ELIGIBILITY The Best of GateHouse competition is open to fulltime GateHouse editorial employees. Parttime ... projects,
THE BEST OF GATEHOUSE 2015 Rulebook and submission guidelines
BEST OF GATEHOUSE 2015 The Best of GateHouse 2015 contest highlights and rewards the most extraordinary journalism crafted by our newsrooms and recognizes our best newspapers and editor of the year. Here are the rules. ASSOCIATION CODE When you access the contest entry database, you will be prompted to enter an association code. The code for our contest is: GATEHOUSE ELIGIBILITY The Best of GateHouse competition is open to fulltime GateHouse editorial employees. Parttime employees and freelancers may not apply. This is a calendaryear competition — only work published in 2015 is eligible. If your news organization was purchased by GateHouse Media midyear, you are still eligible to submit work published at any point during 2015. DEADLINE All entries must be submitted online at www.newspapercontest.com/gatehousemedia by Friday, March 11, 2016 . DIVISIONS A: 20,000circulation or greater dailies publishing four times weekly or more B: 5,000 to 19,999circulation dailies publishing four times weekly or more C: Up to 4,999circulation dailies publishing four times weekly or more, and all weekly newspapers (paid and unpaid) ANNOUNCEMENTS Winners will be announced by email and on GateHouseNewsroom.com as soon as judging is complete. Best of GateHouse winners will have their work published on BestofGateHouse.com. PRIZES Newspaper of the Year and Editor of the Year prizes will be announced after the judging. Champions for individual categories must be employees of GateHouse Media/New Media at the time the check is processed to be eligible for the cash prize. The following categories will receive cash awards: • News Writers of the Year • Editorial Writers of the Year • Sports Writers of the Year • Columnists of the Year • Features Writers of the Year • Designers of the Year • Section Front Designers of the Year • Photographers of the Year • Videographers of the Year • Tweeters of the Year
1
NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR AWARD In each division, one newspaper will be named Newspaper of the Year. HOW TO ENTER Submit two editions: Two clean copies from two days should be submitted. Locally produced special sections or advertising inserts may be left in those editions. The first edition is one that published on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, for daily newspapers, or a weekly edition from the week of May 3 to May 9, 2015. The second edition is one of your choosing from any date in 2015. Submit a printed narrative and an online questionnaire: A narrative from the editor or publisher must be submitted as part of the entry. Not to exceed 1,000 words, the letter should highlight initiatives in culture, service, content and brand. Judges will look for action and results rather than heartfelt commitment. Details such as project dates, beforeandafter measurements, increase in circulation and Web traffic, and community commendations should be cited. The questionnaire can be found at https://www.tfaforms.com/408123 . Submit supporting material: Copies of awards and letters from readers may be submitted as collateral to support your entry. Also include unique special sections and projects, printouts of online screenshots of excellent work, online analytics, new editorial products, and projects that show growth in readership both in print and online. Electronic copies of front pages and supporting documentation should be saved. These files will be requested from winners for the Best of GateHouse website. Packaging: Two hard copies from each of the two dates above, as well as your narrative, supporting materials and best pages and sections, can be sent via U.S. mail. Place the two editions, your narrative, supporting materials and best pages and sections in an envelope large enough to keep the entry as neat as possible. This will be submitted as part of a larger competition package. Note: Newspaper of the Year is the only category that is not electronic. You must submit actual copies of your newspaper.
2
EDITOR OF THE YEAR AWARD The Editor of the Year Award recognizes excellence in a position that often goes unheralded. Unlike the other categories for Best of GateHouse, where a champion is selected for each circulation division, only one Editor of the Year will be selected. A cash prize will be awarded, along with a plaque. HOW TO ENTER Click here to read about Bill Church, executive editor of the HeraldTribune and our 2014 Editor of the Year winner.
3
Those applying for the Editor of the Year Award should include a recommendation letter from their publisher, demonstration of a major project the newsroom tackled (supplying PDFs of printed pages and/or links to relevant content) and a letter, not to exceed 1,500 words, explaining the editor’s impact in at least three of the following areas: Community Interaction: Keeping readers and other community members invested in the newspaper is a key component of an editor’s obligations. Examples can be varied, from instituting a readership board to engaging the community through charitable projects, contests or other forms of outreach. Significant or impactful participation or membership in a civic organization or volunteer efforts also qualify. Major Projects: While daytoday enterprise journalism is a key to the industry, maintaining a focus on larger, longterm projects can show an editor’s organization and planning skills, as well as a desire to remain the most active watchdog of a community. Include an example of a major project or series the paper took on in the year 2015, and explain why this project was selected. Also include the impact it had on the community. Newsroom Development: Training and development of staff members, allowing for a constant evolution in an everchanging industry, is also a necessary focus of the editor’s duties. Briefly explain how you introduced enhanced reporting techniques, coached writers or guided your staff into alternative and innovative storytelling formats. Include some tangible evidence, either examples of alternative story formats, indepth news or an increase in social media referrals or page views. Print Product Advancement: Adding key new pieces to the company’s overall brand is an important part of the editor’s vision for a newsroom. Detail the strides your newsroom made in improving your print product during the past year, such as adding special sections, a new page, undergoing a print redesign or emphasizing print promotions. Judges will look for action and results rather than heartfelt commitment. Metrics such as project dates, increase in circulation and community commendations should be cited. Digital Product Advancement: Social media, video and other digital products will help drive readership. Explain the steps your newsroom has made during the past year in developing your digital brand through practices such as emphasizing the importance of social media to reporters, incorporating multimedia packages into digital stories, or improving the quality of photo and video galleries. Explain how you used metrics to drive decision making. Details such as project dates, beforeandafter measurements, analytics reports, increase in Web traffic and community commendations should be cited. All entries should be submitted to https://www.tfaforms.com/408122 by Friday, March 11, 2016 .
