Taking Submissions Now
The annual Military Reporters & Editors journalism contest and Awards recognize outstanding military reporting in several categories. Highlight your work that was published or broadcasted from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014. This year, there are some new and updated categories.
The contest deadline is 5 p.m. EDT, June 18, 2015. If you are mailing in your submissions, they must be postmarked no later than June 30, 2015.
The Joe Galloway Award
There is a $500 prize for the winner of the The Joe Galloway Award. Named after UPI combat correspondent and McClatchy Newspapers columnist, Joe Galloway. This is for the Best of Show as determined by the judges.
The James Crawley Award
There is a $100 prize for the winner of the James Crawley Award. This is restricted to Print Category entries. This is in remembrance of Jim Crawley* who was the chief military reporter at the San Diego Union-Tribune. He later covered national security and veterans affairs for Media General News Service.
The winners will be announced in September.
Official Rules
Who can enter?
Print, visual, television, radio Web journalists covering U.S. and non-U.S. military, veteran affairs, homeland defense. MRE officers and board of directors are not eligible.
Student Eligibility
There is a single category for student work. To be eligible in the student-specific category, the entire project must have been produced only by enrolled students receiving academic credit for the work being entered, or must be work created for a student publication. Students can be full- or part-time; graduate, undergraduate or high school students. Work produced for pay is not eligible for a student award (that is, freelance work, etc. Receipt of student aid is not a disqualifier). Work that was created by a student for credit but then made available to a commercial publication is allowed, but should be explained in the entry.
General rules (all categories):
Entries must be originally published, broadcast or posted in the English language during calendar year 2014. Each entry must have a publication, broadcast or posting date listed on the article(s), flash drive, CD-ROM or DVD.
All entries must be accompanied by entry fee (unless waived for MRE members), entry form, and a one-paragraph bio of the entering journalist(s).
A maximum of two entries are permitted per person or team per category. All decisions by the judges are final.
Winners will be notified at the conclusion of judging, which will be done by a panel independent of MRE, its officers and board of directors. The winning entry in each category will be posted on the MRE Web site (militaryreporters.org). By submitting this entry form all contestants agree to allow their work to be displayed on the MRE website free of any obligations to the individual entrant or parent company.
Categories
Print:
1. Overseas coverage – large newspapers/magazine (more than 100,000)
2. Overseas coverage – small newspapers/magazines (less than 100,000)
3. Domestic coverage – large newspapers/magazines (more than 100,000)
4. Domestic coverage – small newspapers/magazines (less than 100,000)
Print rules:
Contestants may submit no more than four stories per entry. They can be original copies, photocopies or archival printouts, with publication or wire service name and date listed.
Photography (International or domestic):
1. Large newspapers/wire services/magazines (more than 100,000)
2. Small newspapers/magazines (less than 100,000)
Photography rules:
Photographs (up to 10) must be submitted in electronic form (JPEG) on a CD or flash drive, along with tear sheets or PDF files showing the print or online publication of the photographs, including the name of the publication, date and page.
Television:
1. Network/Large Market – Networks (Broadcast and cable) and Top 10 local TV markets
2. Small Market – All other television markets
Television rules:
Submit two copies of story (can include multi-part series) on DVDs or flash drives, along with cover letters listing air date(s), reporter, producer, camera and sound personnel.
Commentary
This award recognizes a columnist who writes about topics covering the military or homeland security on a regular basis. Entry must consist of five different columns.
Entrants should submit links to the columns online, PDFs or tear sheets of the newspaper or magazine page on which the columns appeared. The dates of publication should be visible.
Online News Reporting
This category recognizes the best explanatory journalism using digital means. Entries should explain a relevant, meaningful and complex subject through clear storytelling and presentation. Judges will consider the quality of the journalism, design, creative and appropriate uses of media, and the ways in which digital and mobile platforms are maximized to engage and inform audiences.
Online News rules:
Submit cover letter listing a “live” Internet link (URL) to the entry and dates the story, blog, slide show, audio, or video were posted on the Internet. If a password is required to access behind a paywall, it must be provided. Broken or faulty links will disqualify entry. Letter also should list writer, photographer, videographer, web designer or others directly involved in the producing the content and presentation.
Blogging
This category recognizes the best for an individual blogger how covers the military or national security on a regular basis. Entry must consist of five different blog posts. There are two categories:
1. Blogger associated with a national or international news organization.
2. Blogger who is an independent blogger.
Blogging rules:
Submit cover letter listing a “live” URL to the entry and dates the story, opinion, slide show or video were posted on the Internet. Broken or faulty links will disqualify entry. Letter also should list writer, photographer or videographer directly involved in the producing the content. This is designed for the blogger who is either associated with a news outlet, or is an independent.
Student Project
This category recognizes a student package or project that expertly uses print or digital storytelling to inform its audience regarding a specific story or topic. Judges will consider the quality of the journalism, design, creative and appropriate uses of media, and the ways in which print, digital and mobile platforms are maximized to engage and inform audiences.
All entries sent by mail, email, hand-delivered must be received by close of business day June 30, 2015 at 5 p.m., at the MRE office.
No entries will be returned.
Mail or deliver entries in person to:
Military Reporters & Editors
c/o Medill School of Journalism
1325 G St., NW, Suite 730
Washington, DC 20005.
Send electronic files to: tiffany.roberts@northwestern.edu
Use the subject line “MRE Contest”
Entry Fee:
$50 (U.S. only) per entry per category. MRE members are entitled to one FREE entry.
Additional entries in a category are $25 each for MRE members and non-members.
To register, go to https://www.regonline.com/2015mrecontest.
* Editor’s note: Jim Crawley was originally identified as one of the founders of Military Reporters & Editors. This was published in error and has since been corrected here. May 2024.