The University of Montana School of Journalism and the Montana Journalism Education Association will sponsor the 2016 Montana High School Journalism Contest. This contest recognizes and awards the outstanding work Montana scholastic journalism students are producing.

     Student journalists entering the annual high school journalism contest will discover many benefits. Not only will they receive recognition for their best work, but they will receive thoughtful feedback from the judges:  working journalists, journalism professors and experienced publication advisers.

CONTEST RULES

1. Students will compete in their schools’ respective enrollment determined class levels: AA,  A, B or C.

2. Judges include working journalists, seasoned advisers and journalism professors who will provide thoughtful feedback on entries in each of the four class levels: AA, A, B and C.

3. Each school may submit one entry in any category. Shared bylines for entries in individual categories are accepted.

4. Individuals may compete in more than one category.

5. Attach a completed Competition Entry Form to each entry.

6. All entries must have been completed in the 2014-2015 academic year.

7. Adviser’s submission of materials for competition will indicate a verification of all individual work.

8. Awards will be given to the top three places in each category if at least three qualified entries have been submitted. No places will be skipped due to judges’ discretion.

PACESETTER AWARDS

Newspaper Pacesetter

     This award honors the best all-around newspaper in each of the four enrollment categories. Entries must include two complete, consecutive issues. Entries will be judged on the quality of coverage, reporting, writing, photography, editing, headlines and design. Judges will look for enterprising papers with strong content and striking design. Second and third place will be designated at each enrollment level depending on the number of entries.

Website Pacesetter

     Entries will be judged on the quality of content, design and inter-activity (links to related content, podcasts, opportunities for reader feedback, use of social media such as Twitter, etc.). Judges will evaluate the site on its ability to draw readers in and help them navigate easily and logically.

     Attach a 3×5 card containing the web address of the site, name of webmaster(s), school name and adviser’s name. Attach this information to the entry form. All size schools will be judged together and a second and third place will be designated if there are a sufficient number of entries.

Video Broadcast Program–Newscast Pacesetter

     This Pacesetter awards outstanding achievement in a regularly scheduled newscast. Post edits are not permitted except for the removal of breaks. Entries will be judged on overall content, presentation, enterprise, writing, format, teases, etc. Entries may be submitted on CD, external hard drive, or online. Attach a 3×5 card containing the web address of the site, name of producer, school name, and adviser’s name. All size schools will be judged together. A second and third place will be designated if there are multiple entries. Time Limit: 30 minutes.

Yearbook Pacesetter

     This Pacesetter recognizes outstanding overall achievement in the production of the 2014 yearbook. Entries will be judged on the staff’s overall ability to tell the story of the year. Judges will consider concept (theme) development and structure, coverage, reporting, photography and design. A second and third place will be determined at each class level if there are multiple entries.

PACESETTER GROUP AWARDS

Student Free Press Award

     This award recognizes and honors the efforts of a high school publication to promote First Amendment awareness. NOTE:  Advisers must describe and document such efforts or explain how their publications prevailed in a project despite threats of censorship. The award will be presented to the paper’s staff and adviser. Only one award will be issued from all entries AA-C.

Newspaper Overall Design

     Best design of a single issue of a student newspaper. Send only one complete issue. Judges will consider the effectiveness of the design, its cohesiveness and use of photos, text, headlines, illustrations and graphics. An overriding concern for judges is the design’s ability to draw readers to subject matter and help them navigate easily through the publication. NOTE: Please do not nominate individuals in this category. Up to three places will be awarded to each enrollment level if multiple entries are submitted for consideration.

INDIVIDUAL CONTESTS

Instructions: Please submit a published tear sheet, online link or CD.

PRINT

News Writing  Coverage of serious, developing news. Judges will look for stories with impact, timeliness, accuracy, clarity, organization and fairness. Writers will have used primary sources: interviews with people or news from previously unreleased documents, no books, magazines, Web.

Enterprise Reporting  In-depth or investigatory coverage of issues, news or serious trends. May be one story or several stories in a package, spread out over multiple issues. Packages will be judged on newsworthiness, use of multiple sources including documents as well as people, use of statistics, and their ability to humanize those statistics through the telling of people’s stories.

Feature Writing  Profiles of interesting, news-making personalities or stories about light trends or issues. Stories will be judged on the appropriate connection of their tone to subject matter; use of multiple sources; use of colorful, telling detail; and the freshness of language.

Opinion Writing  Category includes editorials or opinion columns. Entries will be judged on writing quality, timeliness, significance, relevance and persuasiveness. May be explanatory or argumentative, using logic, analogies or appeals to fairness or justice.

Sports Event Coverage  Best coverage of a single game or competition. Stories will be judged on writing (accuracy, clarity, organization and fairness) and reporting that uses multiple sources.

Sports Feature Writing  Season previews, profiles of coaches and athletes, or features about sports trends or issues. Articles will be judged on newsworthiness, effective storytelling and reporting that uses multiple sources.

