Here’s a list of current media and journalism awards, including deadlines for applying. If we’re missing any major awards, please contact Mark Glaser at mark [at] mediashift [dot] org, and we’ll add them to the list. Any Featured Awards are paid sponsorships.
FEBRUARY 2016 DEADLINES & OPPORTUNITIES
New America Award
Society of Professional Journalists
SPJ’s New America Award honors public service journalism that explores and exposes an issue of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities currently living in the United States. Although not required, collaboration with ethnic media is taken into account. To be eligible, work must have been published or broadcast during the 2015 calendar year. SPJ welcomes entries from media outlets, journalists, community and issue advocacy groups, individuals and others concerned with ethnic issues.
Deadline: Feb. 19, 2016
2016 High School Essay Contest
Society of Professional Journalists
Topic: “Why is it important that we have news media that are independent of the government?” The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association want to increase high school students’ knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media to our lives. National winners of this essay contest receive scholarship awards.
Deadline: Feb. 24, 2016
NASW Media Awards
National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers Media Awards recognize reporters, bloggers, columnists, television producers, movie directors and other media professionals who help raise awareness about the social work profession and issues important to social workers. This year we will accept nominees in seven categories.
Deadline: Feb. 25, 2016
IWMF Courage in Journalism Awards
The International Women’s Media Foundation
The Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award celebrates women photographers whose work demonstrates bravery, dedication, and skill while reporting the news through images. The Courage Awards recognize women journalists who have demonstrated extraordinary strength of character in pursuing their profession under difficult or dangerous circumstances such as government oppression, threats to personal safety, and other intimidating obstacles. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors women journalists who have a pioneering spirit and whose accomplishments have paved the way for future generations of women in the media.
Deadline: Nominations for the 2016 Anja Neidringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award must be submitted by, Feb. 12, 2016. Courage and Lifetime Award nominations must be submitted by, Feb. 26, 2016.
Southern African Development Community Media Awards
Southern African Development Community
These awards in the fields of print, radio, television and photojournalism cater to entrants from the SADC member states. The themes of the entries must be on issues and activities promoting regional integration in the SADC region, such as infrastructure, economy, water, culture, sports and agriculture.
Deadline: Feb. 29, 2016
MARCH 2016 DEADLINES & OPPORTUNITIES
APME Journalism Innovation Awards
Associated Press Media Editors
The awards honor excellence in newspapers, radio, television and digital news sites in the United States and Canada. This year, the awards have a new name – emphasizing innovation – that reflects APME’s rich heritage and its focus on the future.
Deadline: March 1, 2016
Meyer “Mike” Berger Award
The Columbia Journalism Awards
The Meyer “Mike” Berger Award and its $2,000 cash prize are awarded for outstanding human interest reporting across platforms. Print, radio, broadcast and digital reporting are eligible for the award. All entries must have been published in the U.S. during 2015, though in the case of a series or ongoing story, work that appeared in January 2016 will be accepted. Journalists who report in a foreign language should submit copies of original stories with an English translation. No entry fee is required.
Deadline: March 7, 2016
The Cabot Prizes
The Columbia Journalism Awards
The prizes recognize a distinguished body of work that has contributed to Inter-American understanding. The Cabot Prizes Board and the dean look for exceptional and courageous reporting that impacts society, and evidence of commitment to important stories over the course of a long and distinguished career. They are particularly interested in hearing about journalists and news organizations that have made a sustained contribution to Inter-American understanding through their coverage of the Americas. The board and the dean are also interested in honoring those journalists who have taken active roles in upholding freedom of the press in the Americas. Although awards have been given to publishers and other managerial personnel, the board is especially interested in honoring individual journalists.
Deadline: March 16, 2016
The Emmy Awards
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
The News & Documentary Emmy® Awards recognize outstanding achievement in broadcast journalism and documentary filmmaking. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences promotes journalistic excellence by awarding the coveted Emmy® to the very best news reports and documentary films aired on national television or streamed over the Internet each year.
