SJF’s 25th Annual Best Section, Niche Product
| 2012 Best Section, Niche Product | 2012 Excellence-in-Feature-Writing Contest |
25th Annual SFJ Writing Awards – Best Section, Niche Product
The SFJ Best Section and Best Niche Product awards honor the craft of feature writing and the people who do it for a living at news organizations and wire services. Winners of the 25th Annual contest will be announced in May and honored at SFJ’s national conference at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, FL., on Oct. 9-12, 2013
WHEN IS THE DEADLINE?
All entries must be postmarked by March 29, 2013.
WHAT ARE THE PRIZES?
First-place winners in the niche product category in all three circulation divisions will receive $300. The best section winners in all three circulation divisions will receive a commemorative plaque.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Any newspaper or niche publication that publishes at least twice a year in the United States or Canada may enter.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Fees are $60 per entry for the best sections category and $35 for best niche product category. Send a check payable to SFJ and mail to SFJ, 1100 Knight Hall, Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742. The TIN is 94-294-1661.
If paying by PayPal or credit card, please add a $5 service fee to your total. To send funds via PayPal, log on to the site, click the “Send Money” tab and send your fees plus $5 to merrileesfj@gmail.com. To pay by credit card, contact SJF Executive Director Merrilee Cox at 301-314-2631 or by email at merrileesfj@gmail.com
CIRCULATION DIVISIONS
SFJ has three circulation divisions (use official daily average Audit Bureau of Circulation figures as of Sept. 30, 2012 to determine your division):
- (1) up to 90,000
- (2) 90,001 to 199,999
- (3) 200,000 and up
CONTEST RULES
Please note: Entries must have appeared between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2012.
- Best Sections: The best your publication has to offer in features, lifestyle, arts and entertainment. Pick five sections from the 2012 calendar year -– one must be a Sunday section (IF YOUR PUBLICATION DOESN’T PRINT ON SUNDAY, SUBMIT AT LEAST ONE SATURDAY SECTION OR A COPY OF YOUR PREMIERE WEEKLY SECTION AND ADD A NOTE OF EXPLANATION FOR JUDGES), another an arts and entertainment-themed section. The final three should be regularly appearing feature sections. (Two copies of each section are required.)
- Niche Product: The best examples of a niche product published at least twice a year. Pick two issues from the 2012 calendar year – they must be editions of the same niche product. (Two copies of each niche product are required.)
HOW DO I ENTER?
Merrilee Cox
AASFE / SFJ
1100 Knight Hall
Philip Merrill College of Journalism
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
- TWO COPIES of each section or niche product are required
- Entries must have been published between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2012.
- Entries should be placed in a plain manila folder. Please staple an entry form to the front of folder and place a copy of the entry form inside the folder with the entries.
QUESTIONS?
Contest Committee:
Suzy Leonard
Custom Content Editor
Florida Today
321-242-3614
sleonard@floridatoday.com
Jim Haag
Features Editor
The Virginian-Pilot
757-446-2977
jim.haag@pilotonline.com
SFJ folks,
Where can I read the winning entries from last year’s contests?
Thanks,
Joel Burgess
Black Mountain News