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1. Entries must be original, must not have appeared previously in other publications, and must have been published between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Entries must include publication date. Any material that appeared in member publications during the contest cycle is eligible. By entering the contest, the publisher certifies that all entries submitted were developed or created by staff members or subcontractor engaged by the news organization. Entries are original and were first published during the contest cycle as required. (This replaces the Declaration of Originality.)
2. All entries to the online and video categories are to be judged "live" online and must be made available to the judges as such, even if they are no longer available to the public. Judging will take place in February through April 2025. Entries need to be accessible during that time. If your website has a paywall to view stories, you must provide MDDC with log-in credentials for judging access. Please note the credentials in the "comments" section of the entry.
3. Entries may list a maximum of three individual names. Entries involving more than three staffers must be listed as a group or department. For example: "News Staff," "Art Department," or "Advertising Staff."
4. Participating news organizations must have paid their association membership dues for the contest year (2024) and be current for 2025 by the time of the Annual Conference and Celebration. A news organization must be an active member of the MDDC Press Association to participate in the Editorial Contest.
5. Entries submitted in the incorrect division, if detected prior to judging, will be moved to the correct division. Otherwise, they are subject to disqualification. For contest purposes, non-daily divisions include papers published less than five times a week. Divisions are based on circulation figures filed by the publisher with the MDDC Press Association.
6. The decisions of the judges are final. Judges may declare "no contest" if the category has insufficient entries. Fees will not be returned for categories deemed no contest.
7. Individuals and teams are able to submit more than one entry in any category.
8. Series that overlap two years in publication dates must be entered in the year the series concluded.
9. Additional copies of certificates may be purchased after the Awards Party for $5 each.