Contest

College Contest now open for entries

The CTSPJ College journalism contest is now open for entries.

All Connecticut college media outlets are eligible to enter the contest. The deadline for entries is April 27, 2013 at 5 p.m.

To enter the contest, visit the contest website here. Make sure to pick “College Contest” as your circulation type under the main category drop-down menu.

For more information, please contact CTSPJ President Jodie Mozdzer Gil at jmozdzer@ctspj.org or Immediate Past President Cindy Simoneau at csimoneau@ctspj.org.

The categories are as follows. Or click here to download a PDF with the categories.

Print/Online

  • Feature (A single article written because of some factor other than timeliness)
  • General Reporting (Any article not covered by other categories)
  • Editorial/Op-Ed or Opinion Column
  • General Column
  • Page 1 Layout
  • Non-Page 1 Layout
  • News Photo
  • Feature Photo
  • Sports Photo
  • Sports Feature Story
  • Sports News Story

Audio

  • Feature (A single story written because of some factor other than timeliness)
  • General Reporting (Any story not covered by other categories)
  • Commentary
  • General Column
  • Sports Feature Story
  • Sports News Story
  • Spot News

Video

  • Feature (A single story written because of some factor other than timeliness)
  • General Reporting (Any story not covered by other categories)
  • Commentary
  • General COlumn
  • Sports Feature Story
  • Sports News Story
  • Spot News

2012 Contest Categories

The following are all the categories for the 2012 Excellence in Journalism Contest. Click here to download a printable PDF with the categories.

 

SPECIAL PLAQUE AWARDS

open to all media circulations

     Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award

A single story or stories having a significant impact in the public interest. Entries must include supporting documentation such as letters, editorials, evidence of a change in public policy, etc. showing how the entry had an impact.

Theodore Driscoll Award For Investigative Reporting

A single story or formal series containing information, obtained through reporter initiative, not readily available to the news media or public.

     First Amendment Award

A single story, column or series that increases public understanding of the role of the press in a free society.

 

2012 SPECIAL CATEGORIES

     Hurricane Sandy

            Spot News

            Page 1 Layout

            Non-Page 1 Layout

            News Photo

     Newtown Shooting

            Spots News

            Page 1 Layout

            Non-Page 1 Layout

            News Photo

            General Reporting

 

EDITORIAL

            General Column

            Opinion Column

            Editorial Cartoon

            Op-Ed Column

            Single Editorial

REPORTING

            In-Depth Series

            In-Depth Reporting

            Investigative Series

            Investigative Story

            Spot News

            Feature

            Feature Series

            General Reporting

            General Reporting Series

            Arts & Entertainment

            Business

SPORTS

            Sports News

            Sports Feature

            Sports Column

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

            Sports Photo

            Feature Photo

            Photo Layout

            News Photo

LAYOUT

            Page 1 Layout

            Non-Page 1 Layout

            Headline

GRAPHICS

            Informational Graphic

MULTIMEDIA

            Video Storytelling

            Audio Storytelling

            Interactive Graphic – Reporting

            Interactive Graphic Design

2012 Contest Open For Entries

Over the last several days, Connecticut journalists have worked harder than ever to keep the state — and the nation — informed of the latest details regarding the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown.

It’s just one example of the difficult and important job Connecticut reporters undertake every day.

It can sometimes be a thankless job – one filled with new demands, pressures and criticisms.

That’s why the Connecticut Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists hosts the annual Excellence in Journalism Contest.

We want to recognize the quality work being done at Connecticut news outlets – and honor the best of the best.

Read more →

College Contest Opens April 1

The Connecticut SPJ college journalism contest will open for entries on April 1. The deadline to enter will be May 1.

You can access the website to enter by clicking this link.

The college contest is open for stories and photos published in college media in Connecticut between April 22, 2011 and April 1, 2012.

This year, the contest will accept all media types — television, radio, online and print. A full list of categories is posted below.

Entries are limited to three per person per category. Each story, editorial, photo, etc. is a separate entry.

Entry Fees:

  • $5 for active SPJ members
  • $10 for non-members and colleges or universities paying for entries

NOTE: You must choose “College Contest” as the main category for entry in the contest system, or your entries will be disqualified.

If you have questions or problems, contact contest coordinator Jodie Mozdzer at jmozdzer@ctspj.org.

CATEGORIES:

Audio > Feature
Audio > General Reporting
Audio > Commentary
Audio > General Column
Audio > Sports Feature Story
Audio > Sports News Story
Audio > Spot News

Video > General Reporting
Video > Commentary
Video > General Column
Video > Sports Feature Story
Video > Sports News Story
Video > Spot News
Video > Feature

Print/Online > General Reporting
Print/Online > Editorial/Op-ed
Print/Online > General Column
Print/Online > Page 1 Layout
Print/Online > Non-Page 1 Layout
Print/Online > News Photo
Print/Online > Feature Photo
Print/Online > Sports Photo
Print/Online > Sports Feature Story
Print/Online > Sports News Story
Print/Online > Spot News
Print/Online > Feature

 

2011 Excellence In Journalism Contest

The 2011 Excellence in Journalism contest is now open for submissions.

