Pennsylvania APME News Excellence Competition

PAPME annual news, photo contest deadline: Friday, January 22, 2010

It's time to compile the best of the past year's work for the annual Associated Press Managing Editors news and photo contests. Entry forms and contest labels are attached to this email and will also be posted at http://www.papme.com/ . Stories and photos that appeared in newspapers on or between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31,2009, are eligible for the contests.

The deadline is Jan. 22, 2010, and the awards will be presented Friday, May 14, 2010, at the annual PAPME awards dinner at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, Harrisburg, Pa. Entries received after Jan. 22, 2010, will not be accepted.

Following are general rules for the contest:

v   Publication Dates:
Entries for the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors News Excellence Competition must have been published in a Pennsylvania AP member newspaper on or between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009. 

v   Deadline:
The deadline for entries to arrive at The Associated Press Philadelphia bureau is Friday, Jan. 22, 2010. Entries received after Jan. 22, 2010, will not be accepted. 

v   Entries:
Each column or editorial is considered a separate entry. There is no limit on the number of entries that may be submitted.

Each photo is considered a separate entry, except in the photo story competition or the Paul Vathis Memorial Portfolio competition. 

v      Prizes:
First-place winners in each category will receive a cash prize based on a portion of the total collected in entry fees. Second-place winners will receive certificates.

The judges will select one "Best of Show" winner among all entries for writing and one winner among all entries for photography, regardless of circulation class. Best of Show winners will receive $150 each.

The Paul Vathis Memorial Photography Portfolio Award winner will receive $300. 

v      Fees:
The fee is $7 per entry. Payment must accompany all entries.

The Ralph Flamminio Memorial Scholarship of $3,000 is awarded each year to a college senior selected the most promising newspaper journalist in Pennsylvania . Overpayments will be considered donations to the scholarship fund. 

Circulation divisions:

v      Entries will be judged in four circulation divisions:
- Newspapers 15,000 and under circulation
- Newspapers 15,001 to 30,000 circulation
- Newspapers 30,001 to 75,000 circulation
- Newspapers over 75,000 circulation

 

Detailed Rules:

            ALL ENTRIES:

 

v            All entry packages from a newspaper or an individual must be accompanied by a completed contest entry form.

v            Each entry must be placed in a 9x12 envelope, and the category, division and newspaper name must be written in the upper left corner of the envelope.

            PRINT ENTRIES:

 

v            The same story or series of stories may be entered in more than one category.

v            Entries may be either tear-sheets, photocopies or archive copies that are true to the print-published version. Archived copies are allowed, and by submitting this form of entry the entrants certify that they are true to the print-published version. 

v            Entries do not have to be mounted as in previous years.

v            Each entry must have a PAPME Contest Label attached to the top left corner. The label must include: the category; name of the newspaper; the newspaper's circulation division; the title of the entry, the name of the author(s) and entrant(s) e-mail address.

v            Entries that comprise multiple sheets should be securely clipped together.

v            Entries must have been published in the newspaper's print edition. 

v            Sidebars are permitted in all categories except columns and editorials.

 

ONLINE ENTRIES: 

 

v            Newspapers must submit URLs (up to five allowed to show updates) for judging. The emphasis is on creative use of multimedia and original online content not duplicated in print. The entry must include a print tear sheet for comparison and also can include a supporting statement of up to 200 words.  

 

PHOTO ENTRIES:

 

v            The same photo or series of photos may be entered in more than one category. Entries must have been published in the newspaper's print edition. 

v            Photos should be entered as prints, approximately 8x10 in size with no double printing or retouching in all categories except the Paul Vathis Memorial Photographer Portfolio Award in which a CD containing the five photographs in jpeg format is allowed as an option.

v            The back of each photo should contain the name of the entrant, the newspaper, entry category and circulation class, and a caption explaining the photo's content. 

v            A clipping or photocopy of the photo as it appeared in the newspaper must accompany the print. A PAPME Contest Label must be attached to the top left corner. 

