Pennsylvania AP News
2008
Pennsylvania APME News Excellence Competition
PAPME
annual news, photo contest deadline Friday, January 25,
2008
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, 2007 are eligible for the
contests.
The deadline is Jan. 25, 2008 and the awards will be
presented Friday, May 2, 2008 at the annual PAPME
awards dinner in State College.
This
year's contest includes an online
category for the best coverage of breaking news.
Following are general rules for the contest:
v
Publication Dates:
o
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, 2007
and Dec. 31, 2007.
v
Deadline:
o
The
deadline for entries is Friday, Jan. 25, 2008. Entries
received after Jan. 27, 2008 will not be accepted.
v
Entries:
o
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:
o
$200 for
first place in all categories; second-place certificates
also will be awarded. The judges will select one "Best of
Show" winner among all entries, regardless of circulation
class.
o
$300 for
The Paul Vathis Memorial Photography Portfolio Award winner.
v
Fees:
o
The fee
is $7 per entry. One dollar from each entry goes to the
Ralph Flamminio Memorial Scholarship, awarded each year to a
college senior selected the most promising print journalist
in Pennsylvania. Overpayments will be considered donations
to the scholarship fund.
Circulation divisions:
v
Entries
will be judged in four circulation divisions
o
Newspapers 15,000 and under circulation
o
Newspapers 15,001 to 30,000 circulation
o
Newspapers 30,001 to 75,000 circulation
o
Newspapers of over 75,000 circulation
Detailed
Rules:
PRINT ENTRIES:
v
The same
story or series of stories may be entered in more than one
category.
v
Entries
should be mounted on a sheet of paper no larger than 8 ½ x
14 inches with a PAPME contest label on the top left corner
of the first page of the entry. The label states the
category; name of the newspaper; the newspaper's circulation
division; the title of the entry and the name of the
author(s). Background materials to aid the judges are
encouraged.
v
Entries
that comprise multiple sheets should be securely clipped
together.
v
Newspaper
clippings or photocopies of clips are acceptable.
v
Entries
must have been published in the newspaper's print edition.
v
Archive
copies that are true to the print-published version are
allowed, and all entrants certify that their entries are
true to the print-published version.
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.
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 and must be mounted on a
sheet of paper no larger than 8 ½ x 14 inches with a PAPME
contest label on the top left corner.
v
Entries
must be accompanied by a completed contest entry form.
Entry
Forms:
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
Questions?
Call
Andrew Fraser at (215)561-1133 or e-mail him at
afraser@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.
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 at (215) 561-1133 or e-mail him at afraser@ap.org
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