The entry fees are the same as last year:

  • $10 for active Connecticut SPJ members
  • $25 for non-members and news organizations
  • $50 for the three top awards

Click here to enter the contest.

CONTEST CATEGORIES

All categories are open to all Connecticut journalists. Entrants will be judged against similar media types (listed below). The exception is the CTSPJ Special Awards, in which entrants are judged against all other entrants, regardless of media type.
To enter, the work must have been published or broadcast during the 2011 calendar year.
MEDIA TYPES
For each category, please indicate what category your news organization falls in:
• Daily Newspaper above 50,000 circulation
• Daily Newspaper at 18,000 – 50,000 circulation
• Daily Newspaper below 18,000 circulation
• Regional non-daily
• Community non-daily
• Magazine
• Special Supplement
• Television
• Radio
• Online– Independent (includes for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that publish and stream video exclusively online on a regular schedule. The primary purpose of the website must be to inform, rather than to sell or promote a product, or advocate a political point of view.)
• Online – Affiliated (The online product for a news organization that also has a print or television/radio product. The material must appear exclusively online.)
SPECIAL AWARDS…………..(open to all Connecticut journalists, judged against each other)
  • Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award: This is a special award open to all media for a story or stories having a significant impact in the public interest. Entries must include supporting documentation such as letters, editorials, evidence of a change in public policy, etc. showing how the entry had an impact.
  • Theodore Driscoll Award for Investigative Reporting: A single story or formal series containing information, obtained through reporter initiative, not readily available to the news media or public.
  • First Amendment Award: A single story, column, or series which increases understanding of the public of the role of the press in a free society.
CATEGORIES …………….. (open to all Connecticut journalists, judged according to media type)
Editorial
  • General Column: A single column (other than sports, opinion or Op-Ed) that does not express a strong opinion or point of view on an issue or an event.
  • Opinion Column: An opinion column clearly states an opinion on an issue or an event. It must appear in any section other than the Op-Ed or Sports pages or portion of a broadcast.
  • Single Editorial: A single editorial represents the opinion of the publication, station, or news website as an organization. It can be written by one or more than one person.
  • Editorial Cartoon: A single cartoon that appears online, in print or on a broadcast.
  • Op-Ed Column: An Op-Ed column must have been published in the Op-Ed section of a paper or news site, or designated portion of the broadcast. It must have a byline or author.
Reporting
  • In-Depth Series: a formal series helping the reader understand situation beyond information provided in a normal news story. Limit 1 series per person.
  • In-Depth Reporting: a single story helping reader understand situation beyond information provided in a normal news story
  • Investigative Series: a formal series containing information obtained through reporter initiative that was not
    readily available to the news media or the general public. Limit 1 per person.
  • Investigative Reporting: a single story containing information obtained through reporter initiative that was
    not readily available to the news media or the general public.
  • Spot News: a single story involving coverage of a spot news event written under an immediate deadline. Non-
    daily and magazine classes are not eligible for this category.
  • Feature: A single story written for some factor other than timeliness.
  • Feature Series: A series written or produced for some factor other than timeliness.
  • General Reporting – Single: A single news story not covered by any other category.
  • General Reporting – Series: A formal series of articles or broadcasts that do not fit into any other category.
  • Business: A single story about a business topic.
  • Arts&Entertainment: A single story dealing with the arts.
Sports
  • Sports Column: A column that appears in the sports pages or portion of a broadcast.
  • Sports Feature: A sports story written for some factor other than timeliness
  • Sports News: A single sports story.
Photography
  • News Photo
  • Feature Photo
  • Sports Photo
  • Photo Layout: the photo layout category is not a design category. It is for photos only; not their arrangement. It generally should be for the work of one photographer.
Layout
  • Headline: All three headlines submitted for each headline entry must be the work of a single individual but not necessarily from the same publication. Entries involving the work of more than one person will be declared ineligible.
  • Page 1 Layout: A category for the person who arranged the text and the illustrations, not for the writers and photographers of the materials on the page. Only the layout person should be listed.
  • Non-Page 1 Layout: A category for the person who arranged the text and the illustrations, not for the writers and photographers of the materials on the page. Only the layout person should be listed.
Graphics
  • Informational Graphic – Design: a static graphic that appears in print, online or in a broadcast to augment reporting on a topic. Entrant should be person who designed the graphic.
Multimedia
  • Video Storytelling: Excellent use video medium to either tell a story alone, or bolster written reporting.
  • Interactive Graphic – Reporting: Use of free Internet tools to present data or reporting in an interactive format
  • Interactive Graphic –Design: Creation of a functional interactive graphic using tools such as Flash or HTML.
  • Audio Storytelling: Excellent use of digital audio production for online storytelling, including podcasts, audio
    interviews.

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