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CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS—NEWS
(Note: Print and digital content is eligible for entry in all categories, except where noted.)

1. Distinguished Breaking News Coverage
Submissions should demonstrate effective newspaper response to deadline demands. Submissions may consist of a single story or a group of stories by one or more reporters relating to the same event. Submissions should demonstrate clarity, thoroughness, balance, and aggressiveness in the coverage of local spot news.

2. Distinguished Live Sports Coverage
Submissions should demonstrate effective newspaper response to deadline demands as related to live sporting events. Submissions may consist of a single story or a group of stories by one or more reporters relating to the same event. Submissions should demonstrate clarity, thoroughness, balance, and aggressiveness in the coverage of local live sports.

3. Distinguished Investigative Reporting
Submissions should demonstrate thorough, thoughtful, fair, and resourceful reporting of local stories that reveal corruption or malfeasance or inherent flaws in the functioning of society's institutions, and/or stories that effectively measure the performance of those institutions against their stated missions. Submissions may consist of a single story or a group of stories by one or more reporters relating to the same event.

4. Distinguished Business Reporting
Submissions should demonstrate effective newspaper coverage of business and the economy, skillful investigative reporting and excellence in writing style, editing, display and other pertinent criteria. The subject matter should deal primarily with how business and economic events relate to individuals and the newspaper's community. In this category, a submission may be one or more articles from the same edition relating to the same story, or a series of articles on a common subject running on different days.

5. Distinguished Beat Reporting
Submissions should demonstrate sustained and knowledgeable coverage of a particular subject or activity of local interest. Submissions should be a series of no more than five reports on the same subject or activity by the same writer.

6. Distinguished Editorial Writing
Submissions should demonstrate a genuine concern for local community problems; courage in taking a position regardless of the popular view and/or against own self-interest; originality of viewpoint and style; and other pertinent criteria. Each submission must be a local editorial. One or more editorials by the same writer on the same subject may be submitted to this category.

7. Distinguished Feature Writing
Submissions should showcase good writing in non-deadline situations. Submissions may include personality profiles, trend stories, narratives and general features. Submissions should demonstrate style, originality and the ability to make readers laugh, cry or feel. Submissions may consist of a single story or a series of stories from one or more editions relating to the same subject.

8. Distinguished Sports Writing
Submissions should demonstrate effective coverage of the people, institutions or trends in the local sports community employing thorough, thoughtful, fair, and resourceful reporting as well as quality writing. Submissions may consist of a single story or a group of stories by one or more reporters relating to the same topic.

9. Distinguished Column Writing
Submissions should demonstrate originality, insight, wit, the capacity to illuminate character, and the capacity to enhance the reader's understanding of persons and events in the community served by the newspaper. Submissions may be a single column or a body of work by the same writer up to a maximum of five columns.

10. Distinguished Sports Column Writing
Submissions should demonstrate originality, insight, wit, the capacity to illuminate character, and the capacity to enhance the reader’s understanding of persons and events in local or national sports. Submissions may be a single body of work by the same writer up to a maximum of five columns.

11. Distinguished Headline Writing
Submissions should demonstrate clarity, creativity, and the capacity to distill and capture the essence of the story. Single submissions only will be accepted in this category.

12. Distinguished Community Service
Submissions (in this category a submission may be a series of articles and/or editorials on a common subject) should demonstrate effort and effect on the part of the local newspaper toward the improvement of the community served, as well as an effort on the newspaper’s part to engage the community through both traditional and new media.

13. Distinguished State Government Coverage
Submissions should demonstrate effective newspaper coverage of state government as manifested in service to the community; skillful investigative reporting and excellence in writing style, editing, display, and other pertinent criteria. The subject matter should deal primarily with an aspect of state government - the legislature, executive branch, a specific state agency, etc. - and how it relates to the community. In this category, a submission may be one or more articles from the same edition relating to the same story, or a series of articles on a common subject running on different days.

14. Distinguished Page Design/Presentation
Submissions should demonstrate strong visual appeal, style and originality; and should enhance the written content, making it easy to understand or navigate. Submissions may be a single page or a body of work designed by the same person, up to a maximum of three examples. If submitting a series, up to three days' editions may be included.

