2025 Page One Awards contest now accepting entries

MNSPJ Page One Awards Contest opens January 15th, features new cash prize for investigative reporting

The 2025 Minnesota Society for Professional Journalists Page One Awards contest opens on Wednesday, January 15th. 

The Page One Awards highlight the best work in journalism from around the state of Minnesota, honoring the recipients of the awards at a banquet that will be held in June. 

This year’s contest will also feature the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism in Minnesota. This new award seeks to recognize outstanding investigative journalism in our state with $15,000 in prize money for journalists and their newsrooms. The cash prize is sponsored by the A-Mark Foundation. To enter work for the A-Mark Prize, click here.

Below are the rules and category descriptions for the Page One Awards contest. Entries and payment must be submitted by 10 p.m. on Friday, February 28th. Click here to submit your entries.

Page One Awards Contest Guidelines 

• NEW THIS YEAR!
  • Introducing the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism in Minnesota, a cash prize for the state’s most ambitious reporting from 2024. See call for entries for details. (This award replaces the investigative categories and Story of the Year award.) 
  • New categories in political reporting 

• Contest opens on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
• The fee is $30 per entry.
• Entries and payment must be submitted online no later than 10 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2024
• Work published or broadcast during the 2024 calendar year is eligible.
• Minnesota-based journalists (including freelancers and contract employees) working for news outlets in Minnesota or news outlets in neighboring states that cover Minnesota are eligible to enter. 
• In the print/online entry tiers, smaller news organizations may choose to enter work in the larger circulation/reach tier. However, that same entry may not be entered in the smaller circulation/reach tier as well. 
• An individual or news organization may not enter the same story in multiple categories. The exception is if the story is part of an entry in one of the special award categories. 
• Entries will be judged by journalism professionals outside Minnesota, with the exception of the special awards, which will be reviewed by a panel of former journalists/media professors from Minnesota.
• Judges and/or contest organizers may move an entry from one category to another or consolidate categories if needed.
• Up to three winners may be chosen for each category. Judges may choose not to name a winner in any category. 
• Entrants are responsible for providing contest organizers with instructions so that judges can call up submissions that are housed behind website paywalls. If they fail to provide this information, entries may be disqualified from consideration.

Entry Tiers

• Print/Online – 50,000+ circulation or organizations with statewide reach or focus.
• Print/Online – Less than 50,000 circulation or organizations with local or community focus.
• TV/Video
  • Note: We welcome entries in this category from any outlet, not just TV news stations!
• Radio
  • Note: While podcasts are in the radio entry tier, the podcast category is open to all news organizations. 
• Photography/Graphics
• Special Awards

Categories

PRINT/ONLINE (INCLUDES NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND ONLINE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS)

1a. Breaking News Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of a single, unanticipated breaking news event. Entry may include up to three stories. 

1b. Feature Reporting – For excellence in reporting that shows the writer’s ability to command attention through rich scenes and/or unexpected angles. Limit one story per entry. 

1c. Profile Reporting – For excellence in reporting of a single story that profiles an individual or group. Limit one story per entry. 

1d. Enterprise/In-Depth Reporting – For excellence in reporting that reflects a journalist’s or team of journalists ingenuity, use of sources and/or special research to dig deeper. Reporting should capture more complexity than a typical day-of news story. Entry may include up to three related stories. 

1e. Business News Reporting – For excellence in coverage of business, finance or consumer-related topics. Entry may include up to three related stories. 

1f. Business Feature Reporting – For excellence in reporting that profiles or features a business or businesses. Limit one story per entry. 

1g. State Politics/Government Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of the people and organizations that influence state laws, policies and elections. Reporting may feature but is not limited to profiles, investigations and continuing coverage of topical issues. Entry may include up to three related stories. 

1h. NEW CATEGORY! Local Politics/Government Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of the people and organizations that influence local political bodies, policies and elections. Reporting may feature but is not limited to profiles, investigations and continuing coverage of topical issues. Entry may include up to three related stories.

1i. Best Interview – For excellence in reporting on a single interview on a given topic. Examples can include but are not limited to profiles and Q&As. Limit one story per entry. 

1j. Columns – For excellence in craft of column writing. Entry may include up to three columns by one writer for any section except op-ed. 

1k. Editorials – For excellence in the craft of editorial writing. Entry may include up to three single editorials and/or commentary pieces or columns published in the op-ed section. 

1l. Headlines – For excellence in the craft of headline writing by an individual or staff. Entry may contain a collection of up to three headlines, accompanied by the stories. 

1m. Arts & Entertainment Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of arts and entertainment. Entry may include up to three related stories. 

1n. A&E/Culture/Criticism/Reviews – For excellence in the craft of arts and entertainment criticism writing. Writing may feature reviews of performances, musical acts, restaurants or other related A&E topics. Entry may include up to three stories by one writer. 

1o. Sports News Reporting – For excellence in reporting of sports news. Entry may include up to three related stories. 

1p. Sports Feature Reporting – For excellence in sports reporting that shows the writer’s ability to command attention through rich scenes and/or unexpected angles. Limit one story per entry. 

1q. Best Magazine Cover – For excellence in the presentation of a single magazine cover. 

