Our annual journalism contest takes place each spring, with winners announced each summer. The contest recognizes work produced in the preceding calendar year. It is open to any media and organized by the following divisions:
Metro Louisville: This cross-platform division is open to any news organization or freelance journalist(s) in Metro Louisville. Work is judged by the quality of journalism regardless of its medium. Any work published in the Louisville or surrounding regional area in any medium can be entered.
Broadcast: This division is specific to broadcast media, and only the broadcast version of the journalism will be judged. Any work aired on Television or over Radio in the Louisville area can be entered.
Magazines: Any work published in a magazine in the Louisville or Kentucky regional area can be entered.
Regional/community: This division is for regional and community newspapers and other smaller news organizations not competing in the Metro Louisville division. Any work published on any medium in the Louisville regional area can be entered.
Student: This division is open to student journalists (high school or college).
Journalist of the Year: This award recognizes overall excellence in reporting and storytelling that had a significant impact on the Louisville area or Kentucky at large. Judging will be based on originality, impact, quality and initiative of the work. An entry consists of up to three examples of original reporting published or aired during 2020 that exemplifies excellence and has a strong community impact component. All entries must include a ‘Statement of Impact,’ no more than 400 words, that outlines how the submitted work made a significant impact on the community.
Rookie of the Year: This award recognizes overall excellence in reporting and storytelling for a journalist with less than two years of professional experience. Judging will be based on originality, impact, quality and initiative of the work.
An entry consists of up to three examples of original reporting published or aired during 2020 that exemplifies excellence and has a strong community impact component. All entries must include a ‘Statement of Impact,’ no more than 400 words, that outlines how the submitted work made a significant impact on the community.
VIEW ALL SPECIFIC AWARD CATEGORIES AND DESCRIPTIONS HERE:
HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST (Not applicable until contest opens in 2022):
- Go to the Open Call Login page at BetterBNC
- If you have already created an account (from entering the contest last year), log in. If you have not created an account, you must create one.
3. Choose the SPJ Metro Louisville Awards 2021
4. To start the process of navigating to the award category you wish to enter, select “Submit Entry”
5. Select the Division
6. Select the Category for the particular award you wish to enter
7. From there, enter information as prompted. Submissions can be provided via URL links or pdf uploads. Media such as video and audio must be provided via a URL link (please, remove ads and ensure there is no paywall). The BNC platform will allow you to pay for each entry or multiple entries in a batch via a credit card.
Past Winners
2019 Metro Journalism Awards
2018 Metro Journalism Awards
2017 Metro Journalism Awards
2016 Metro Journalism Awards
2015 Metro Journalism Awards
2014 Metro Journalism Awards
2013 Metro Journalism Awards
2012 Metro Journalism Awards
2011 Metro Journalism Awards
2010 Metro Journalism Awards
2009 Metro Journalism Awards
2008 Metro Journalism Awards