15. Distinguished News Photography
Submissions should demonstrate news value, timeliness, communicative effectiveness, and skill as shown in composition and technical quality. A submission may be one or more photographs from one or more editions relating to the same news event.

16. Distinguished Feature Photography
Submissions should demonstrate imagination in the handling of feature subjects; communicative effectiveness; appeal to reader interest; and skill in composition, technical quality, and cropping. A submission may be one or more photographs from one or more editions relating to the same feature subject.

17. Distinguished Sports Photography
Submissions should sharply capture the drama inherent in human athletic competition and draw the reader's eye to peak action, capturing the moment and communicating it on an emotional level with a high degree of technical skill, composition and quality. A submission may be one or more photographs from one or more editions relating to the same subject.

ONLINE CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
(Note: Only content that appeared on a newspaper’s website is eligible to be entered in these categories.)

18. Distinguished Online Photo Gallery Submissions should consist of a series of photographs which appeared on a newspaper’s website in a single gallery. Submissions should enhance the story to which the gallery is attached, while demonstrating the highest standards of photojournalism.

19. Distinguished Online Blog Submissions should demonstrate timeliness, originality, insight, reader interaction and the capacity to enhance the reader's understanding of persons and events in the community served by the newspaper. Submissions may be a single day's blog entry or entries, or a series of blog entries over the course of the year by the same writer, with a maximum of ten entries.

20. Distinguished Multi-Media Presentation Submissions should demonstrate work that incorporates distinguished journalistic storytelling via media other than the print format. Submissions may consist of web-based interactive graphics and displays, videos, photo galleries and audio slideshows, or any combination of all of these elements. Creativity, ease -of-use for the website visitor, impact on the community and overall technical execution will be among factors considered by the judges.

New Contest Category! 21. Best Newspaper Website The Best Newspaper Website contest is open to any member newspaper with an active website. Your website will be randomly visited by our judges on multiple occasions. The contest will be judged on the following criteria:
• Content - Quality of news and editorial matter
• Navigation - Ease of finding and retrieving information from the website
• Visual/Design - Layout, use of graphics, photographs, animation, color and other visuals
• Advertising - Innovative strategies and/or evidence of revenue generation
• Community - Demonstration that the website fulfills a “community gatekeeper” role Entries should be submitted as a URL.

SUPPLEMENTAL CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
(Note: Only content that appeared in a newspaper supplement or specialty publication of a newspaper is eligible to be entered in these categories.)

22. Distinguished News Supplement
Submissions should demonstrate imaginative layout and design; creative use of headlines; solid, staff-written articles; and high-quality photos relating to a breaking news event.
Submissions should also demonstrate knowledge of and connection with the newspaper’s community, and must contain primarily locally-produced content. Submissions may be one example of a regularly-produced weekly supplement, or a one-time supplement or publication.

23. Distinguished Sports Supplement
Submissions should demonstrate imaginative layout and design; creative use of headlines; solid, staff-written articles; and high-quality photos relating to a local or national sporting event. Submissions should also demonstrate knowledge of and connection with the newspaper’s community, and must contain primarily locally-produced content. Submissions may be one example of a regularly-produced weekly supplement, or a one-time supplement or publication.

24. Distinguished Feature Supplement
Submissions should demonstrate imaginative layout and design; creative use of headlines; solid, staff-written articles; and high-quality photos relating to a common feature. Submissions should also demonstrate knowledge of and connection with the newspaper’s community, and must contain primarily locally-produced content. Submissions may be one example of a regularly-produced weekly supplement, or a one-time supplement or publication.

ADVERTISING CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
25. Best Black and White Ad
Submissions can be any ad size. Submission may include an explanation of why entry is a winning entry.

26. Best Color Ad
Submissions can be any ad size. Submission may include an explanation of why entry is a winning entry.

27. Most Effective Use of Paid Small Space
Judges will consider the creativity of copy, along with originality and impact. Ad must be conceptualized and executed solely by the newspaper. All ads must be generated by the newspaper. Ads must be less than a half page.

28. Most Effective Use of Paid Large space
Judges will consider the creativity of copy, along with originality and impact. Ad must be conceptualized and executed solely by the newspaper. All ads must be generated by the newspaper. Ads must be a half page or larger.