CATEGORIES There are 21 award categories in each of the three divisions. For each division and each category, one entry will be named champion. Judges will name as many runners-up as they see fit. Judges reserve the right to move entries from one category to another when appropriate. 1. News Writer of the Year Recognizes a news reporter whose body of work is proactive, compelling and promotes transparency. 2. Features Writer of the Year Recognizes the body of work of a reporter in topics including, but not limited to, health and fitness, food, home and garden, religion and other lifestyleoriented topics that may be found throughout your publication. 3. Sports Writer of the Year Recognizes sports stories and column writing that go beyond game coverage and are entertaining, enterprising and evocative. 4. Editorial Writer of the Year Recognizes editorials produced by one writer who asks critical questions and promotes transparency in issues of community interest. 5. Columnist of the Year Recognizes news and features columnists whose work is especially colorful or thoughtprovoking. 6. Designer of the Year Recognizes top A1 page designers. Designers from the Center for News and Design and from individual newsrooms are eligible. 7. Section Front Designer of the Year Recognizes section front designers – A1 pages are excluded. Designers from the Center for News and Design and from individual newsrooms are eligible. 8. Photographer of the Year Recognizes a photojournalist with an eye for thoughtful composition and an ability to depict powerful news or feature stories. 9. Videographer of the Year Recognizes outstanding multimedia coverage of events or issues on a beat. 10. Tweeter of the Year Recognizes reporters for exemplary performance on Twitter. 11. Public service journalism Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom in the exemplary coverage of an issue that has demonstrated public service value. Project could be a special section or series. 12. Best web project Recognizes efforts of a newsroom that include breakingnews coverage, blogs, video, photo galleries, databases or other interactive projects. 13. Audience interaction Recognizes efforts of a newsroom to involve and/or engage readers with the newspaper. Includes print or online initiatives. 14. Best use of digital tools Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom to tell stories in new and interesting ways by experimenting with digital tools. 15. Innovative Project of the Year Recognizes efforts of a newsroom to produce a unique, memorable project through innovative multimedia or engagement tools.
4
16. Catalyst for Community Change Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom to engage with readers to prompt positive change in the community, through the use of a public panel or similar event or broadcast. 17. Special sections and niche products Recognizes efforts of a newsroom to produce unique special sections or niche products, with valuable local content. 18. Opinion section/page Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom for the best opinion section or page. 19. Sports section/page Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom for the best sports section or page. 20. Lifestyle section/page Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom for the best lifestyle section or page. 21. Facebook page Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom that best engages with and informs its followers through Facebook.
REMINDER: Entries must be submitted online by F riday, March 11, 2016.
5
JUDGING Categories 19 Awards in these categories are given to an individual and are based on body of work. Three submissions constitute one entry. For reporters, three stories equal one entry. If a multiday series is involved, the entire series constitutes onethird of an entry, regardless of the number of main bars, sidebars, etc. Webonly content is eligible. For page designers, three pages constitute one entry. However, a singletopic, multipage spread would equal onethird of an entry. Any series, jump pages with connection to a main page or the like equal onethird of an entry. For photographers, one photo constitutes onethird of an entry. However, multiple photos in a single package equal onethird of an entry. A photo story equals onethird of an entry. Multiday series photography equals onethird of an entry. Category 10 Awards in this category are given to individuals and are based on a staff member’s Twitter feed. Categories 1117 Awards in these categories recognize the newspaper staff as a whole, and are not bodyofwork categories. For more information on entering the individual competition, see the Submission Requirements section below. Categories 1820 Recognizes the efforts for the best pages or sections in the following topics: Opinion, Sports and Lifestyle. Awards in these categories recognize newspaper staff as a whole. Category 21 Recognizes the efforts of a newsroom staff and are based on the newsroom’s Facebook page feed.
