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IRE Awards

Policy prohibiting IRE Board member entries in awards to be reconsidered

At its June 20 meeting during our annual conference in San Antonio, the IRE Board of Directors will consider modifying the policy that bans entries in the IRE Awards if a Board member has been involved with a story at any level.

IRE currently has one of the strictest such policies of any journalism contest. Under the policy, any involvement by a board member makes a story ineligible. In addition to writing, reporting, editing and producing, this has been interpreted to include senior editors who helped provide direction or did a final read on a project.

The policy was designed to minimize any potential conflict in the judging process. It also has meant that the IRE Awards competition sometimes does not include all of the top work of the year, and has served as a disincentive to some potential board candidates because not only their work, but the work of their colleagues or students, may be inadmissible.

The board has drafted a policy to be debated on June 20. It is designed to loosen some of the restrictions while also maintaining the integrity of the awards process.

Among the key points:

  • Stories that have involvement in any way by a contest judge will continue to be ineligible. If a board member is a contest judge, the prohibition continues to apply to them.
  • Judges must file conflict of interest forms, disclosing their ties to news organizations and media companies and listing anything they view as a  potential conflict.
  • If any judge recuses themselves from voting on a specific category because of a conflict, a record will be kept and will be open to inspection.
  • The board will have the flexibility to increase the size of the judging panel (currently at six) if it is deemed that doing so will further reduce potential for any undue influence from any source.
  • The complete policy follows. If you have comments, please post them below, and alll comments will be considered by the board prior to the June 20 discussion.

The policy:

Members of the IRE Contest Committee, including any member of the IRE Board who serves on the committee, are prohibited from entering the IRE Awards for the year during which they serve. Any work that the committee member was involved with in any way is disqualified from consideration. Once appointed, even if a committee member resigns from the committee prior to judging, such work is still disqualified. IRE Board members who do not serve on the Contest Committee may submit contest entries for consideration.
Contest Committee members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest to the committee and to IRE's executive director and shall recuse themselves from discussion and voting on entries where they are deemed by fellow committee members as having an actual conflict. If a member recuses themselves during voting, a written record will be kept of such recusals.
The Contest Committee will consist of at least six members, and can include a mix of Board members, representatives elected by the membership and representatives appointed by the chair of the contest committee in conjunction with the executive director. No single news organization (newspaper, broadcast station, online news site, etc.) shall be represented by more than one judge.
Pre-screeners of contest entries shall not screen categories in which their own news organization can compete. Pre-screeners must promptly notify IRE staff and their co-screeners of any potential conflict of interest they identify once they see the entries they are reviewing.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 


What are the IRE Awards?
The IRE Awards is the annual contest of Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. recognizing the best in investigative reporting by print, broadcast and online media.

After judging, all entries are placed in IRE's Resource Center story library so that IRE members may learn from others' triumphs and troubles. The contest helps identify techniques and resources used by the entrants.

 

Who is eligible for the contest?
It's important to note that the IRE Awards program is unique in its efforts to avoid conflicts of interest. Work that included any significant role by a member of the IRE Board of Directors or an IRE contest judge may not be entered in the contest. This often represents a significant sacrifice on the part of the individual -- and sometimes an entire newsroom. The IRE membership appreciates this devotion to the values of the organization. (See current board members)

 

This year's elected contest judges (who will join an appointed contest task force):

  • To be announced...

 

What are the judging criteria?
Entries will be judged on the basis of the IRE definition of investigative reporting. “The reporting, through one’s own initiative and work product, of matters of importance to readers, viewers or listeners. In many cases, the subjects of the reporting wish the matters under scrutiny to remain undisclosed.”

Thus entries will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Substantially the product of the reporter’s own initiative and effort
  • Uncovers facts that someone or some agency may have tried to keep from public scrutiny.
  • Be about issues of public importance to the readers, viewers or listeners
  • Shows enterprise and excellence in documentation, data, storytelling, production, online presentation, and reader or viewer involvement where appropriate
  • Results

Each category of the IRE Awards is reviewed by screeners. The screened entries move forward to the IRE Awards Committee, made of up of members of the IRE Board and other elected and appointed investigative journalists. The Awards Committee determines the finalists, winners, and medalists of the IRE Awards. At the judges’ discretion, the decision may be made to give no award or award multiple entries in a given category.

