William Randolph Hearst Awards
“Freedom of speech is not only the boon but the basis of democracy – not only the gift but the guarantee of liberty and security – not only the privilege but the protection of a free people.”
-William Randolph Hearst
WEBSITE: www.hearstfdn.org/hearst_journalism/index.php
MISSION STATEMENT:
To encourage excellence in the field of journalism and support journalistic studies in America’s institutions of higher learning.
GOALS & ABOUT:
· Foundation created by Hearst in 1948; awards founded in 1960
· To award outstanding performance in college level journalism with matching grants to student’s schools
· 49th annual awards consists of six monthly writing competitions, three photojournalism competitions, four broadcast news competitions (two radio and two television), and a multimedia competition with championship finals in all categories except multimedia.
· Will award $550,000 this year
· Takes place under guidance of steering committee; consists of journalism-mass communications professors from ACEJMC (Accrediting Council of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication) colleges and universities
· Judges are professional journalists and editors; judge on a point system
RULES & ENTRY GUIDELINES:
· Must be from an ASJMC accredited school and journalism major
· Entry must have been published/aired/posted before students were graduated
· No more than 2 contestants from each school in each of the competitions
· Must be enrolled at least half-time; pre-majors eligible
· May not enter in more than three contest years
· Must be actively involved in student media and must be published/aired
· No high school students, graduate students, or otherwise eligible students who have had a year or more professional experience (includes multiple internships)
· Winner eligibility
· Double bylines and group entries not eligible
· Photo entrants do not have to be journalism majors
· Each participating school selects two students per competition who are eligible to enter
· Entry rules for each category vary
MAJOR POINTS OF SITE:
· Entry guidelines tab – discusses each competition’s entry rules, the items included for submission, deadlines, and criteria by which the submission will be judged
· FAQ page is a quick reference page for answers to general questions that are included within the website but this function allows the user to jump quickly to the solution to their problem!
· Championship winners and their work are available on the site for perusal…good to get a view of the type of work that is honored by the foundation.
EX: A guitar riff from Junior Kimbo’s “Release Me” drifted from the juke box as a 59-year-old man sporting a plaid shirt, wire glasses and a salt-and-pepper goatee sipped at vodka and soda, seasoned by a lemon slice wedged on the glass’ rim.
Greg Woods leaned on the more than 100-year-old mahogany bar and squeezed the yellow fruit into his glass then poked it just below the ice with a straw.
His lemon triangle, though, wasn’t like most found in bars throughout San Francisco. Just like the limes, grapefruits and a host of hand-picked spirits at Elixir Saloon in San Francisco’s Mission District, Woods’ lemon was organic.
· Alumni tab allows the user to view the winners in every competition since the first awards in 1961. It is most interesting to see at what year photography and broadcast awards were added to the championship.
LINKS TO OTHER JOURNALISM AWARDS SITES:
· http://www.newswise.com/resources/j_awards/
· http://www.ajr.org/awards1.asp?AwTYPE=
· http://www.splc.org/csjaward.asp
Western State Writers Spring 2009 