Category Writing

The sections are (maximum articles in brackets):

• Journalist of the Year (Best portfolio) (10)
• Hard news (5)
• Investigative reporting (10)
• Local Government (5)
• Editorial comment (5)
• Columns (5)
• Personal Finance and Business news (5)
• Human interest (5)
• Headlines (5)
• Sport (5)
• Local/Regional news (only for small independent town newspapers with circulation below 5 000) (5)
• Township and Rural Newspapers (5)*

A separate entry form must be completed for every entry.

To be considered for Journalist of the Year a portfolio, not exceeding ten (10) articles if follow-up reports are counted in, must be submitted.  Versatility is crucial.  Entrants ranked in the top three in three of the other writing sections will automatically be entered into the Journalist of the Year section and the judges will take this achievement into account.

A maximum of ten (10) articles/reports, again counting in follow-up reports, can also be submitted for investigative journalism.

For editorial comment and columns five (5) pieces will suffice – not more.

For the Headlines section the entrant must select FIVE (5) of his/her most creative/clever headlines.  Submit the complete reports – only FIVE.  The impact and creativeness of the headlines and their relevance to the stories will be judged – not the content of the reports.

In all the other writing sections FIVE (5) reports must be submitted.

PLEASE NOTE:  Entries exceeding the prescribed maximum per section will be disqualified.

Articles may be entered in more than one section if appropriate.

The format of entries should preferably not exceed A4 size.  Cuttings, or copies thereof, need simply be pasted onto A4 pages (or A3 for larger reports) and attached to the entry form.  Turnovers must be pasted onto separate sheets.  Please do not bind entries in files.

Alet Roux medal

The Alet Roux medal of honour will be awarded to the most promising newcomer (less than three years experience) who made it into the top twenty of the Journalist of the Year section.

Criteria

• Hard news and Local Government (100)
  Intros:  Do they bring you in?  Does it get your attention? Laboured and long? (20)
  Newsworthiness:  Timely and of interest and concern to the reader? (20)
  Style and language:  Well constructed? Easy to read?  Grammar?  Spelling? (20)
  Fairness:  Is there balance/both sides represented? (10)
  Sources:  Are sources reliable/are they identified? (10)
  Versatility:  Skill in handling a variety of subjects? (10)
  Overall impression. (10)
  
  
• Columns (100)
  Intros: Do they bring you in?  Does it make you curious? (10)
  Style and language:  Is it easy to read?  How's the grammar? Spelling? (20)
  Ability to reflect his/her own opinion. (20)
  Relevance:  Is it local and/or likely of interest to readers? (10)
  Versatility:  Limited in their scope? (10)
  Conclusion:  Say what?  So what?  What did you say after reading the story? (20)
  Overall impression. (10)
  
  
• Editorial comment (100)
  Style and language:  Easy to read?  Grammar?  Spelling? (20)
  Fairness : Objectivity?  Factually correct? (10)
  Depth of insight:  Interpretation to readers? (20)
  Are they dull and obvious? (10)
  Do they propel the reader to action? (20)
  Versatility: Limited in their scope? (10)
  Relevance? Local and/or of interest to readers? (10)
  
  
• Human interest (100)
  Intros:  Do they bring you in?  Does it make you curious? (10)
  Humanity:  Are there human sides to the story? (20)
  Emotion:  Can you feel any emotion while reading the story? (20)
  Style and language:  Easy to read?  Grammar?  Spelling?  (20)
  Versatility:  Skill in handling a variety of subjects? (10)
  Relevance.  Is it local and/or likely of interest to readers? (10)
  Overall impression. (10)
  
  
• Investigative reporting (100)
  Intros:  Do they bring you in?  Does it make you curious? (10)
  Style and language:  Easy to read?  Grammar?  Spelling? (20)
  Relevance:  Is it local?  Likely of interest to readers? (10)
  Research:  How much went into it? (20)
  Fairness:  Is there balance/both sides represented? (10)
  Perseverance and courage. (5)
  Innovation/initiative. (5)
  The end result: Evidence of impact – changes/reforms/actions resulting from the work? (20)
  
  
• Personal finance and Business news (100)
  Newsworthiness:  Of interest/concern to reader? (20)
  Intros:  Do they bring you in?  Get your attention? (20)
  Style and language:  Easy to read?  Grammar?  Spelling? (20)
  Versatility:  Skill in handling a variety of subjects? (20)
  Initiative. (10)
  Overall impression. (10)
  
  
• Sport (100)
  Intros:  Do they bring you in?  Does it get your attention?  Long and laboured? (20)
  Newsworthiness:  Timely and of interest/concern to the reader? (10)
  Style and language:  Well constructed?  Easy to read?  Grammar?  Spelling? (20)
  Relevance:  Is it local?  Likely of interest to readers? (10)
  Depth of insight:  Knowledge of the sport?  Interpretation to the reader. (10)
  Liveliness of writing:  Does the reader feel he was there?  Feel the emotion? (20)
  Versatility:  Skill in handling a variety of subjects? (10)
  
  
• Headlines (100)
  Ability to write clever, humorous, creative and impact full headlines that reflect the essence of the stories.
  Consideration will be given to the following:
  Clarity:  Do they convey the basic sense of the story? (20)
  Accuracy:  Are they accurate and informative? (20)
  Tone:  Do they fit in with the tone of the story? (20)
  Fairness:  Do they reflect both sides when appropriate? (20)
  Taste:  Bad taste? (20)
  
  
• Journalist of the Year (100)
  Versatility:  Skill in handling a variety of subjects? (20)
  Style and language:  Easy to read?  Grammar? Spelling? (10)
  Initiative: Ability to ferret out the news? (20)
  Tenacity, thoroughness and enterprise. (20)
  Reader impact:  Human side to the story?  Emotion? (20)
  Overall impression. (10)
   
   
• Local/Regional news (100)
  Intro's:  Do they bring you in? Does it get your attention? (10)
  Newsworthiness:  Of interest/concern to the reader? (20)
  Style and language: Easy to read? Grammar? Spelling? (20)
  Versatility: Skill in handling a variety of subjects? (20)
  Relevance:  Is it local and/or likely of interest to readers? (20)
  Overall impression. (10)

* For the section Township and Rural Newspapers the following will apply:

• The newspapers may not be part of any of the bigger publishing groups and should preferably be managed by their owners (irrespective of whether they are profit ventures or owned by non-profit organisations).
• The frequency of the papers is monthly or fortnightly
• The average number of pages per issue is fewer than 24 (Tabloid format) or 36 (A4 format)
• The permanent staff component of the business is fewer than 8.
• The basic rules and stipulations for the competition will apply for this new section, mutatis mutandis (i.e. with the relevant changes.