CT SPJ Excellence in Journalism Contest open for entries

The Connecticut SPJ Excellence in Journalism Contest is now open for entries published or broadcast in 2024.

Here’s who won last year.

THE DEADLINE TO ENTER IS FEBRUARY 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

You’ll notice some changes to the list of categories, as well as the divisions your publication falls into. More information about that can be found below.

The cost is $25 per entry for companies entering on behalf of their employees or freelances, and for individuals entering their own work who are not SPJ members.

Individuals who are SPJ members get a discounted rate of $10 per entry.

The money we raise from the contest helps us support the scholarships for college students interested in journalism, pays for programs and activities for Connecticut journalists through the year, and covers the costs of running the contest.

If you are an individual journalist for whom the $25 fee is a barrier to entering your own work, please email spjconnecticut@gmail.com and we can discuss options for discounts or free entry.

Questions? Email spjconnecticut@gmail.com to reach us.

Martha Shanahan, contest chair
Viktoria Sundqvist, contest clerk

To enter:

– Register for a new account on the contest site here (if you entered last year you have to make a new account)
– Log in to the site using your new account. Go to the ‘Your excellence in journalism entries’ tab.

You’ll need:

• A new username and password to log in to the contest site (user names do not get saved from prior years – you will need to create a new account
• The date each entry was published (the date must be in 2024)
• A working link to each entry, and a login and password if your entry is behind a paywall
• The category for your entry and the division your publication or station falls into. (We have moved from 5 groups to 3 this year: Large, Medium and Small. More details about the changes to categories and divisions below.)
• A credit card number, or a check ready to send to CT SPJ (P.O. Box 5071, Woodbridge CT 06525). If paying by card, you will be redirected to the third-party payment platform Stripe.

All entries must have been published online or in print, or broadcast or streamed during the year 2024.

CHANGES TO DIVISIONS

One of the major changes you’ll see is that we have moved from 5 to 3 circulation groups: Large, Medium and Small. The breakdown is as follows:

Division A – Large

Any news outlet that covers more than five towns and statewide issues on a regular basis, has more resources and has a staff of more than 10 full-time reporters OR is affiliated with a larger news organization.

Example outlets for this group: Hartford Courant, Connecticut Public, CT Mirror, NBC Connecticut, WFSB, WTNH, Fox 61, News 12, and Hearst Connecticut work done for CT Insider or multiple publications.

Please note that television and radio broadcast entrants are now included in Division A (Large). Those entrants can enter links to their work into any of the applicable categories, where it will be judged alongside work from the other publications in Division A.

We have also added two categories specifically for work broadcast on TV or radio, in which you can enter work you feel specifically exemplifies the entry’s strengths within that medium.

Division B – Medium

Any news outlet that covers more than five towns and statewide issues on a regular basis, has between 5-10 full-time reporters OR is affiliated with a larger news organization. This group is for all magazines or smaller news organizations with fewer resources than those in Group A.

Example outlets for this group: Republican-American, The Day, New Britain Herald, Bristol Press, Today Magazine, Connecticut Magazine, Hartford Business Journal, CT Newsjunkie and work done for Hearst Connecticut’s daily newspapers (not CT Insider or work done for multiple HCMG papers).

C- Small

Any news organization that covers hyperlocal news only, no more than five towns, and has fewer than 5 full-time reporters.

Example outlets for this group: NewCanaanite.com, Shore Publishing weeklies, WestportNow.com, NancyOnNorwalk, Hearst CT weeklies, Valley Independent Sentinel, New Haven Independent.

As always, if a story ran in a larger publication, it must be entered in the larger group category.

CATEGORY CHANGES

The volunteer contest committee of the CT SPJ board – listening to feedback from contest entrants as well as judges – has reviewed and streamlined some of the categories.

• This year, there will be a combined Arts, Entertainment, Food and Leisure category
• Continuing Coverage or Reporting Series is now one category
• We have updated the description for the category Diversity Coverage to help clarify what content should be entered there
• Our headline category now allows for headline entries written for both web and print
• Local Reporting and In-Depth Local Reporting have been combined into one category
• For our layout categories, there is now Newspaper Layout (1-2 page spread) and Magazine Layout (1-2 page spread) instead of separating inside and outside pages
• Because broadcast entries will no longer be in their own separate circulation group, we have added two categories: Broadcast Television Spot and Broadcast Radio Spot. These categories that television or radio entrants feel exemplifies the best of their broadcast work

All 2024 contest categories

Reporting

Arts, Entertainment, Food & Leisure – A single entry dealing with the arts, entertainment, food or leisure.

