Press Club journalism contest offers good opportunities for broadcasters’ best work

The National Press Club wants to recognize the best broadcast journalism from 2017 in a variety of categories.

Entries are free for Club members and $50 for non-members. The deadline is April 16.

The categories of broadcast competition:

• Consumer Journalism including network, syndicates, cable and broadcast TV and radio stations. Entries can be a single broadcast or a series of broadcasts that will be judged as a unit. Include a letter detailing how the piece or series resulted in action by consumers, the government, the community or an individual. There is a $750 prize for the winner.


• Arthur Rowse Award for Press Criticism: Entries can be up to five broadcasts accompanied by a letter explaining the significance of the work and any subsequent actions resulting from its publication or airing. There is a $750 prize for the winner.


• Breaking News: Entries should be no more than five broadcast stories, written or assembled under deadline pressure, covering a single event or occurrence. A letter describing how the reporting was done on deadline is encouraged. The winner gets a year of free Club membership.


• Anne Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award: Entries can be a single broadcast or a series of up to five broadcasts that will be judged as one unit. Submissions that provide evidence of impact or that prompted action will be given particular consideration. There is a prize of $750 for the winner.


• Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence: Entries can be a single broadcast or a series of up to five broadcasts that will be judged as one unit. Include a letter detailing how and why the piece or series broke fresh ground or how it brought clarity and understanding of foreign-policy issues to the U.S. audience. There is a $750 prize for the winner.

Entrants are encouraged to use the online-entry method, but if you prefer, the Club will accept entries mailed in the traditional way as long as they are postmarked before the deadline.

The awards will be presented at an awards dinner at the Club this summer.

Details on the different awards categories and how to enter the contest can be found here.