29. Best Special Section Newsprint Distributed In Paper
Multi-advertiser section involving a single theme. Ad must be produced solely by the newspaper. Judges will consider the uniqueness of idea, content both editorial and ads and overall layout. If an entry runs in multiple newspapers, it must be submitted in a circulation category matching the COMBINED CIRCULATION of those newspapers

30. Best Online Ad (Static)
Ad must be fixed, with no moving parts. All sizes are eligible. Ads must be generated by the newspaper (not camera-ready client produced). Can be paid or a house ad. Creativity and effectiveness of design and message will be criteria for judging

31. Best Online Ad (Animated)
Ad may be .jpg, .gif or Flash. Must have an animated or dynamic element. All sizes are eligible. Ads must be generated by the newspaper (not camera-ready client produced). Can be paid or a house ad. Creativity and effectiveness of design and message will be criteria for judging.

32. Best Classified Section
Submit classified page(s) from any one issue during the contest 2022 year. Judged on organization, design, readability, and in-house promotion.

33. Best House/Newspaper Promotion Ad, Series or Section
Ad/Series/Section produced by staff to promote an aspect of the newspaper. This may be for circulation, advertising/marketing, editorial or general image/branding. If an entry runs in multiple newspapers, it must be submitted in a circulation category matching the COMBINED CIRCULATION of those newspapers.

34. Best Multi Advertiser Page
Multi-advertiser page or pages (not special section –no cover and minimal editorial) involving a single theme: shopping center, seasonal merchandise, specialty stores, holiday, etc. Judges will consider the uniqueness and overall layout. If an entry runs in multiple newspapers, it must be submitted in a circulation category matching the COMBINED CIRCULATION of those newspapers.

35. Best Use of Video
Judges will consider creativity, innovation, and impact as well as how effectively the video content delivers the intended message.

36. Best Custom Sponsored Content Piece
Entries can be a single article or a series of articles that draw the reader in with commercial sales/promotion in mind. Delivering content that is informative, relevant, and entertaining that it is part of readers’ consumption of editorial content.

37. Best Special Section Non-Newsprint Distributed In Paper
Any section involving a special subject or theme printed on glossy stock qualifies for this category. Judges will consider the quality of editorial content and graphic design. Special consideration will be given to locally prepared editorial and ad content, as well as particular interest or importance to the community. If an entry runs in multiple newspapers, it must be submitted in a circulation category matching the COMBINED CIRCULATION of those Newspapers.

38. Best Innovative Idea
An innovative project or idea initiated by the newspaper’s advertising department that resulted in additional revenue for the newspaper. Entries should include a short description of the project or idea, information on revenue generated and the product itself, which may have appeared online, in print or both.

39. The Charmaine Ushkow Award for Advertising Excellence
The Charmaine Ushkow Award will be given for the best overall newspaper advertising. The winner of this award will be the newspaper who has accumulation the greatest number of awards among all categories.

HELPFUL TIPS
- Be sure to include an entry's publication date or series of dates on the online entry form.
- Avoid submitting a URL leading to general coverage of a topic (Ex. www.yourpaper.com/StateGovernment) or an entire blog (Ex. www.yourpaper.com/PoliticsBlog).
- Do NOT double-up content by submitting multiple versions of an article or photograph in a single entry (Ex. uploading a PDF of a printed article and also submitting a URL to the same article on the paper's website)
- Do NOT include URLs or any special formatting in the comments field of an entry, as all comments will appear to judges as a single paragraph.
- If submitting URLs for a website with a paywall, be sure to provide login and password information in the Comments field of an entry for judging.
- Do NOT include staff titles when listing staff names under credits of an entry.

CONTEST SUPPORT
For questions regarding contest rules please contact:

Margaret McDermott, Development Director
New York News Publishers Association
252 Hudson Avenue
Albany, New York 12210
(518) 449-1667
mmcdermott@nynpa.com

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
For questions regarding the contest website please visit www.betterbncsupport.com or contact:

Cody France
SmallTownPapers, Inc.
927 W Railroad Ave.
Shelton, WA 98584
(360) 427-6300
cody@smalltownpapers.com