Society of Professional Journalists
Fort Worth Professional Chapter
C A L L
F O R
E N T R I E S
First Amendment Awards
• Who may enter: Broadcast and print/online journalists in Texas or Oklahoma — SPJ Region 8 — or whose
work is used by news organizations in those states. An entrant does not have to be a member of SPJ.
• Received-by deadline: Feb. 15, 2016
• Entry fee: $35
• Entry form: clickhere
• Entries must have aired or been published in 2015 and are grouped for judging based on market size
(broadcast) and circulation (print/online). Stories from an Internet-only news outlet will be judged in the
over 100,000 circulation division.
• Categories span five divisions:
• B1—broadcast markets Houston, Fort Worth-Dallas, Oklahoma City;
• B2—All other broadcast markets
• P1—print/online over 100,000 circulation (entries from Internet-only news outlets go here
• P2—print/online under 100,000 circulation
• A1—Community Watchdog; Multimedia Project; Student Work; Student Media; Student
Work/Professional Media; Student Work/Student Media
• A story/story package may not be entered in more than one category. An entry is limited to one story except for
those marked with an *, which are limited to five stories for a series of work. Documentation may
attest to persistence, the public service performed or to clarify. Judges may move a story to a category
deemed more appropriate except as noted.
• The categories:
BROADCAST + PRINT/ONLINE
Defending the Disadvantaged Story that illustrates problems of the powerless in society.
General News News story or feature that uses public records.
General News, Spanish language News story or feature written in Spanish that uses public records.
Environmental News Story with an environmental angle that uses public records.
*Investigative In-depth story or series that uses public records.
*Investigative, Spanish language In-depth story or series written in Spanish that uses public records.
Business News Story that uses business or public records to report on nongovernmental entities.
Opinion or Commentary Editorial or column on open records/open government issues.
Reporting on Open Government Story focusing on open government/freedom of information issues.
*Community Journalism For print publications under 10,000 circulation: Exemplary work — news, feature,
investigative, opinion — involving public records or open government.
*Multimedia Project Opentobroadcast, print and online media, all circulations: Any package of investigative,
news, feature and opinion pieces that uses open records or examines open government.
*Student Work/Student Media Journalism in any form published in student media -- investigative, general news,
feature, opinion — that makes excellent use of public records or examines the issues of open records/open
government.
*Student Work/Professional Media Student journalism published in a professional media-- investigative,
general news, feature, opinion — that makes excellent use of public records or examines the issues of open
records/open government.
Open Doors Award [No entry fee; recipient chosen by Fort Worth SPJ board] Celebrates an individual or
organization’s body of work in defending the people’s right to open government and open records. A narrative
may be submitted (two typed pages maximum) in support of a worthy candidate. Winner need not be in the
media. E-mail suggested recipients and pertinent reasoning to kim56@tx.rr.com by Jan. 31, 2015.
Awards will be presented April 22, 2016, at Cacharel Restaurant in Arlington, Texas