• Public Service, Writing, Photo, Design and Web Contest

• 2011 Contest Year: April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011.

Entries being mailed must be postmarked by June 1, 2011.

Eligibility:   A newspaper must be a dues-paid member of NEAPNEA. Sunday editions must submit entries in the member's largest daily circulation class. Articles that appeared first or only on a member's Web site may be entered into the appropriate category. 

Entering the contest:

• Number of Entries Permitted:  A maximum of three entries per newspaper per category in each division is permitted.  Individual categories may have other requirements.

• The same story may not be entered in more than one category, with the exception of the Public Service and Right to Know entries. 

• Labels: Use the attached for submitting entries in the Non-Daily Publication category. All other entries must be submitted online at http://www.betternewspapercontrest.com/

• Online entry instructions are located at the end of the category descriptions. 

• Circulation Class:- Web-only entries are to be submitted in the circulation class of the newspaper itself.- Non-Daily Publications should be submitted in the circulation class of the parent daily.- If the entry is written by staff members from more than one newspaper, use the papers' combined circulation to determine the class and fee.

• Class entry fees - based on circulation

Class 1: 40,000-plus $15.00 per entry

Class 2: 16,000 to 39,999 $12.00 per entry

Class 3: Up to 15,999 $10.00 per entry 

• Entry fees: Fill out the NEAPNEA Contest Entry Worksheet to accompany your entries along with a check made out to NEAPNEA.       

Public Service DivisionCategories

• Right to Know:   The award recognizes work that advances the First Amendment, makes good use of freedom of information principles and/or statutes, or widens the scope of information available to the public. The Award is founded on the principle that the Right to Know is as essential to a free society as the Right to Vote, and that responsible newspapers play a vital role in advancing this right. One winner will be chosen in each of the three circulation classes.  Criteria: The award honors commitment and work that protects and advances public access to the records and processes of government.  The judges will give preference to entries that demonstrate a newspaper's willingness to challenge official resistance to the principles of the First Amendment and federal and state laws governing freedom of information.  The judges will look favorably on work that challenges government secrecy that would advance special interests, promote personal advantage, hide corruption, conceal official mistakes and otherwise inhibit public participation in, or knowledge of, the records and processes of government.  Entries for this award may include a detailed statement from the newspaper explaining efforts on behalf of the Right to Know.

• Public Service:  May be anything from a series of investigative articles to a listing of special programs and services available to the public.  An entry may include editorials, news stories or columns or multimedia components. Supporting cartoons, charts or photographs should be part of the package you submit. 

Entries are welcome in two circulation categories: 

OVER 40,000 (Class I)Sevellon Brown Award is named for the late editor and publisher of The Providence Journal and Bulletin, founder of the American Press Institute, Fellow of the Academy of New England Journalists, past president and founder of NEAPNEA.  Entry fee is $40 per entry.

UNDER 40,000 (Class II/III) Thomas K. Brindley Award is named for the late managing editor of The Fall River Herald News, fellow of the Academy of New England Journalists, past president and lifetime executive committee member of NEAPNEA.  Entry fee is $20 per entry.

RULES: Each newspaper may submit up to three entries. Morning and evening newspapers published by the same company are considered to be separate newspapers. Your entries should be packaged in a way to ensure they remain intact and identifiable. Photocopies are acceptable for print. For online aspects, include active URLs or representative printouts.  A short, explanatory letter summarizing the goals and accomplishments of the entry is encouraged. Be sure to include stories, editorials, cartoons, photographs, web links, multimedia components, video - anything used to perform meritorious public service. 

Writing and Editorial Division

The same story or series of stories may not be entered in more than one category, with the exception of Public Service and Right to Know, which are afforded a special status.  Entries in those categories may also be submitted in other categories, such as Enterprise or Investigative Reporting, but a Right to Know story may NOT be entered in Public Service, and vice versa. 

Categories

• Arts and Entertainment Writing:  Analysis or criticism may be entered in this category. One entry per writer; three per newspaper.

• Beat Reporting: Demonstrates a breadth of knowledge about a particular beat through original source work not available elsewhere. Submit no more than 3 stories per reporter. A letter from the editor to describe overall beat development is encouraged.Best headline: Entries can be serious or humorous in nature. Story must accompany each entry. One entry per writer; three per newspaper.

• Business/Consumer News: Breaking news, continuing coverage or a pre-planned package or series on a business development or a topic of interest to consumers.

• Continuing Coverage: Ongoing coverage of a developing news event, demonstrating commitment to ongoing coverage stretched over a number of days. Submit no more than 5 stories, accompanied by a description of work.

• Deadline News Coverage: Must be written on deadline, or where prior planning and research was not possible. A note from the editor, explaining the time restrictions and deadline framework, may be attached to the entry. It may include multiple stories published on a single day.

• Deadline Sports Coverage: Game coverage or breaking news event.

• Editorial: Three editorials by the same writer per entry; maximum of three writers from one newspaper.

• Enterprise: 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 may be entered in this category.

• Feature Story: Does not include analysis, which should be entered under Enterprise category.

• Investigative Reporting: A story or series of stories that exposes corruption, misfeasance or injustice through original reporting, research or analysis.

• Local Column: Three columns by the same writer per entry; maximum of three writers from one newspaper.

• Sports Column: Three columns by the same writer per entry; maximum of three writers from one newspaper.

• Sports Feature or Enterprise: Feature story or series. Sidebars and analysis related to the topic may be included.

Design Division

Categories

Each newspaper is allowed three entries per category.

