You got that story so now it’s time to win the glory! The Florida Press Club’s 2024 Excellence in Journalism Competition is now open!
Here’s where you enter! And please, when you do, turn OFF your pop-up blockers!
For more than 60 years, the contest has been recognizing the best in Florida Journalism. Its top prize, the Frances DeVore Award for Public Service, is one of the most rewarding in the state!
Our categories include everything from day-to-day coverage to those big stories that truly made a difference, such as the corruption at the heart of Jacksonville’s electric utility sale and the state of the coast’s aging condo buildings.
Your photography, layout, writing and online work are eligible if it was produced in the Sunshine State and published between June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.
Online-only entries are accepted in every category, except for layout.
Official Rules and Eligibility
The Excellence in Journalism Competition is open only to members of the Florida Press Club. Membership is $25 per person/per year and must be submitted with contest entry. If you are a contest administrator, please email a list containing your entrants’ names and email addresses to fpcpresident[at]gmail[dot]com after submitting.
- Entries must have been published or produced in Florida or transmitted from Florida by a wire service between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
- Fees are $15 per entry—with two exceptions. There will be a $25 fee per entry for the Lucy Morgan Award for In-depth Reporting and/or Frances DeVore Award for Public Service categories. Payment must be received with entries through PayPal.
- Limit of four names per credit lines. After four, credit the entry as “Staff.”
- The same item may be entered in multiple categories. Each additional entry requires an additional $15 fee.
- Most writing, photography and illustration categories call for up to three samples of your work per entry. Do not enter more than three items unless the category calls for “up to five.” To add online entries, you may add URLs on a Word document.
- Improperly prepared entries or incomplete entry forms will be disqualified. Under no circumstances will entry fees be refunded.
- Judges may award first, second and third place winners in each category at their discretion. Decisions are final. No entries will be returned. Judges may elect to not award a category, or the club may choose to combine classes within a category.
- The first-place, overall winner of the Frances DeVore Award will receive a check for $1,000 at the November awards meeting. Classes A-D will be combined. Winners are required to attend to receive their prize with very few exceptions (such as hospitalization). Entrant(s) must indicate on the entry form to whom the award check should be made payable.
- Work solely published on online platforms is eligible to enter any category that fits.
ENTRIES MUST BE UPLOADED, FINALIZED AND PAID FOR BY Sept. 9, 2024. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Circulation Classes
Class A: Daily newspapers with more than 50,000 daily interactions.
Class B: Daily newspapers with more than 30,000 daily interactions.
Class C: Daily newspapers, non-daily newspapers, community, tribal and college newspapers and website-only publications with less than 30,000 daily interactions. Florida magazines and newspaper supplements are included in this class.
Entry Categories
Writing:
Breaking News: Submit up to three news stories that show deadline coverage of a breaking news event.
Business Writing: Submit up to three stories about business news events, trends, people, new products and technology.
Commentary Writing: Submit up to three columns, essays, think pieces or personal experience stories.
Community News: Submit up to three stories focusing on local community affairs.
Education News: Submit up to three stories from the education beat.
Environmental Writing: Submit up to three stories about environmental issues.
General News: Submit up to three stories about non-deadline events.
Government and Political News: Submit up to three stories about municipal, county, state or federal government.
Headline Writing: Submit up to three headlines.
Health Writing: Submit up to three stories about health issues.
Independent News Site: Submit three stories on any topic.
Light Feature Writing: Submit up to three stories from different human-interest assignments of a lighter nature (holiday, travel features).
Minority News: Submit up to three stories about issues of special concern to a minority community.
Newsletters: Submit up to three examples of newsletters that serve as a conduit to news and information. Can be a digest of news and events, curated from multiple news outlets.
Opinion Writing: Submit up to three non-byline editorials about different Florida issues.
Public Safety Reporting: Submit up to three news stories about fire, police or criminal court events.
Religion Writing: Submit up to three stories about religion.
Serious Feature Writing: Submit up to three stories from different human-interest assignments of a serious nature (news features, in-depth profiles).
Sports Writing: Submit up to three stories from different sports events.
Sports Feature Writing: Submit up to three human-interest sports stories.
Sports Column: Submit up to three sports columns.
Travel and Tourism: Submit up to three stories about travel or tourism.
Layout:
Front Page Design: Submit up to three front pages.
Feature Page Design: Submit up to three fronts from the feature section.
Sports Page Design: Submit up to three sports fronts.
Special Sections:
Submit fashion, leisure, bridal, hurricane or other special sections that appear on an irregular or annual basis. Staff entries accepted.
Photography:
Breaking News: Submit up to three pictures of unscheduled or breaking news events for which no advanced planning was possible.
Feature Photo Essay: Submit one package showing a complete feature story. Staff entries accepted.
Features: Submit up to three pictures of a found situation or images created for a feature story with human interest. As a standalone, it’s a fresh view of an everyday scene.
General News: Submit up to three pictures of an organized event for which planning was possible.
Portrait/Personality: Submit up to three pictures that capture an aspect of a subject’s character.
Sports Action: Submit up to three pictures showing action in a game or athletic event.
Sports Feature: Submit up to three pictures showing non-action or a found situation with human interest at a game or athletic event.
Illustration:
Info-Graphic Presentation: Submit up to three samples of informational-graphics.
Artist Illustration: Submit up to three examples of artwork that illustrate an idea, scene or story. These can be drawings, photos, clip art, etc.
Editorial Cartooning: Submit up to three editorial/political cartoons about different Florida subjects.
Online:
Multimedia Package: Submit a link to the web page that shows the best use of multiple forms of media to enhance a story. These may include a combination of elements, such as interactive maps, rollovers, podcasts, photo galleries or other unique uses of technology. Upload URLs on a Word document, and make sure the broadcast dates are visible.
Affiliated News Site: A general-excellence award. Judged on overall content and design, local emphasis, interactivity, ease of navigation and features not found in the print edition.
Special Awards:
Frances DeVore Award for Public Service: This is the club’s most prestigious award. It recognizes an outstanding contribution to the public good and celebrates journalism that makes a difference. Entries can include any package or series that reported conditions harmful to the public and resulted in action to alleviate those conditions. Entries must also include documentation showing that action was taken. That can include follow-up stories, written statements from officials or government reports. Judges will consider up to five combinations of photographs, originally produced artwork and graphics, as well as editorials and cartoons. A written introduction is advised to tell judges what happened and why it is important. It should outline the reporting process and any hurdles overcome to get the story, such as a public records battle. A $1,000 prize will be awarded to the overall, first-place winner of classes A-D. Staff entries accepted. The prize is awarded at the club’s annual event and the winners must be present at the event to collect the money. Winner should come prepared to deliver a short explanation of “How I got the story,” so all the members can benefit.
Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting: This category is open to news, features, sports and editorial reporting. Submit a story package series of up to five clearly related or set of continuous stories on one subject. Staff entries accepted.