Best of Photojournalism 2008: Video News Photography: Entry Rules

An unscheduled and unfolding news event for which there was no opportunity for planning. This category recognizes the photographer's ability to function in a stressful situation, keeping his or her photographic gear rolling to capture the overall scope of the scene, and zeroing in on individual reactions.

Story must have been shot, edited, and broadcast within 24 hours. If a version was edited for another broadcast within the 24 hours, it must contain new elements not used in the original story.

90% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

5 minutes

A Spot News or General News story that may include a live air check presentation by a reporter or photojournalist. The goal of this category is to highlight television photojournalism under deadline pressure. The entry must be shot, edited and broadcast within 4 hours.

The entry may be a stand alone package, a straight live shot, or a live shot with video tape. If the entry includes a live shot, the air check presentation must be submitted with no re-editing allowed. For this category only, mention of the photojournalist is permitted.

90% of the video & live shot must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

A story that covers a planned or unplanned news event or a subject of general interest and importance. It can be a follow up or side bar to spot news. The event should be timely.

General news stories should contain no music, except where it's part of the natural sound of the story. Stories must have been shot, edited, and broadcast within 24 hours.

90% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

If the story is deemed by the judges to be too much of a feature, it may be disqualified.

A planned story where the photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story. Features that score highly show imagination and creativity.

90% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

A feature or human interest story shot and edited within a time frame of 48 consecutive hours. 90% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

Any story about a sport or sporting event, that focuses on the outcome of the game or competition. The entry must have been broadcast within 24 hours after the end of the event.

90% of video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

Any feature story about participants, spectators, or those involved or interested in a sport or sporting event. Does not need to focus on the outcome of the game.

90% of video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

A planned story where the photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story.

It may be divided into a series and aired on successive days. If so, edit the individual parts together leaving a second of black leader after each piece.

90% of video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

Any story that was shot by more than one photojournalist.

The story may fall into any of the other subject categories except Documentary. Documentary stories must be entered as such, regardless of the number of photographers involved.

A complete, creative study of a subject or issue in which the theme and treatment follow a predetermined direction. Can be shot by more than one person.

75% of the footage must have been shot during the contest year.

This award is to recognize those who do it all themselves, do it daily, and do it well. It will recognize the best single story produced by a primarily full time solo video journalist (one man band).

This is not a category for those who may shoot alone once or twice a week. You must be a solo video journalist during your entire work week schedule.

The story must be shot, written, and edited within 48 hours by the entrant.

The person recognized as the Ernie Crisp Television News Photographer of the Year must show a high level of skill and professionalism. The award serves as recognition of individual ability - an ability against which others can compare their output to determine if they are meeting the standards of the industry.

To enter this competition, submit a compilation of stories typical of your work. The chairperson will not assemble entries from other categories for this award.

• Stories entered in the individual categories may be a part of your POY entry, but they must be entered under the same categories. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
• Entrant must submit stories in five of the eight categories in the following order: Spot News, Deadline Photography, General News, Sports, Sports Feature, 48 Hour Feature, News Feature, In-Depth/Series. Only two stories are allowed per category.
• Spot News and General News stories are mandatory.
• 90% of the video in each story must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
• You must also submit a written biography and a list detailing the contents of your presentation. This should indicate the titles and categories of your stories. You also must email your biography and contents list to the contest chairperson.
• No promotional material concerning the photographer, their station, or the submitted work may be included in the entry. (Though station reference is allowed in Deadline Photography.)

The Station of the Year Award will be presented to three (3) different television stations in three (3) separate divisions based on Nielsen market sizes:

• Large Market (1-34)
• Medium Market (35-69)
• Small Market (70-212)

You can find out the size of the market you work in at <http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html>

This award recognizes a local broadcast station's photography staff for their consistency in providing outstanding news photography coverage for and about the audience it serves. The award singles out an individual staff as one that has achieved a high standard of quality in photography and that is unmatched by any other station in their division. Selection as a TV Photography Station of the Year honors excellence, and most importantly, it serves to raise the standards of the industry.

• The entry is a compilation of the station's best news photography. Stories in six of the nine following categories must be included on this tape in the following order: Spot News, Deadline Photography, General News, Sports, Sports Feature, 48 Hour Feature, News Feature, Solo Video Journalist, In-Depth/Series. Entries in Spot News and General News are required.
• No more than three stories can be entered in any one category. Team entries are allowed in each category.

• Photography Staffs of 15 or more:

  1/3 of the station's photography staff must be represented on the Station of the Year tape. A single photographer can contribute to no more than 3 stories on the entry.

  Photography Staffs of 14 or less:

  1/2 of the station's photography staff must be represented on the Station of the Year tape.

• Submit with the entry a list detailing the contents of the presentation.
• Each story's name and category must be indicated.
• Each story must include a complete list of all the photographers involved in its production.
• No promotional material concerning the station, its photographers, or the stories should be included on the entry tape.
• Also include a one-page summary of the station's philosophy on television news photography. Indicate the size of the staff and the station's market.
• Entrants are required to save an air check of their early block (5 pm to 6 pm) and their late block (9 pm to 11 pm) each day for the month of February. Sometime during the month, your staff will be called by the contest chairperson and told which newscast to mail as part of your SOY entry. This entry will be the same time and day for everyone. The air-check cassette should be not be edited and must include the open, close, all commercials, news, weather, and sports.
• A story entered in an individual category must be entered in the same category if included in the Station of the Year compilation. Failure to do so will result in either the story being removed from the SOY entry or a disqualification of the story's entry in the individual category.

A story that covers a planned or unplanned news event or a subject of general interest and importance. It can be spot news or a follow up or side bar to spot news. The event should be timely. The entry should contain no music, except where it's part of the natural sound of the story. Stories must have been shot, edited, and posted on the web within 48 hours.

A feature/human interest story, or series of stories where the photojournalist has put considerable time and effort into the production of the entry. News Features that score highly show imagination and creativity.

A planned story or series of stories about the preparation for, analysis of, or audience reaction to a sport or coverage of a sporting event. Greater weight will be given to stories that have sports action video and focus on the competition. An outcome must be given.

A planned story or series of stories about a subject of general interest and importance where the photojournalist has put considerable time and effort into the production of the entry.