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.
FEATURED AWARD
Scripps International Innovators Cup
The Scripps International Innovators Cup invites colleges and universities to pit their best student team around a new media business idea with other teams from around the world. The prize is the top international honor offered as part of the Scripps Innovation Challenge, an annual student competition around media entrepreneurship sponsored by the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University. The mission of the prize is to celebrate student innovation around media entrepreneurship and to highlight creativity and entrepreneurship as it is being implemented in communication and journalism school curricula and student clubs around the world. The Innovators Cup Prize awards one team a top prize of $5,000.
Deadline for Team Registration: Feb. 15, 2016
Learn more here!
FEBRUARY 2016 DEADLINES & OPPORTUNITIES
One World Media Awards
One World Media
The One World Media Awards honor underreported stories on social, political or cultural life in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and former Soviet republics. The competition has 15 categories across a wide range of genres, including journalist of the year, corruption reporting, refugee reporting, women’s rights in Africa, and a special award for an independent media outlet based in a developing country.
Deadline: Feb. 4, 2016
Edward R. Murrow Awards
Radio Television Digital News Association
The award honors outstanding achievements in electronic journalism and are presented to news organizations.
Deadline: Feb. 5, 2016
The Michael Kelly Award
Atlantic Media Co.
The Michael Kelly Award honors a writer or editor whose work exemplifies a quality that animated Michael Kelly’s own career: the fearless pursuit and expression of truth. In recognition of Michael Kelly’s career as a reporter and editor at a variety of newspapers and magazines, entries are encouraged from publications big and small, as well as from young journalists, whom Michael Kelly took delight in mentoring. Entries must be for work published in a U.S.-based print or online publication in 2015.
Deadline: Feb. 5, 2016
Sigma Delta Chi Awards
Society of Professional journalists
The awards recognize the best in professional journalism in categories covering print, radio, television, newsletters, art/graphics, online and research. The contest is open to any work published or broadcast by a U.S. or international media outlet. Freelance work is eligible. Entries must have been published or broadcast during 2015.
Deadline: Feb. 5, 2016
Shorty Awards
The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media. Millions of people participate in The Shortys to recognize individuals and organizations producing great content on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Foursquare and the rest of the social web.
Deadline: Feb. 11, 2016; Extended deadline (with late fee): Feb. 18, 2016
Ancil Payne Awards for Ethics in Journalism
University of Oregon
The Ancil Payne Awards honor journalists who exhibit extraordinary commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct in journalism, even when faced with economic, personal or political pressure. The judges are most interested in the challenging decisions made and the process used in reporting, writing, editing and publishing journalism that made a difference to the local or global community. The Ancil Payne Awards define “journalist” broadly. Individuals or organizations engaged in gathering, assessing, creating, and publishing journalism in U.S. based media in the 2015 calendar year may be nominated. In addition, journalists who make ethical decisions made in the 2015 calendar year that result in principled actions to defend and protect journalistic integrity may be nominated for the 2015 Payne Awards.
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2016
Mirror Awards
Syracuse University S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
The Mirror Awards honor excellence in media industry reporting in various categories for various forms of media.
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2016
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Freedom Prize
UNESCO
Named in honor of Guillermo Cano Isaza, an assassinated Colombian journalist, the Prize is intended to honor a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger. It is intended to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information, and to afford them the international recognition they deserve. Candidates can be submitted by Member States and organizations working in the field of journalism and freedom of expression. The recipient will be recognized during the World Press Freedom Day ceremony to be held May 2 in Helsinki, Finland.
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2016
Aronson Awards for Social Justice Journalism
Hunter College Department of Film & Media Studies
The James Aronson Awards for Social Justice Journalism honor original, written English-language reporting from the U.S. media that brings to light widespread injustices, their human consequences, underlying causes and possible reforms. This includes but is not limited to: discrimination, exploitation, violations of human rights or civil liberties and environmental degradation. Awards are available in the categories of cartooning, journalism and documentary. Stories should have appeared in U.S. newspapers, magazines, newsletters or Internet publications between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of the year prior to the contest.
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2016
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
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
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: March 16, 2016 (reduced entry fee); Final Deadline: April 14, 2016
APRIL 2016 DEADLINES & OPPORTUNITIES
Data Journalism Awards
Global Editors Network
The awards is an international contest recognizing outstanding work in data journalism worldwide.
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.
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.
AP-Google Scholarship
Online News Association
The scholarship program fosters new journalism skills in undergraduate and graduate students enveloping projects at the intersection of journalism and technology.
APME Journalism Excellence Awards
Associated Press Media Editors
The awards honor superior journalism and innovation among newspapers, radio, television, and online news sites across the United States and Canada.
European Digital Media Awards
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers
The awards honor European publishers that have excelled in their digital offerings.
ICFJ Awards
International Center for Journalists
The ICFJ has various awards, including a news innovation award, which promotes the free flow of news and the open exchange of ideas, and an award for general excellence in journalism.
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 onTwitter @BenDJduck.