Seattle, Washington, January 17, 2011 – Today Region 10 of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) announced its call for entries for the 2010 SPJ Northwest Excellence in Journalism contest. The contest honors exceptional journalism published or produced in 2010 in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana in all forms of media (print, online, radio, and TV). Both SPJ and non-SPJ members are invited to participate in the contest.

This year’s contest is getting off to a late start so that organizers could implement a different online contest vendor this year, omniContests. The SPJ Northwest Excellence in Journalism contest is officially accepting entries today through 11:59 pm on Wednesday, February 23, 2011. SPJ Regional Director Dana Neuts, a freelance journalist in Kent, Washington, highlights several changes to this year’s contest:

– All entries except General Excellence entries must be submitted online this year.

– Entries can be paid online (preferred) or via check.

– In the Daily Newspaper category, Feature Photography has been expanded from one category to two to include both Feature Photography and Portrait Photography.

– SPJ members will receive a $5 discount on contest entry submissions, $15 for regular entries and $40 for General Excellence entries. Non-SPJ members will pay $20 and $45, respectively.

In the 2009 contest, more than 2,500 entries were received from around the region. An increased number of entries is expected this year. Entries will be submitted to out-of-state judges in March, and he Western Washington Pro and Southwestern Washington/Oregon Pro chapters will present awards to those in their area at banquets in Seattle and Portland on Saturday, May 21. The remaining awards will be announced online that evening and presented by their respective chapter leaders.

To enter the contest online, please visit http://www.spj-northwest.org. For questions, please contact contest administrator Ruth Pettis at 206-781-8097 or contest coordinator Dana Neuts or 360-920-1737.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPJ Announces 2009 Northwest Excellence in Journalism Contest, Contest is Now Online

Seattle, Washington, January 12, 2010 – Contest organizers in SPJ’s region 10 announced the launch of the 2009 Northwest Excellence in Journalism Contest today. The annual SPJ contest honors the best journalism work in daily newspapers, alternative newsweeklies, nondaily newspapers, magazines, online, radio and television. Each year thousands of entries are submitted, but only the very best receive the top awards.

Open to journalists in SPJ’s Region 10 (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana), this year’s contest offers some significant changes:

1.    Online submission:  Entries in most categories will be submitted via our new online contest system, rather than mailed in. See contest details for exceptions.

2.    Magazines:  The magazine contest is now open to all chapters in the five-state region. Previously, magazine entries were only permitted from the Western Washington Pro Chapter based in Seattle.

3.    Nondaily newspapers: The nondaily newspaper contest is now open to journalists in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Previously, only Western Washington publications could enter. (Note: The Oregon-Southwest Washington chapter has its own nondaily newspaper contest and is not participating in the regionwide nondaily contest.)

“This year we’re making a lot of positive changes to the contest. These changes will make entering the SPJ contest easier than ever before while reducing administrative and mailing costs,” regional director Dana Neuts said.

“For the first time, we’re making online submissions possible, and we are expanding the magazine and nondaily newspaper contests to be open to others within the region,” Neuts added. “We’re excited to take the contest to the next level.”

Contest entries may be submitted online starting today through the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, the deadline for entry. Entry fees are $15 each and the contest is open to both SPJ members and nonmembers residing and working in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. For complete eligibility rules and instructions, please visit the SPJ website at http://spj-northwest.org.

As the largest journalism organization in the United States, the Society of Professional Journalists is dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press, promoting the free flow of information, and providing information to the public in an accurate, comprehensive, timely and understandable manner. SPJ also offers continuing education, ethics and diversity training and relevant programs for journalists and the public it serves.

For more information, please contact:

Scott Maben, former regional director, Spokane, WA, (509) 459-5528
Ruth Pettis, contest coordinator, Seattle, WA, (206) 781-8097
Dana Neuts, regional director, Kent, WA, (360) 920-1737