Enter your best 2017 breaking-news story in National Press Club contest

The National Press Club journalism contest is accepting breaking news entries for broadcast and for print for the next couple of months.

Breaking news is one of the most important assignments journalists have, and the Club wants to recognize the very best work in both broadcast and for print/online stories from 2017.

Club members can submit entries free of charge, while non-members pay $50 per entry. The prize is one free year of membership. There is no cash award. The deadline is April 1.

Entries will be judged for quality of reporting, speed and innovation. Particular attention will be given to reporting in the first 24 hours and the use of a variety of formats to reach news consumers.

The entries should be no more than five stories, written or assembled under deadline pressure, covering a single event or occurrence. Material should be submitted as originally presented. A letter describing how the reporting was done on deadline is encouraged.

Supplemental material should be clearly marked. Entrants must also submit passwords if they are needed to access the material online.

The winners will be honored at an awards banquet this summer.