Please review ALL entry information before starting your entry.
- Our contest is completely entered online.
- Please give yourself time to prepare your entries for upload.
- Confirm current membership status for each entrant listed; this can affect the entry fee due for each entry. Memberships, both new and renewals, can be submitted online via PayPal; see idahopressclub.org/join
- You will need to make a new account for this year’s contest to log-in on the Best in Media awards site.
- If you have questions about the awards website, please read the informational links on the Best in Media awards site before calling Martha.
- Please be prepared to pay for entries via PayPal.
Please don’t wait until the last minute!
For step by step instructions, click here.
- This year’s deadline is Saturday, January 20; all entries must be uploaded no later than that date. Questions or issues? Please call or email Martha at email@idahopressclub.org, 208-389-2879.
- All entries in this year’s Idaho Press Club Awards Contest must have been broadcast, telecast, or published in Idaho during the 2023 calendar year.
NEW THIS YEAR: Work by an Idaho-based journalist published in a national publication during the 2023 calendar year also may be entered in the applicable category.
- Payment must be included for all entries: $20 per entry for current Idaho Press Club members ($15 for student members) and $45 per entry for non-members ($30 for non-member students). Fees include PayPal charges. Questions or issues? Please call or email Martha at email@idahopressclub.org, 208-389-2879.
- All individuals whose names appear on an entry must be members of the Idaho Press Club for that entry to qualify for the membership discount. You may join or renew your IPC membership at the time of entry. You may send a separate check of $40 per regular member ($25 retired, $20 student) and pertinent mailing /email/ phone information or submit memberships online via idahopressclub.org/join. Online payments are processed using PayPal. If you are unsure about your membership status, call or email the IPC office to verify. You may enter the contest if you are not a member, but you must pay the higher non-member entry rate.
- Find categorieshere. Please note that in addition to your media division, such as
TV, PR, or Weekly Publication, you may also want to submit entries in the Photo division; All-Media division categories, including Website General Excellence and Website Special Purpose; Best Spanish-Language Media; online newsletters; reporter, sports reporter and photographer of the year; special coverage; First Amendment Award, Best Use of Drone and Media Innovation Award, and for social media, blogs, etc. (we no longer have a separate Online Division); and in the Audio Division for radio, podcasts, and other audio reporting.Photo is a separate division. This takes in all still photography categories. The Audio Division includes radio, podcasts, and all other audio reporting. Parameters for General Excellence awards have been updated and revamped for both the Television and Audio divisions. There also are updates to various categories and descriptions in all divisions.
The awards contest entry site link is https://bestinmedia.com You must create a new account each year before you start to use the awards entry site. You can use the same username and password you did last year, but follow the steps to CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT for this year.
- Daily Publications are defined as any publication, online or print, that consistently publishes stories four or more days a week throughout the year. Weekly Publications are defined as any publication, online or print, that consistently publishes stories weekly throughout the year. If a publication updates its website throughout the week, but publishes a print edition weekly or twice-weekly, it should enter the Weekly Publication division. Periodicals are defined as any publication, online or print, that publishes monthly or less frequently, such as magazines or guides.
- Articles submitted in Publication, Periodical, Student, All Media, and Public Relations division categories are encouraged to be submitted in PDF form, either as a single PDF or multiple PDFs. The entry form allows you to submit up to four files per entry. If an entry must be submitted via URL rather than PDF, please note the entrant takes the risk of any malfunctions that prevent the judge from accessing the entry on your site. If the entry is behind a paywall, you are responsible for providing verified log-in information for judging access in the note section of the entry form. If the judge is unable to access your entry due to paywall or log-in issues, or due to pop-up ads, browser incompatibility, coding problems or other issues, your entry may be disqualified.
- Photos should be .jpg files/300dpi. Audio entries should use .mp3 files 128kps/16 bit/stereo or mono.
- Online-only entries may submit the URL. If the entry is behind a paywall, you are responsible for providing verified log-in information for judging access in the note section of the entry form. If the judge is unable to access your entry due to paywall or log-in issues, it may be disqualified.
- Video entries should use YouTube posted videos only. When you enter the URL on the entry form, please put the full link, not a shortened or shared link. Your YouTube video MUST be made PUBLIC. If not, it will not be viewable by the judges. You MUST upload the YouTube URL to YOUR MEDIA MANAGER. This allows the judges to view your video without 1) leaving the Best in Media site, 2) any advertising, 3) any playlists.
- If you combine video files or audio files into one single video or audio file, you should allow 5 seconds of space between each segment and it would be helpful to put some type of slate or graphics in between.
- Individuals from out-of-state organizations entering this contest must show they worked full-time in an Idaho bureau or division at the time their entry was published or broadcast.
- Remember, every entry submitted can be edited by the entrant right up until the deadline. Look for the edit link at the top of the email you get every time you submit an entry.
- All submitted entries become the property of the Idaho Press Club. Winning entries may be displayed.
- Each story or photo may be entered in only one category. Exceptions: Television Writing and Videography entries may also be entered in one other TV category; and stories entered in an individual category, such as general news story or live feature report, can also be part of an entry in the General Excellence, Reporter of the Year, Photographer of the Year, Rookie of the Year category, All Media or Website categories. Additional exceptions are allowed for an entry both in a story-specific category and in an overall category, such as Media Innovation Award, Spanish-Language Media, Audience Engagement, etc. A single story may not be entered in more than one story-specific category (such as Serious Feature, Light Feature, Business Report, Agriculture Report, etc.).
- Award winners will be announced at the Annual Awards Presentation on May 4, 2024. More details will be announced closer to the event.
