editorial: Single entry

25-Editorial cartoon: Submit up to three entries


Photography
(one image per category unless noted)

26-Breaking News

27-Feature: Standalone or with story

28-Sports action

29-Photo illustration

30-News photo essay: 3 or more images

31-Feature photo essay: 3 or more images

32-Slide show (online presentation, with or without sound): At least 10 photos in presentation by a single photographer or team of photographersDesign and copy editing

33-Front page design

34-Local front design (inside section front)

35-Feature front design

36-Business front design

37-Sports front design

38-Special page design: Can be from any section and can be an inside page

39-News headline writing: A single headline that is dramatic, witty or smart (can be a deck)

40-Sports headline writing: A single headline that is dramatic, witty or smart (can be a deck)

41-Features headline writing: A single headline that is dramatic, witty or smart (can be a deck)

42-Graphic design: Can submit up to three entries

43-Special section: Sections that appear on an irregular or annual basis.

44-Team effort: Best overall effort on a page in design, use of graphics, headline writing. Can be from any section (news, sports, features)


TELEVISION

45-Deadline reporting

46-General reporting: One report

47-General reporting -series: At least three parts

48-Feature reporting - serious

49-Feature reporting -light

50-Sports reporting: One report

51-Sports special: On a single subject and must be at least 30 minutes in length.

52-Business reporting: One report

53-Investigative reporting: One report or series (three parts) of reports

54-Consumer reporting: One report

55-Special/documentary: On a single subject and must be at least 30 minutes in length

56-Newscast: Regular scheduled newscast from a single day, at least 30 minutes in length

57-Photography General News (one report)

58-Photography Spot News (one report)

59-Photography Serious Feature (one report)

60-Photography Light Feature (one report)

61-Photography Sports (one report)

62-Photography Series (3-5 reports)

63-General Editing (one report)


RADIO

64-General reporting (under 60 seconds)- single story

65-General reporting (over 60 seconds)- single story

66-General reporting -series

67-Spot News (breaking) - under 60 seconds

68-Spot News (breaking) - over 60 seconds

69-Features -light (over 60 seconds)

70-Features -serious (over 60 seconds)

71-Sports reporting (over 60 seconds)

72-Sports special: One subject, at least 30 minutes in length

73-Investigative reporting: single report or series

74-Business reporting: Single report

75-Consumer reporting: Single report

76-Newscast: Regular scheduled newscast from a single day


ONLINE

77-Best Web site: Indicate Web address so judges can view. Judges will consider design, ease of use and content (original articles written for Web and not just copied from previous day's newspaper). Judges will pick any day following the deadline period to review Web site.

78-Team effort: One day coverage on the Web that has series of articles originally written for the Internet on a particular subject; with multimedia entries such as slide shows, audios, photo galleries, archive material, blogs, etc.


QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions or concerns about the contest, call Larry Savage at (352) 867-4108 or e-mail him at lars62@earthlink.net or larry.savage@starbanner.com.