A new national journalism awards program will recognize excellence in reporting on disability issues and people with disabilities.The Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability is the first national journalism contest devoted exclusively to disability coverage. It is administered by the National Center for Disability and Journalism, headquartered at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, under a grant from Katherine Schneider, a retired clinical psychologist who also supports the Schneider Family Book Award. That award is administered by the American Library Association and honors the best children’s book each year that captures the disability experience for children and adolescents.Entries for the new journalism award will be accepted beginning early next year at ncdj.org. Each entry may consist of a single story or story package published in print or online or broadcast on radio or television. The first-place winner will receive an award of $5,000 and receive an invitation to speak at the Cronkite School. A second place award of $1,500 also will be given, and judges additionally may give $500 honorable mention awards.Entries must be published or aired between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013, and submissions will be due on Aug. 1, 2013. The first winners will be announced shortly after that. More information is available here: http://ncdj.org/contest/