Page 1

Sports Page

Feature/Perspective Page

Business Page

Local/Region Page

Informational Graphic

Illustration: Fine art illustration.

Photo Illustration: Demonstrating a preconceived concept created by photographer and/or designer.

Photo Division

Categories

1. Deadline News

2. General News (planned or unplanned)

3. Feature

4. Portrait or Profile

5. Sports Action

6. Sports Feature

7. Photo Story (maximum 26 photographs)      

Non-Daily Publications Division

The awards will recognize the overall quality of the publications. A first-, second- and third-place will be awarded in each category. Judges will review general excellence and innovation. 

Specialty Publications

These include any niche publications by the member newspaper company showcasing locally focused content. The judging will consider print and Web niche publications that demonstrate a multi-platform strategy or a Web venture alone, excluding the newspaper's general interest web site. (Send up to three different issues to be reviewed.) 

General Interest Weekly

This category includes any general interest weekly publications published by a NEAPNEA member newspaper company and showcasing locally focused content. (Send up to three different issues to be reviewed.) 

Mail your publications to Michele Mitchell, Associated Press, 2 Capital Plaza, Suite 400, Concord, NH 03301

 Web Site Contest

Eligibility:   A Web site produced by the staff of any newspaper that's a dues-paid member of the New England AP News Executives Association.

Class divisions and entry fees - based on circulation

Your entry fee covers all contest categories. 

Over 40,000 (Class I) Mail $50 to Michele Mitchell, Associated Press, 2 Capital Plaza, Suite400, Concord, NH 03301 

Under 40,000 (Class II/III) Mail $35 to Michele Mitchell, Associated Press, 2 Capital Plaza, Suite 400, Concord, NH 03301 

Judges will visit the sites at times of their choosing. They will determine the winners for each category in the two divisions. There will be no second- or third-place awards.

Contest requirements:   Entries may be accompanied by brief statements – one statement for each category entered – directing the judges to a site’s key attributes and explaining how the site meets each category’s criteria.  Web managers should provide passwords for protected sites, so the judges will have free access.  Visit www.betternewspapercontest.com to enter this contest. 

1. Overall Site recognizes general excellence. The site should successfully fulfill its editorial mission, effectively serve its audience, maximize unique abilities of the Web and represent the highest journalistic standards. Key attributes include excellence of content, multimedia components, pleasing design, ease of navigation and community tools. The site also should demonstrateprint and online components that enhance one another. 

2. Engagement recognizes the most innovative methods of encouraging user involvement. Judges will look at creativity, innovation and user response. Entrants should site specific, working interactive elements. 

3. News Presentation recognizes a site's status as the place to go to find out what's going on in the city, state, region, nation or world. The site should demonstrate energy through frequent updates and independent news production. Key attributes will be the use of databases, outside links and other online-only tools that maximize capacities of the Web and enhance news coverage. 

4. Sports Section recognizes depth and timeliness of coverage, innovation and effective service to its audience. Key attributes will be breadth of coverage, use of online tools that enhance the print report and interactivity. 

5. Public Service recognizes a site's efforts to get useful information to the public. It honors the delivery of information that improves the quality of the users' lives including, but not limited to, health, personal finance, lifestyle, education, relationships, family issues. 

6. Special Section recognizes development of a single topic in a presentation with a limited lifespan. Key attributes will be innovation, engagement, interactivity and fulfillment of mission. 

7. Entertainment Section recognizes a continuing presentation of information on a variety of topics that could include food and its preparation, health, entertainment, arts, music or movies. Key attributes will be depth, timeliness, innovation, interactivity and an ease of use that would encourage repeated visits. Judges will look at the quality of the entire section.  

How to submit your contest entries

Visit  http://www.betternewspapercontest.com/

Click “Are you a newspaper?  Login here!”

Select 2011 New England Associated Press News Executives Association In the “News Organization” drop-down list, click your newspaper name

In the password box, enter the temporary password “bnc” (case sensitive)

Click “Login”

Enter a new private password for your newspaper’s staff to use whenever they log into the site.            Click on “My account” to change the password and enter the contact information for your newspaper.  Click “Submit” 

To submit entries:  Click “Submit Entry” Select the “Division” from the drop-down list

In the “headline or Title of Entry” box, enter the name of the story, photo, design, etc….  If you are submitting more than one entry (for column, continuing coverage etc…) list the titles separated by two slashes.  ie: Title1 // Title 2

Upload your entry.  See “HOW TO PREPARE YOUR ENTRIES” below.

In the “Comments” box, enter the titles of your examples and a brief description so judges know which articles, photos, etc are included in this entry.  Limited to 100 characters.In the boxes labeled “Who should be credited for this entry?” enter the names of staffer who worked on the entry.  If there are more than four, enter “Staff”.  Click “Submit”. 

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR ENTRIES  All entries must be uploaded as electronic files.  Send only pdf, jpg, gif or png files.   Use a title that will clearly identify your entry for the judges.  Use the story’s headline or the first several words of the headline. When uploading files, any filename may be used. 

(The BetterNewspaperContest website uses information entered -newspaper name, division, category, etc.- to assign a unique code to each file.  These codes assign your entries to the proper categories and circulation groups for judging.)  

Upload a PDF of the entire page on which the entry appears – not the story or article alone.  For entries using more than one page, please combine all pages into one PDF. 

For entries that contain more than one example, combine the pages into one PDF.  (Local column, Sports column, Editorials)  The maximum file size is 20MB.  Judges will view your files on their computer screens, so 300-resolution files are not needed.