Scoop of the Year

This award is for the individual or team that broke the single best exclusive story.

Criteria

Judges will be looking for evidence of journalistic enterprise. This award is for a single piece of work, not a portfolio. Impact of the scoop will be a major consideration.

What to submit

1. A resume or career outline. This doesn’t need to be a full CV. It must include contact details
2. If your scoop had repercussions or follow-up stories, explain this in your background statement.
3. A background statement in support of the entry

The background statement

This is important. It provides the context for judges to assess the journalistic enterprise you brought to the work.

The statement needs to cover everything that is not immediately obvious from the copy: how the idea or story came about, what you did, any difficulties you encountered and what happened next.

Remember, the editors judging your work do not come from your publication and may not be familiar with local affairs in your state. Do not assume they have in-depth knowledge of the story.

Please include details of how your scoop secured a competitive advantage over not just print rivals but also websites and all broadcasters in your area.

Where possible, you also need to outline how you reached the highest penetration of your potential audience. Show evidence of how you helped them to engage, respond and contribute across all platforms available to you.
You may include detail that could not be published for legal, moral or ethical reasons if it gives better context to your contribution to the work.
If your work reaches the final rounds of the awards it will be subject to background checks with your editor and colleagues.
You may write a background statement of up to 500 words. It should include details of how your entry meets the selection criteria. 

Dates for eligible work

The submitted scoop must have been published in the 12 months from August 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010.  

Who can enter

The award is open to all editorial staff working on any News Limited publication or website.

Permanent part-time staff are eligible, as are contractors. Casual employees, freelancers and contributors are not. It is open either to individuals, or to teams that are jointly responsible for the entry.

Entrants can nominate themselves or a colleague. If you are nominating someone else, please lodge the entry yourself and give your contact details.

How much work to enter

Only one piece of work is required – the original scoop. Use your background statement to explain the impact and consequences of your story and other stories that may have followed. Remember, this award is not for a body of work.

If a single story spilled to more than one page on the day it was published, include all parts of it. There is provision on the entry coupon for up to 12 attachments per story, or work example, to accommodate this.
 

How many times can you enter?

Individuals may enter the same category only once a year.

A story entered for Scoop of the Year may be submitted as part of an entry in another category (ie, Sports Journalist of the Year).

However, the formal submission – including a completed entry form, supporting statement, and copies of the work – must be supplied in full for each entry.

How to Enter

Please read the preliminary instructions provided on the website. There are links there for guidelines for library PDF or page archive retrieval.

Entry via the website is preferred.

 If you cannot do this, a CD-ROM of your entry is acceptable. Please include on the CD a document giving your name, publication or website, category and contact details. Include a CV or resume, as well as the examples of your work. Send this to: News Awards, c/o Corporate Affairs, Level 5, News Limited, 2 Holt Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.

You may send your entry in the internal mail, where this service is provided – but email Sarah Cullens cullenss@newsltd.com.au so we know a CD entry has been lodged.

Entries from PNG, Fiji, WA Community Newspapers and some areas of News Digital Media will need to be via CD because they have no access to the entry coupon from the website.

If you have any problems submitting your online entry, call Les Hoffman, on 02 6680 2080 or email hoffmanl@newsltd.com.au.

If you have any questions about the awards, call Lucinda Duckett on 02 9288 3125 or email duckettl@newsltd.com.au.

Closing date 

Online entries must be received by 5.00pm Wednesday, August 4. There will be no exceptions.