 

 

Entry Forms: Download the entry form here

 

v   Fill in the blanks on the contest entry form and staple your check to the front of the entry form.  Entries without an accompanying entry form will not be accepted. 

Payment:

v      Make checks payable to PAPME Awards.  

Send Entries to:

PAPME Awards
c/o The Associated Press
1835 Market Street, Suite 1700
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Categories:

1.   Best Sports Deadline Reporting
Shows enterprise, writing ability and imagination in spot news coverage of a sports subject. 

2.   Best Sports/Outdoors Column
Shows grasp of subject and engaging writing ability in a single column.

3.   Best Sports Feature Reporting (new category)
Shows imagination, entertaining storytelling and the ability to hold the interest of a reader on a sports feature subject.

4.   Best Editorial
Shows grasp of subject, quality of argument, strong stand and writing ability in a single editorial.

5.   Best Investigative Reporting
Article or series of articles shows investigative effort and  skill about subject of significant public concern.

6.   Best Spot News Reporting
Shows solid news gathering and writing skills on deadline when no planning is possible.     An entry may be the work of more than one reporter.     It may include multiple stories published on a single day. A letter or note from the editor, explaining the time restrictions and deadline framework, may be attached to the entry.

7.   Best General News Reporting
Continuing coverage of a developing news event, demonstrating commitment to ongoing coverage stretched over many days.  Include as many stories as you wish.

8.   Best Enterprise Reporting 
A non-deadline, issue-oriented, pre-planned story or series of stories. May be published on one or more days. Sidebars may be included. Analysis or sports reporting may be entered in this category.

9.   Best Business Writing
Continuing coverage, spot news or a pre-planned package or series on a business development or topic of interest to consumers.

10.  Best Feature Writing
Shows imagination and ability to entertain or hold interest of the reader on a feature subject. Does not include analysis, which should be entered in the Enterprise Category.

11.  Best Column
Shows grasp of subject and engaging writing ability in a single non-sports column.

12.  Best Example of Public Service by a Newspaper
Awarded to a newspaper that has exposed a wrong and has instigated corrective action, or to the newspaper that has, through printed articles, achieved a goal  for the common good of the people it serves.

 

13.  Best Online Coverage of Breaking News
Continuing coverage of a breaking news story on a newspaper Web site during the first 24 hours with an emphasis on multimedia presentations. Judges will evaluate the entry for the amount of original online content that is not duplicated from print and for creative use of the medium, including text updates and the addition of audio and visual elements to draw readers to the Web site.

 

14.   Best Spot News Photo
Shows the photographer's skill in capturing the essence of a breaking-news event where no planning was possible.

15.   Best Feature Photo
Shows the photographer's skill and imagination in an interesting, beautiful or unusual image, as enterprise or in covering a planned assignment.

16.   Best Sports Photo
Shows skill and imagination capturing a moment at a game or sporting event.

17.   Best Personality Portrait
Shows intuitive skill in capturing an individual's personality or human characteristics.

 

 18.   Best Photo Story
Shows skill and imagination in multiple photos that develop a story line with unique and complementary images.

19.   The Paul Vathis Memorial Photography Portfolio Award
This is a special award in honor of the late Pulitzer-Prize winning AP photographer from Pennsylvania . The $300 award recognizes one photographer, across all circulation divisions, whose portfolio entry of published spot news, feature and sports photography shows the strong journalistic instinct, all-purpose skills and dedication that were the hallmarks of Paul Vathis's 56-year-career with the AP.

Entries are to consist of five photographs with at least one spot news photo, one feature photo and one sports photo. 

Entries may be submitted on CD in jpeg format or as prints per photo entry rules.

The individual photos each may be entered in other categories as well, but a collection of five prints must be submitted together as one portfolio entry to be considered for the Vathis Award.

 

Questions?  

Call Andrew Fraser 215-446-6601 or e-mail him at afraser@ap.org.