Breaking News – A single story or package of stories and social media updates that involves coverage of a spot news event written under an immediate deadline. Please note if the story has been updated from the time of original publication, and if so, what updates were made.

Business – A single story on a business topic.

Continuing Coverage Or Series – A group of no more than 5 articles or broadcasts showing follow-through reporting on a single topic over time. For example, coverage of a trial or controversy. Can also be part of a formal series. Each individual may enter this category up to three times. Each article/broadcast should only be submitted once.

Courts/Crime – Any news article or broadcast dealing with issues of the criminal justice system, except for breaking news coverage.

Data Reporting – Effective use of data for reporting a single story or graphic.

Diversity Coverage – A single story or broadcast with an issue of identity, race, gender, sexual orientation or disability at its center.

Education – A single story or broadcast about educational issues, either local or statewide.

Government – Any news article or broadcast dealing with governmental issues.

Health – A single story or broadcast regarding health issues, either local or statewide.

In-Depth Local Reporting – A single general news story that helps the audience fully understand a situation and impact.

Investigative – A single story containing information obtained through reporter initiative that was not readily available to the news media or the general public.

Religion – Any news article or broadcast dealing with religious topics.

Broadcast

Television Spot – A single broadcast (TV) spot that shines light on an issue important to a single town or region. Entries will be judged on depth of sourcing, delivery and reporter’s ability to put the news into context for the audience.

Radio Spot – A single broadcast (radio) spot that shines light on an issue important to a single town or region. Entries will be judged on depth of sourcing, delivery and reporter’s ability to put the news into context for the audience.

Sports reporting

Sports News Story – A single story on a sports news topic.

Sports Feature Story – A single story on a sports news topic, written for a factor other than timeliness.

Sports Column – A single column or commentary piece on a sports topic.

Opinion

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.

General Column/Commentary – A single column or commentary piece (other than sports or humorous) that represents an opinion or point of view on an issue or an event.

Humorous Column/Commentary – A single column or broadcast commentary on any topic, with the purpose to entertain.

Photo and video

News Photo – A single photo taken for news value. All photo entries must include the photographer’s name. Any photos entered under “Staff,” “Contributed” or similar credits will be disqualified.

Feature photo – A single feature photo. All photo entries must include the photographer’s name. Any photos entered under “Staff,” “Contributed” or similar credits will be disqualified.

Sports Photo – A single sports photo. All photo entries must include the photographer’s name. Any photos entered under “Staff,” “Contributed” or similar credits will be disqualified.

Photo Essay – A collection of photos, either in print or online, that together tell one story. Any photo galleries should be entered here as well. No photos with “Staff” or “Contributed” credit will be accepted.

Video storytelling – Excellent use of video for the web or social media to either tell a story alone or bolster written reporting. (Not a TV broadcast spot).

Design and layout

Newspaper Layout (1-2 page spread) – This is specifically a newspaper print category. Entry can be an A1 layout + jump or a centerpiece spread. The category is 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.

Magazine Layout (1-2 page spread) – This is specifically a print magazine category. Entry can be the cover or an inside page or spread. The category is for the person who designed the page, not for the writers and photographers of the materials on the page. Only the layout person should be listed.O

Headline – A single entry is made up of three headlines as they appeared in print or online. All three headlines must be the work of a single individual but not necessarily from the same publication. Entries involving the work of more than one person are ineligible. If submitting a PDF, please highlight the headlines to be considered. Each individual may submit up to three entries in this category. Each headline should only be entered one time.

Digital storytelling

Innovative Digital Storytelling – A story or package that uses multimedia tools – including audio, video, social media or interactive graphics – in an innovative way. In the entry, please note if the package should be viewed in mobile or web, and provide an active link to the material. Note: Social media posts from breaking news events should be submitted as part of a Breaking News submission.

Podcasting – A single podcast episode of no more than 30 minutes. Entries can be edited for length. This category is for all podcasts regardless of style, including monologues, interviews, panel discussions and edited field material. Entries should be uploaded to an online hosting site, and submitted with a URL.

The judging is made possible because CT SPJ receives entries to judge from other chapters.

If you’re interested in judging the other chapter’s contest this year (in April or May) email spjconnecticut@gmail.com.

Thanks!