Early Deadline: Mar. 16, 2016 (reduced entry fee); Final Deadline: Apr. 14, 2016
The MOLLY National Journalism Prize
The Texas Observer and Texas Democracy Foundation
The MOLLY Prize is a national print and online journalism award of $5,000 with two honorable mentions of $1,000 each to be presented by the Texas Democracy Foundation and the Texas Observer in memory of Molly Ivins. Judges look for pieces of great journalism that tell the stories that need telling, challenge conventional wisdom, focus on civil liberties and/or social justice and embody the intelligence, deep thinking and/or passionate wit that marked Molly’s work.
Deadline: Mar. 16, 2016
Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prizes for Reporting on the Presidency and on National Defense
Each year, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation awards two distinguished journalism prizes, one for reporting on the Presidency and the other for reporting on National Defense. These prizes, initiated in 1988, recognize reportorial excellence and the fostering of better public understanding of the presidency and national defense. Each year the two prizes are presented to the winners at a reception and luncheon in Washington, D.C. and include a $5,000 award, one for each prize.
Deadline: Mar. 18, 2016
APRIL 2016 DEADLINES & OPPORTUNITIES
SEJ Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment
SEJ’s awards honor the best environmental journalism in seven categories, bringing recognition to the most important stories on the planet. TV, radio, print and online journalism about environment or related issues are eligible. $500 offered for first-place winners in seven categories.
Deadline: Apr. 1, 2016
Data Journalism Awards
Global Editors Network
The Data Journalism Awards recognize outstanding work in the field of data journalism worldwide.Launched in 2012, it is organized by the Global Editors Network, with support from the Google News Lab and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Previous winning organisations include The New York Times, The Guardian, ProPublica and La Nación.
Deadline: Apr. 10, 2016
Roche Health Journalism Award
Digital and radio journalists living in Latin America who covered health issues in 2015 are invited to compete. Roche Labs Latin America and the Gabriel García Márquez Foundation for a New Iberoamerican Journalism (FNPI) call for the fourth edition of the Roche Health JournalismAward.Entries may be submitted in two categories: Internet and radio. Works must focus on one or more of the following topics: innovation in healthcare, biotechnology and health,access to health treatments, research and development, public health policies and oncology.
Deadline: Apr. 10, 2016
Society for Features Journalism
The 28th annual Society for Features Journalism Excellence-in-Features Awards honor the craft of feature storytelling and the people who do it for a living at news organizations and wire services. All entries must have been published in print or online between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2015. The first-place winners in each of 19 categories will receive $300. Winners will be announced in June and honored at SFJ’s national conference in Austin, Texas.
Deadline: April 18, 2016
DEADLINES DOWN THE LINE
Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards
Columbia University
The award recognizes excellence in broadcast, documentary and digital journalism.
Asian Digital Media Awards
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers
The awards honor Asian publishers that have excelled in their digital offerings.
LATAM Digital Media Awards
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers
The awards honor Latin American publishers that have excelled in their digital offerings.
Middle East Digital Media Awards
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers
The awards honor Middle Eastern publishers that have excelled in their digital offerings.
Online Journalism Awards
Online Journalism Association
The Online Journalism Awards (OJAs) was launched in May 2000 to honor excellence in digital journalism around the world. The 2015 OJAs entry period are open now and close mid-June.
Pulitzer Prizes
Columbia University
The Pulitzer Prize awards achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition.
Selden Ring Award
Presented by the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the Selden Ring Award highlights the importance of investigative journalism in modern day reporting. Nominations are generally received in January.
Society of Professional Journalists Awards
The Society of Professional Journalists has various awards for professional to collegiate journalists for excellence in various forms of media. Awards are rolling and there are several with deadlines in June. Please check the site for more details.
The Bookmarks Awards
Digital Media and Marketing Association
The Bookmarks Awards, based in South Africa, honor excellence in digital work, from websites, app development and games to multimedia and digital journalism.
Webby Awards
The Webby Awards honor the best of the web, from multimedia to digital journalism to interactive publishing to online campaigns.
Ben DeJarnette is the associate editor at MediaShift. He is also a freelance contributor for Pacific Standard, InvestigateWest, Men’s Journal, Runner’s World, Oregon Quarterly and others. He’s on Twitter @BenDJduck.