TIP: Body-of-work entries should show diversity. Treat your entry as if it were a small portfolio.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR The four editions must be mailed to: GateHouse Media Center for News & Design 9001 IH35 N, Suite 102 Austin, TX 78753 Please send Attn: Carlene Cox. Narrative and supporting documentation also must be included with the entry. Questionnaire must be completed via online form at https://www.tfaforms.com/408123 . EDITOR OF THE YEAR ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE AT https://www.tfaforms.com/408122 . ALL OTHER ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE at www.newspapercontest.com/gatehousemedia . Instructions are available at the site. Please note that if your newspaper, or individuals from your newspaper, submit three or more entries, your newspaper must enter the Newspaper of the Year competition.
6
HOW TO ENTER CATEGORIES 15, Submit PDFs of full pages on which your story appears. If your story jumps, include a WRITING PDF of the jump page. Do this for each of the three submissions in your entry. If your entry includes onlineonly content, submissions must include a screenshot that shows the page URL. A highresolution headshot of the applicant must be included with your entry. CATEGORIES 67, Submit PDFs of full pages that show your page design. Multiple pages or spreads DESIGN showing a single topic make up onethird of your entry. A highresolution headshot of the applicant must be included with your entry. CATEGORY 8, Submit PDFs of full pages that show your photo submissions. Multiple photos of a PHOTOGRAPHY single topic make up onethird of your entry. For photos published online or as part of a gallery, highresolution JPGs also may be submitted. A highresolution headshot of the applicant must be included with your entry. CATEGORY 9, Judges will be looking for examples of a story covered using video. Submit links to VIDEOGRAPHY online video uploads. Multiple videos of a single topic make up onethird of your entry. A highresolution headshot of the applicant must be included with your entry. CATEGORY 10, Judges will be looking for reporters who tweet often and consistently, interact with other TWITTER users, are professional but have personality, and actively promote content on your website. Submit your Twitter handle and screenshots of tweets that demonstrate best practices, interaction or skill. Also required is a narrative of how using Twitter improved your outreach to readers, helped you find sources for stories, or produced tips that led to stories. Include PDFs of full pages on which those stories appeared or links to the articles online. A highresolution headshot of the applicant must be included with your entry. CATEGORY 11, Entries must include: 1) An explanation (online or in an uploaded .doc file) of the project PUBLIC SERVICE and why it was an act of public service and 2) PDFs of full pages on which the series JOURNALISM appears. If stories jump or appear over multiple pages or days, include all page PDFs. If you ran a fourpart series on a single topic, the entire series counts as one submission. You may have up to three submissions in your entry. If the entry includes online content, submissions must include a screenshot that shows the page URL. Additional content, such as letters to the editor or Facebook comments, that demonstrates the impact of the project, should be submitted as well. CATEGORY 12, Entries must include: 1) An explanation (in an online form) of the project and why the BEST WEB PROJECT project is more appropriate for online and 2) Links to each online initiative. Three or fewer singletopic submissions make up one entry. CATEGORY 13, Entries must include an explanation (in an online form) describing how they have AUDIENCE involved readers in print and online. To show print initiatives, submit page PDFs. To INTERACTION show online initiatives, submit links. Examples can include reader callouts, submitted photos, advisory boards, focus groups, social media engagement, etc.
7
CATEGORY 14, Entries must include links to pages where digital tools are used and screenshots and BEST USE OF PDFs of stories to demonstrate innovative ways these tools were used to enhance DIGITAL TOOLS reporting and increase community engagement. Also include a short explanation of how digital tools were used in specific coverage. CATEGORY 15, INNOVATIVE PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Entries must include: 1) An explanation (in an online form) of the project and why you consider it innovative, and 2) Links to or PDFs of each story or page included in the project. If you ran a fourpart series on a single topic, the entire series counts as one submission. You may have up to three submissions in your entry.
CATEGORY 16, CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE
Entries must include: 1) An explanation (in online or document form) of the initiatives undertaken by your newsroom and how that work inspired community change and 2) PDFs of full pages on which documentation of the efforts appear. Three or fewer singletopic submissions make up one entry. If the entry includes online content, submissions must include a screenshot that shows the page URL.
CATEGORY 17, SPECIAL SECTIONS AND NICHE PRODUCTS
Submit PDFs of the section or magazine. There is no limit to the number of entries submitted. Premium editions are strongly encouraged. Examples include but are not limited to sections on local dining or entertainment scenes, football season previews or progress editions.
CATEGORIES 1820, Submit PDFs of up to three complete sections or pages. SECTIONS AND PAGES CATEGORY 21, Judges will be looking for frequent and consistent posting, with posts that start FACEBOOK PAGE conversations as opposed to raw links back to your website. Judges will also be looking for regular engagement with readers. Submit your newspaper’s Facebook URL and screenshots of posts that demonstrate best practices, interaction or skill. Also required is a narrative of how using Facebook improved your outreach to readers, helped you find sources for stories or produced tips that led to stories. Include PDFs of full pages on which those stories appeared, or links to the articles online. Metrics, including page view referral traffic increases, are also required through Facebook Insights.
TIP: To make a screenshot on a Mac, hit COMMAND+SHIFT+4 then select the area you wish to capture.
8