 

How do I participate?
You can now enter the IRE Awards contest online. If you are a current member, ENTER HERE.

If you are NOT a current member, GO HERE. After joining, GO HERE to proceed.

 

What categories are now eligible to enter online?

All categories can enter online, you'll be able to upload PDFs and include URLs, but we require hard copies to be mailed to us if any audio or video are included in the entry, as well as all book entries. Please pay special attention to the rules outlined for each category you enter.


What if I don't want to enter online? Can I still mail hard copies?
Yes, we will still allow mailed hard copies. Please print the entry form and follow the guidelines for mailing.

 

Where do I go to enter online?
If you are a current member, ENTER HERE.

If you are NOT a current member, GO HERE.

 

What if no one on my team is a member?
At least one contributor to the entry MUST be a member. To join, GO HERE.

After joining GO HERE to proceed.

 

What if I'm an awards coordinator entering on behalf of someone?
You'll still need a username and password but will NOT be required to join. GO HERE to create a username and password, then proceed with entering HERE.

 

Can you send me an example of a contest entry to help me prepare my entry?
To view an example of a successful contest entry, you can purchase a copy of a winner or finalist from a previous contest. View past award winners and finalists, make your selection(s), write down the story number, and contact the IRE Resource Center at 573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org. You can also search for the phrase "contest entry" in the IRE Resource Center story database.

 

How much does it cost to enter?
$55 for members of IRE. (Membership must be current through February 1, 2012.)
$125 for nonmembers. ($55 entry fee, plus a one-year membership fee of $70.)
$25 for students who are not current members of IRE. (This fee includes a one-year student membership.)
Students who are current IRE members do not have to pay an entry fee. (Membership must be current through Feb. 1, 2012.)
All fees are non-refundable.

 

What work is eligible for the contest?
All work must have been published or aired between Jan. 1, 2012 thru Dec. 31, 2012.

 

What is the deadline for entering the contest?
Jan. 11, 2013, 7:00pm, CST.

 

What actions would result in a disqualification?
Judges may disqualify any entry with an incomplete questionnaire. Work that included a significant role by a current member of the IRE Board of Directors or an IRE contest judge may not be entered. Entries disregarding the rules will be subject to disqualification, such as not mailing hard copies of your video or audio.

 

Is there a limit to the amount of entries I can submit?
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit or the number of stories you may submit per entry, except for:

  • Tom Renner Award: Limit of 10 stories
  • Breaking News: Limit of 5 stories

However, if the same story is entered in two separate categories (such as "Medium Print/Online" and "FOIA"), that constitutes two (2) separate entries.

 

Do you accept entries in languages other than English?
We accept entries in languages other than English, but we require that your entry is accompanied by a complete translation of the story(ies) submitted. Broadcast/video entries in another language should include English subtitles.

 

What are the different types of awards?
All winning entries, unless otherwise noted, will receive an IRE Award. If the contest judges determine a story has special merit, an IRE medal will be awarded.

 

How many categories are there and what are they? 
There are 16 categories (see below). Most fall into four broad areas – Print/Online (written word) (large, medium, small); Broadcast/Video (large, medium, small); Radio/Audio (one category, all sizes); Multimedia (large, medium, small). In addition there are categories for book, student, and several special awards. In all cases when two or more news organizations collaborated on an entry, it must be entered in the size category that corresponds to the largest organization.

Print, online, broadcast and multiplatform:

Large
Includes: newspapers with +350k circulation; wire services; network or syndicated TV; magazines, weeklies and online-only media with a national audience. For partnerships or collaborations, please enter by largest  organization involved.

Medium
Includes: newspapers with 151k-349k circulation; Top 20 television markets; magazines, weeklies and online-only media with a regional* audience. For partnerships or collaborations, please enter by largest organization involved.
 

Small
Includes: newspapers with <150k circulation; Below Top 20 television markets; magazines, weeklies, and online-only organizations with a local* audience. For partnerships or collaborations, please enter by largest organization involved.

Radio/Audio entries-one category, all sizes:

*For online-only news organizations, magazines and weeklies, size is determined by primary coverage area. An organization with a primary focus on a city, county or metropolitan area falls into the “local” category. An organization with a primary focus on a larger region, state or multi-state area falls into the “regional” category. 

