This category is for newspapers, magazines and news websites. There are six awards available. Breaking News, Cover (Magazine), Enterprise Reporting, Features, Photojournalism (News Photo) and Photojournalism (Feature Photo). Please see below for descriptions and ensure you select the proper category on your entry form.
01-BREAKING NEWS – These awards display the most skill in reporting a breaking news event in print or digital. Breaking News applies to stories completed in response to an unanticipated event. Two separate entries per print journalist may be submitted. An entry consists of the initial story or package of stories from the first publication or issue after the event. An entry may include more than one report and more than one journalist. Each entry must be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include its chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete.
02-COVER (Magazines) – The selected magazine or online magazine cover will be judged on the overall delivery of the message, including eye appeal, journalistic contribution, design, and clarity. The judges will consider these main functions; the strength of the cover in drawing attention to the magazine issue and the design, graphics and journalistic merit of the cover. Three separate covers may be submitted per magazine as originally published in Atlantic Canada during the calendar year. Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the cover and how it developed. Details should include the cover’s chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money/time) available to complete the story.
03-ENTERPRISE REPORTING – These awards display initiative and show enterprise in journalism in print or digital. Investigative journalism stories are welcome in this category. Continuing coverage of a breaking news event may also be entered here. Judges will look for enterprising journalism that goes beyond the obvious, the ordinary, the expected, and the regular. They will look for journalism that puts issues in context and in perspective and thereby makes those issues make sense. Two separate entries per print journalist may be submitted. Entries should include a story or a series of not more than three related stories that displays enterprise as well as depth and quality of research. If a series, enter them on one pdf. Each entry must be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include the story’s chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money/time) available to complete.
04-FEATURES – These awards display excellence and creativity in the presentation of news features or human interest stories with journalistic merit. Features should be a minimum of 800 words to a maximum of 2500 words for individual stories. Profile stories can now be included in the feature category. Two separate entries per print or digital journalist may be submitted. The entry can be the original item plus not more than three items, if a series. If a series, enter them on one pdf. Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include the story’s chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money/time) available to complete the story.
05-PHOTOJOURNALISM (News Photo) – These awards display creativity in capturing a news event in a single photograph in print or digital. News photojournalism can be a spot news picture of an unscheduled event such as a fire, accident, or natural disaster or a general news picture with serious content and strong human interest of a scheduled or organized news event such as a protest or press conference. Two separate entries per photographer may be submitted. No stock shots. Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the photograph and how it developed. Details should include the photo’s chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation, as well as the resources (money/time) available to complete the story.
06-PHOTOJOURNALISM (Feature Photo) – Photographs entered in this category can either be a posed or un-posed portrait with journalistic merit that reveals the essence of the subject’s character or the story behind the picture in print or digital. Feature photos can also be entered of a found situation that has a high human-interest element or a creative view on an everyday scene. The entry must be a single original photograph, not a series, and shot during the entry calendar year. No stock shots. Two separate entries per newspaper photographer may be submitted as originally published. Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of how it developed. Details should include the photo’s chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete the story.