1r. Best Website – For excellence in the presentation of an organization’s work to its online audience. Special attention given to areas such as ease of navigation, creative design concepts and degree to which online elements enhance reporting.  

1s. Best Social Media Account – For excellence in the presentation of a news organization or individual journalist’s social media account. Entries will be evaluated based on the use of innovative or creative content which enhances the organization/journalist’s reporting. Accounts on any platform run by a single journalist or several journalists are eligible.  Entries will be judged on a selection of posts. Up to three links may be submitted.

1t. Newsletter – For excellence in newsletter writing that shows useful curation and distinctive voice. Entry may include up to three examples of a daily newsletter. 

TV/VIDEO

2a. Breaking News Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of a single, unanticipated breaking news event that is broadcast within 24 hours. Entry may be a single report or compilation of coverage on a single event. Time limit: 15 minutes. 

2b. Feature Reporting – For excellence in reporting that shows the writer’s ability to command attention through rich scenes and/or unexpected angles. Limit one story per entry. 

2c. Enterprise/In-Depth Reporting – For excellence in reporting that reflects a journalist’s or team of journalists ingenuity, use of sources and/or special research to dig deeper. Reporting should capture more complexity than a typical day-of news story. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit:  30 minutes.  

2d. Sports News Reporting – For excellence in reporting of sports related news topics. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit:  15 minutes. 

2e. State Politics/Government Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of the people and organizations that influence state laws, policies and elections. Reporting may feature but is not limited to profiles, investigations and continuing coverage of topical issues. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit: 15 minutes. 

2f. NEW CATEGORY! Local Politics/Government Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of the people and organizations that influence local political bodies, policies and elections. Reporting may feature but is not limited to profiles, investigations and continuing coverage of topical issues. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit: 15 minutes.

2g. Best Interview – For excellence in reporting on a single interview on a given topic. Examples can include but are not limited to profiles and Q&As. Limit one story per entry. 

RADIO

3a. Breaking News Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of a single, unanticipated breaking news event that is broadcast within 24 hours. Entry may be a single report or compilation of coverage on a single event. Time limit: 15 minutes. 

3b. Feature Reporting – For excellence in reporting that shows the writer’s ability to command attention through rich scenes and/or unexpected angles. Limit one story per entry. 

3c. Enterprise/In-Depth Reporting – For excellence in reporting that reflects a journalist’s or team of journalists ingenuity, use of sources and/or special research to dig deeper. Reporting should capture more complexity than a typical day-of news story. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit:  30 minutes. 

3d. Podcast – For excellence in series or episodic podcast. Entry may include up to three episodes. No time limit. 

3e. State Politics/Government Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of the people and organizations that influence state laws, policies and elections. Reporting may feature but is not limited to profiles, investigations and continuing coverage of topical issues. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit: 15 minutes. 

3f. NEW CATEGORY! Local Politics/Government Reporting – For excellence in news coverage of the people and organizations that influence local political bodies, policies and elections. Reporting may feature but is not limited to profiles, investigations and continuing coverage of topical issues. Entry may include up to three related stories. Time limit: 15 minutes.

3g. Best Interview -For excellence in reporting on a single interview on a given topic. Examples can include but are not limited to profiles and Q&As. Limit one story per entry. 

PHOTOGRAPHY/GRAPHICS

4a. News Photography – For excellence in the craft of news photography, showcasing an individual photographer’s skill. Entry may include up to three photographs.

4b. Feature Photography – For excellence in the craft of feature photography, showcasing an individual photographer’s skill. Entry may include up to three photographs. 

4c. Portrait Photography – For excellence in the craft of portrait photography, showcasing an individual photographer’s skill. Entry may include up to three photographs. 

4d. Sports Photography – For excellence in the craft of sports photography, showcasing an individual photographer’s skill. Entry may include up to three photographs. 

4e. Infographic/Data Visualization – For excellence in the combined use of visual elements – including original artwork, photography, graphs, diagrams and maps – to illustrate and inform. Entry may be either part of a story package or a stand-alone element. 

4f. Illustration – For excellence in the use of original artwork to help bring a story to life. Entry may include up to three related images. 

4g. Page Design – For excellence in page design, using layout, page composition headlines and visual elements to effectively tell readers a story. Single page or multiple page layouts for a single story may be entered.

SPECIAL AWARDS

5a. Journalist of the Year 

This award honors an outstanding journalist in any medium with 10 or more years of experience. Entry should include a letter of nomination and up to three stories published in 2024. 

5b. Young Journalist of the Year

This award honors an outstanding journalist in any medium with less than 10 years of experience. Entry should include a letter of nomination and up to three stories published in 2024. 

5c. Best Beat Reporting 

This award recognizes an enterprising reporter in any medium who follows a single subject or topic throughout the year. Entry should include three examples of beat reporting, along with a letter of nomination. 

5d. Best Use of Public Records 

This award honors excellence in the coverage of a story or news event where the use of public records played a vital role in getting and telling the story. Entries welcome from any medium, either from an individual journalist or staff. Entry should include a letter explaining how the journalist/team obtained and used the records in its reporting, along with up to three stories on the topic. 

CLICK HERE to access the contest submission form.