Best In Business Contest: News Contest Rules

BIB 2007 News Contest Rules

The News Contest selects the best individual stories or packages of stories published by the business news media during 2007 in the following categories: Breaking News, Enterprise, Projects and Columns. At least one author of a story submitted as part of each News Contest entry must be a SABEW member. (See Checking Your SABEW Membership Information.)

Breaking News

A package of stories, reported and written in a single day under deadline pressure. While sidebars, graphics and pictures are allowed to be submitted, the judges will give greater weight to the quality of the main story of the package. The judges also will give greater weight to coverage of UNANTICIPATED events than to coverage of events that are expected. This is because it is much more difficult to do quality work on the fly than with stories in the hopper ready to go at a moment's notice. Multiple bylines are allowed. This is an opportunity for editors and reporters to show how you mobilized resources to provide superior coverage of an important breaking story during 2007. You may include a one-page cover letter with your entry but no other supplemental material is allowed.

Enterprise

A single story, along with up to two short sidebars and any accompanying photos and graphics, that demonstrates exceptional enterprise. It can be a scoop, an interview that sheds unique light on a news maker or an issue, a column or news analysis that shows enterprise reporting and/or original thought. An enterprise entry should be planned, original, and deeply reported. This category is NOT for an investigative series (see Projects). You may include a one-page cover letter with your entry but no other supplemental material is allowed.

Projects

A project or series published on one day or over time. Series told over more than one day must be clearly marked as a series or project; this is not a beat reporting or sustained reporting category. Entry can include all photos and graphics that ran as part of the project. All stories entered must have been published in 2007. The package should be investigative in nature or extensively researched. The stories should be reported over time and do not have to be time-sensitive. The stories should raise fresh issues, provide insight and/or offer clear explanation. Judges will take into account the impact of the stories or reaction to them, so editors may include a one-page cover letter. No other supplemental material is allowed.

Column

Any kind of business column is eligible: local business, Wall Street, personal finance, advice or even reporter's notebook columns. Columns will be separated based on circulation size, but not by topic. Each entry will consist of four columns: three of the writer's choice, and one mandatory date. Editors may also include a one-page cover letter. No other supplemental material is allowed.

The mandatory date for the column contest is Friday, January 12, 2007. Columnists who did not publish that date should submit the first column published AFTER January 12, 2007.

Magazine Cover Story

Honors outstanding reporting, writing and analysis in a package featured on the magazine's cover. Entries can include up to seven stories or related elements from a single issue. Judges will consider the explanatory or investigative quality of the reporting and writing as well as originality in narrative presentation.

Categorization by Circulation Size

Each category of the News Contest is further divided into subcategories based on circulation sizes Small, Medium, Large and Giant. The News Contest also has a subcategory for weekly newspapers and a subcategory for real-time news providers such as wire services that are independent of circulation size.

Entry Fees

The fee for each News Contest entry is $40.

Online Submission

News Contest entrants must include the URL(s) of the entry or attach an electronic copy of their entry PDF to the online Best in Business Contest Entry Form. The attachment allows submission of a single file. When providing more than one article for a single entry, you must combine them in one file before starting on the registration process. An optional one-page nomination letter should also be included in that single file if you choose to include one. The size of the attachment must not exceed 20 MB.

Acceptable file types: PDF, (Word documents and text files could be submitted if you cannot provide PDF); a Zip file containing all of your entries under a particular Entry Number can also be submitted. Tips on how to prepare a ZIP file are provided here: Making ZIP Files (Compressed Files).

Go to Best in Business Contest Entry Form.

Questions?

Contacts:

• General Excellence, News, Online questions: Jill Jorden Spitz, contest co-chair, at jspitz@azstarnet.com or (520) 573-4177
• Magazine contest questions: Lisa Gibbs at lgibbs@miamiherald.com or (305) 376-3578
• General Questions: Carrie Paden, SABEW executive director, at padenc@missouri.edu or (573) 882-8985

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