2009
Pennsylvania
APME News Excellence
Competition
PAPME annual news, photo contest
deadline: Friday, January 23, 2009
It's time to compile the best of the past year's work for the annual Associated
Press Managing Editors news and photo contests.
Stories and photos that appeared in newspapers on or between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2008, are eligible for the contests.
The deadline is Jan. 23, 2009, and the awards will be presented Friday, May 29, 2009,
at the annual PAPME awards dinner at the Wyndham Hotel Gettysburg,
Gettysburg, Pa.
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, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2008.
v
Deadline:
The deadline for entries to
arrive at The Associated Press Philadelphia bureau is Friday, Jan. 23, 2009. Entries received after Jan. 23, 2009, 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.
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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.
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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:
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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:
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All entry packages from a newspaper or an individual must be accompanied by a completed
contest entry form.
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NEW: 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:
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The same story or series of stories may be entered in more than
one category.
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NEW:
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
NEW: Entries
do not have to be mounted as in previous years.
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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.
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Entries that comprise multiple sheets should be securely clipped together.
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Entries must have been published in the newspaper's print edition.
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Sidebars are permitted in all categories except columns and editorials.
ONLINE ENTRIES:
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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:
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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.
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NEW:
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.
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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.
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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
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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:
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Make checks payable to PAPME Awards.
Send Entries to:
PAPME Awards
c/o The Associated Press
1835 Market Street, Suite 1700
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Questions?
Call Annie Lai at 215-446-6602 or
e-mail her at alai@ap.org.
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.
NEW: 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 Annie Lai at 215-446-6602 or
e-mail her at alai@ap.org.