INDIANAPOLIS--(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Dec 3, 2001--The Society of Professional Journalists has increased the number of online categories in its Mark of Excellence Awards for student journalists from one to 10 to better reflect the growing importance of today`s online news industry.
The SPJ board of directors agreed earlier this year to increase online categories in the Mark of Excellence contest. The board also increased online categories in the Sigma Delta Chi Awards program for professional journalists from three to eight. Entry forms for both awards programs are now available at SPJ Headquarters or online at www.spj.org.
''As online journalism becomes a more important part of our craft, it should become a more important part of SPJ`s awards programs,'' said SPJ President Al Cross, political writer and columnist for The Courier-Journal in Louisville. ''As with all our awards, we hope this expansion will promote excellence in online journalism.''
In the MOE Awards competition, six of the categories are for individual stories or packages and four are for best overall online publication or broadcast station. Most categories are open to both independent and affiliated online publications.
The Society`s Awards and Honors Committee recommended the changes. Guy Baehr, committee chairman, said expanding the contests to put online journalism on the same level with more established media is important to the goal of the contests, which is to recognize and encourage good journalism in all media.
''The history of SPJ is that it has embraced each new medium used by journalists as it has appeared on the scene,'' Baehr said. ''Moving now to put online journalism on par with other news media only makes sense.''
''More and more student journalists are doing their work online, either with Web affiliates of traditional campus print or broadcast media or with stand-alone Web publications,'' Baehr added. ''These new categories ensure that SPJ`s student awards program will include the best of this work now and in the future.''
The Society first presented the Mark of Excellence Awards recognizing outstanding student journalists in 1972. The MOE Awards introduced an online category in 1998.
Copies of the rules, categories and entry forms for the MOE awards contests can be obtained online at http://www.spj.org/awards_moe.asp or by contacting SPJ Awards Coordinator Bobby Deckard at 317/927-8000 or [email protected]. Postmark deadline for entries is Jan. 21, 2002.
The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation`s largest and most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.
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