Rhode Island Press Association







2023 Editorial Contest

The Rhode Island Press Association's 2023 Editorial Contest

Welcome to this year's contest, which includes 43 categories, covering everything from a short news story or single photograph to in-depth, comprehensive news coverage that takes took months of time and effort to produce.

CATEGORIES are listed in the FAQ section of the site.

You have until 11:59 p.m. on March 8, 2024, to enter your material, but we encourage submitting entries early – in case you have questions about the online system.

We encourage all members to nominate individual journalists from their news organizations for special awards in these categories:

• Distinguished Journalist 
• Notable New Reporter of the Year
• Photographer of the Year

Payment may be made only by check or money order, payable to the Rhode Island Press Association. The worksheet outlining the news organization and the number of entries in each category MUST accompany payment.

2023 Editorial Contest Flier

General Rules

1. Competition is open only to member organizations of the Rhode Island Press Association in good standing. Employees and regular contributors of member publications are considered staff for the purposes of this contest. Individual entries will not be accepted. Associate members who have created material for a member organization, however, may appeal to that member organization to submit that material on their behalf as part of its overall entries in the contest.
2. Material submitted must have been published between Jan. 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2023, either in print or online, EXCEPT in portfolio entries as specified.
3. Publications may enter up to three items per category, unless otherwise indicated in the category descriptions. Each writer, photographer or designer is limited to one entry per category.
4. Each entry may be entered in one category only.
5. All writing entries will be submitted in PDF format, no larger than 50 MB, or as links to online content. Photo entries may be submitted in jpeg  or PDF format. Enter online at: https://awards.ripressassociation.org
6. All publications are judged by an out-of-state press association. Judges will be directed to award first-, second- and third-place in each category, although they will have discretion to limit the number of finalists if they judge the quality of the category to be weak.
7. Categories that do not draw at least three (3) entries will not be judged.
8. Judges will be allowed, at their discretion, to award one honorable mention if the quality of the entries merit it. 

PHOTO ENTRY RULES

1. Each photographer is limited to no more than one (1) entry per category.
2. Publications may submit up to three entries in each photo category.
3. Eligible entrants must be full- or part-time employees, or regular contributors of member publications.
4. Entries must be work created specifically for the member news organization.

CONTEST FEES

The fee is $20 for the first entry from each publication (i.e., individual newspaper flag) and $10 for each subsequent entry.

Payment may also be made by mailing a check to: RIPA 2021 Editorial Awards, c/o Sarah Francis, 43 Rector St., East Greenwich, RI 02818. If paying by check, write the entry confirmation number in the memo space. If paying for multiple entries with one check, please include a note listing all award confirmation numbers that the check covers.