Editorial Cartooning  Judges will look for a simple and clear editorial statement; evidence of artistic ability; a novel approach; absence of trite and melodramatic imagery; wit; effective conveyance of a message; quality of drawing; simplicity of line.

DESIGN

Advertising Design  Best original student-designed display ad. Judges will consider the blending of text and graphics to create memorable, credible ads that effectively promote a product, service or behavior. Send tearsheets.

Photo Illustration  Judges will look for an illustration that follows current design trends; visually communicates an idea; shows originality and innovation; shows creativity and artistic details; clean and well-executed work; sophisticated use of software.

Infographic  Judges will look for proper attribution for information. The infographic makes a point visually using an appropriate format. Typography and artistic details fit topic or content. The graphic follows current design trends.

Spread–Yearbook  Inside Pages and/or Theme Pages (division/opening/closing spread)Judges will look for pages designed as a double-page spreads that develop a theme concept. These pages use effective design elements: a dominant photo; effective positioning of headlines, copy block and captions; current design trends of modular design packaging and effective white space; adherence to design rules; effective fonts and point sizes for copy, headlines and captions; adherence to visual hierarchy, alignment that creates a visual flow guiding readers through the spread; effective balance of visual and verbal storytelling; use of graphics to compliment design; effective photo crops; inclusion of essential layout elements: folio information and design. Students may submit online links, or digital pdf files on external drives or on a CD.

Graphics–Logo  Professional typographic details; fonts, photos and art work together well; Work demonstrates creativity, originality and innovation; The work is clean and well-executed; logo clearly identifies a section, theme or story concept; follows current design trends.

VIDEO BROADCASTING  Students may submit up to three entries in each category for the broadcast contest

News: General Assignment  For outstanding reporting achievement in a regularly scheduled presentation of timely news, information and current events. Entries may contain spot news coverage, investigations and feature stories on any newsworthy subject. Coverage of controversial issues is welcome. Entries will be judged on the basis of editorial content and pictorial coverage, which demonstrates awareness of broadcast journalistic standards including accuracy and fairness. Judges will particularly look for well-organized material paying close attention to clearly written narration and appropriate sound bites. Preference will be given to individual pieces demonstrating reporting and field production. In-studio set-up or anchor link work will not be considered as an asset unless it materially contributes to the editorial content of the individual report. Time Limit: 10 minutes

Arts & Entertainment  For outstanding reporting achievement in a presentation of content devoted to cultural or artistic significance, or a compilation of up to three unedited pieces. Time Limit: 10 minutes.

Short-Form Non Fiction  For outstanding achievement in a presentation of a short-form treatment of a single non-fiction subject. Subject matter can include (but is not limited to) investigations, examinations of social issues, personal relationships, sports lifestyles, music, performing arts, entertainment, fashion and historical retrospectives. Content creativity and execution will be important elements in judging the entries. Judges will particularly look for well-organized material, paying close attention to clearly written narration and appropriate sound bites. Time Limit: Up to 10 minutes.

Public Affairs/Community Service  For outstanding achievement in a presentation or compilation consisting of up to three unedited pieces of content with current social, civic or other issue-oriented subject matter. Advocacy of a point of view is encouraged. Content, creativity and execution will be important elements in judging the entries. Entry will be judged on awareness of broadcast journalistic standards including accuracy and fairness. Time Limit: 10 minutes

Sports  For outstanding achievement in a presentation or compilation of up to three unedited pieces of sports news and information. In-studio set-up or anchor link work will not be considered as an asset unless it materially contributes to the editorial content of the presentation. Judges will particularly look for well-organized material, paying close attention to clearly written narration and appropriate sound bites. Time Limit: 10 minutes.

PHOTOGRAPHY  Please submit a published tear sheet.

News Photography  Judges will look for entries that exhibit impact and carefully considered composition; imaginative subject matter, technical quality and excellence; storytelling; simplicity; cropping and lighting. Quality of caption may also be considered.

Feature Photography  Entries will be judged for impact and composition; imaginative subject matter, technical quality and excellence; storytelling; simplicity; cropping and lighting. Quality of caption may also be considered.

Sports Photography  Imaginative subject matter; technical quality and excellence; photo composition; visual impact; story told in each photograph; simplicity; cropping; lighting. Quality of the caption may also be considered.  Different this year–Schools may enter one (1) ACTION shot and one (1) REACTION shot. Please clearly label the photos.

Environmental Portrait  Judges will look for imaginative subject matter; technical quality and excellence; photo composition; visual impact; simplicity; cropping and lighting. The caption, although required, need be nothing more than the name of the individual in the photograph with some identifying characteristics such as grade, major, sport or activity. Students should NOT enter mug shots or head shots.

    If you have questions about yearbook categories, please direct questions and/or send all yearbook submissions to JEA Montana Director Linda Ballew, 2212 4th St. S., Great Falls, MT  59405, c: 406.799.8313, e: [email protected]

All entries must be received by: 2016 date TBA