Rhode Island Press Association







2023 Editorial Contest

 
 
  1. Frequently Asked Questions

Things you will need before entering:

  • Your news organization must be a member in good standing with the Rhode Island Press Association. 
  • Be sure your entry is in the correct format. Print stories must be submitted as PDFs, no larger than 50 MB, or as links to online stories. For sites with paywalls, please provide login and password information to allow judges unlimited access. View our Uploading Help section.
  • In specified categories that require a nomination letter, you will upload a WORD DOCUMENT.
  • In specified categories, supplementary links may be provided for online material or videos. 
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Fees:

  • The fee is $20 for the first submission from a publication; $10 for each subsequent entry
  • Payment must be made by check or money order, payable to The Rhode Island Press Association, and mailed to RIPA 2023 editorial awards, c/o Sarah Francis, RIPA Treasurer, 43 Rector St., East Greenwich, RI 02818. (All entries must include the payment form specifying the number of entries in which categories.) 
  • No refunds will be issued. 

Deadline:

  • The contest deadline is 11:59 p.m. March 8, 2024.
  • All entries must be submitted online, in PDF format, or as links to online stories, by this deadline. Photos may be submitted in jpeg format. 

Categories:

There are 45 categories in four divisions: Writing, Design, Photography and Distinction.

WRITING

1. NEWS STORY (SHORT)

2. NEWS STORY (IN-DEPTH)

3. SPOT NEWS STORY

 

4. INVESTIGATIVE/ANALYTICAL NEWS STORY

5. SINGLE-TOPIC SERIES 

6. BUSINESS STORY

 

7. EDUCATION STORY

 

8. RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY STORY

 

9. REPORTING ON THE ENVIRONMENT

10. SCIENCE/HEALTH CARE STORY

 

11. PROFILE OR PERSONALITY STORY

 

12. FEATURE STORY (SHORT)

13. FEATURE STORY (IN-DEPTH)

14. ARTS OR ENTERTAINMENT STORY 

15. LOCAL TOURISM STORY

 

 

16. COMMUNITY JOURNALISM

 

 

17. HISTORY REPORTING

 

 

18. GOVERNMENT REPORTING

 

 

19. NEIGHBORHOOD COVERAGE

 

20. FOOD & DINING STORY

21. UNIQUE/MOST UNEXPECTED STORY

 

22. SPORTS STORY

 

23. SPORTS FEATURE STORY

24. NEWS/FEATURES COLUMNIST

 

25. ARTS//NICHE COLUMNIST

 

26. HEADLINE WRITING 

27. BEST EMAIL NEWSLETTER

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

28. GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

 

29. SPOT NEWS PHOTO

 

30. FEATURE PHOTO

 

31. PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

 

32. SPORTS PHOTO

33. PHOTO SERIES/PICTURE STORY 

 

34. FOOD PHOTO

 

 

35. WEATHER AND CLIMATE PHOTO

 

 

DESIGN

36. BEST NEWSPAPER FRONT PAGE

 

37. BEST COVER

 

38. BEST FEATURE FRONT PAGE

 

39. SPECIAL SECTION

DISTINCTION 

40. GENERAL ELECTION COVERAGE

 

41. BEST WEBSITE

 

 

42. DISTINGUISHED JOURNALIST

 

43. NOTABLE NEW REPORTER OF THE YEAR


44. PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR


45. COMMUNITY OUTREACH AWARD

Judging and Notification:

Who judges the contest?

  • The Idaho Press Association provides judges for all categories and publications.

When are winners notified? 

  • Publications will be notified in early May whether they have won awards in any categories.
  • First-, second- and third-place winners will be announced at the RIPA annual awards banquet.

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2024 RIPA BANQUET

 

The Rhode Island Press Association's annual banquet will be held on May 10, 2024. More details to come.

In addition to revealing the winners of the 2023 Editorial Contest, RIPA will also induct the 2024 Hall of Fame members and award its annual scholarship.

2024 RIPA Scholarship 

What is the Rhode Island Press Association Scholarship?

    Every year RIPA awards a $1,000 scholarship to an outstanding high school or college student who is preparing for a career in print journalism. 

    What is the scholarship application deadline?

    • Applications must be received by Friday, March 15, 2024.
    What are the requirements? 

    • Interested students should send a letter of nomination from a high school or college official or instructor detailing the student’s accomplishments, a cover letter, résumé and samples of work, including newspaper stories, classroom assignments or any other supporting material.
    • Nominees must be residents of Rhode Island attending or accepted to any four-year college or university or nonresidents enrolled at a Rhode Island college or university who are entering the 2023-24 academic year as full-time undergraduate and graduate students. 
    • Students need not be majoring in journalism to be eligible. 
    • Judges looking for academic achievement and a demonstrated interest in print journalism, such as work on school or community newspapers.
    • The scholarship money is paid directly to the student.
    How do I apply? 
    • Send applications to: to Elyse Major, editor in chief, Providence Media, via email, elyse@providenceonline.com
    • A panel of editors and journalists will judge the nominations.
    • The Rhode Island Press Association will award the scholarship at its annual banquet on May 10, 2024.




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      JOURNALISM HALL OF FAME



      What is the Hall of Fame award?

      This is a lifetime achievement award for someone who has made significant contributions to journalism through reporting, editing, photography, design, or education; or who has led innovative changes within a news organization, or advocated for the First Amendment. 

      Nominees must have made a substantial impact on journalism within Rhode Island or be a Rhode Islander who has made such contributions to the field out of the state. Nominees must be 55 years or older. Historic nominees, who have been dead for 50 years or more, also will be considered.

      What is the nomination and selection process? 

      A maximum of three inductees are selected each year by a Hall of Fame committee of members in good standing in the Rhode Island Press Association. 

      To nominate a candidate, provide a 200-300 word biography of the candidate explaining why he/she meets the criteria and should be in the Hall of Fame. Include any applicable supporting materials, such as story clips. 
      If several individuals from a news organization want to nominate a candidate, they need only send one nomination form. If the candidate is selected, the committee will require a more complete biography and a photo. This material is used to produce the Hall of Fame plaque.



      The Rhode Island Press Association Hall of Fame accepts nominations throughout the year for the Rhode Island Journalism Hall of Fame.



      The deadline for this year's submissions is Dec. 31, 2023.



      The nominee will be placed on a list of potential inductees for at least one year before he/she becomes eligible to be considered. The name may remain on this list for no longer than six years. If he/she is not selected for inclusion, the committee could choose to drop the name from the list or vote to keep it on the list for an additional four years.



      Any member of the press association may submit a nomination. (If the newspaper is a paid member, its news employees are members.)



      For more information, and to submit nominations, email Len Levin  Lenlevin5@hotmail.com. The Rhode Island Press Association will honor its 2023 Hall of Fame inductees at its annual banquet on April 28, 2023.

       

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    Uploading Help


    Audio Requirements:

    All audio files must be .mp3 (preferred), .wav, .aiff. Audio in other formats will not be accepted. A script or transcript with lead-in is strongly recommended, but not required.

    Video Requirements:

    Entrant should upload the work to an online video site and submit the URL (preferred), or upload a video file to the awards site. [50 MB file limit]

    — All video files must be one of the following formats: .wmv, .mov, .mpeg or .mp4.

    — A script or transcript with lead-in is strongly recommended, but not required. 



    Linking Files:

    If your entry file is larger than the 50 MB upload limit, we suggest that you host it on a 3rd party website and use the Entry File Link area on the upload page to submit the link to download your file.

    Still need help?

    If you still need help uploading your entry files, please contact us on our awards specific contact form.

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