Print/Online (written word)-Large: To be eligible for this category, your story must be primarily in print or online text. Any audio or video elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Print/Online (written word)-Medium: To be eligible for this category, your story must be primarily in print or online text. Any audio or video elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Print/Online (written word)-Small: To be eligible for this category, your story must be primarily in print or online text. Any audio or video elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Broadcast/Video-Large: To be eligible for the category, your story must be primarily presented in video. Any text or audio elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Broadcast/Video-Medium: To be eligible for the category, your story must be primarily presented in video. Any text or audio elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Broadcast/Video-Small: To be eligible for the category, your story must be primarily presented in video. Any text or audio elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Radio/Audio (one category, all sizes): To be eligible for the category, your story must be primarily presented in audio. Any text or video elements will be considered only as supplementary material.

Multiplatform-Large, Medium, Small: To be eligible for this category, your story must consist substantially of two or more platforms (print/online (written word), radio/audio, TV/video, interactive graphics, etc.). More than one media in a partnership or collaboration may enter this category.

Other Media: For outstanding investigative reporting in other mediums.

  • Book

Special Categories: (Any medium, any size circulation or market)

  •  Tom Renner Award: For the best investigative reporting, whether a single story or a lifetime body of work, in print/online (written word), broadcast/video, radio/audio or book form, covering organized crime or other criminal acts. This award comes with An IRE Medal for Outstanding Crime Reporting and $500. (Limited to 10 stories)
  • IRE FOI Award: Honors individual or organization whose significant actions further open records or open government. This award comes with an IRE Medal honoring an individual or organization whose actions further open records or open government.
  • Breaking News Investigation: For outstanding investigative work done within 30 days of a news event or development. This award honors deep and quick digging that uses investigative techniques to produce exclusive and timely information for readers or viewers. (Limit to 5 stories.)
  • Student Work: Outstanding investigative reporting by a student in a college-affiliated newspaper, online, magazine or specialty publication, broadcast or radio/audio work that has been publicly reviewed, screened and aired. This can include work done while serving an unpaid internship. This award comes with a $250 cash scholarship for Outstanding Investigative Reporting.
  • Gannett Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism: The award recognizes the use of digital innovation in the gathering and/or delivery of watchdog and investigative news to its audience. It honors work that stands out for its creative use of digital tools to further a news organizations ability to serve as a watchdog in its community. This comes with a $5,000 prize from Gannett.

* International entries will be placed into appropriate categories by IRE.

 

What are the specifications for regional and local audience?
For online-only news organizations, magazines and weeklies, size is determined by primary coverage area. An organization with a primary focus on a city, county or metropolitan area falls into the "local" category. An organization with a primary focus on a larger region, state or multi- state area falls into the "regional" category.

 

FOR MAILED, HARD COPIES ONLY:

Click here for a txt. file of the required questionnaire.
Click here for for the official entry form.

POSTMARK Deadline, Jan. 11, 2013

Print/Online (written word) Entries:

FOR MAILED, HARD COPIES ONLY:


• You must submit:
• A completed entry form
• A completed questionnaire
• A printed copy of the entry, including the URL if applicable, and a CD containing the websites if they cannot easily be reached online by the judges: Entries must be formatted for 8.5x11” or 11x17” paper. They can be electronically prepared or "cut and paste." Electronically prepared documents are to be created in InDesign or similar design program. These can NOT be reductions of the newsprint. (If electronically prepared, please include the PDF file(s) of story package on CD with the electronic questionnaire.)
• One (1) CD containing a copy of the questionnaire (Word document or PDF), and a copy of entry if prepared electronically
• Payment for entry (by check or credit card)

Broadcast/Video Entries:

FOR MAILED, HARD COPIES ONLY:

• You must submit:
• A completed entry form
• A completed questionnaire
• A transcript printed on 8.5" x 11" or 11x17” paper
• 3 copies of the video on DVD. (Please label all three DVDs with the entry name, total run time and affiliation/organization.)
• One (1) CD containing a copy of the questionnaire (Word document or PDF)
• Payment for entry (by check or credit card)
 

Radio/Audio Entries:

FOR MAILED, HARD COPIES ONLY:

• You must submit:
• A completed entry form
• A completed questionnaire
• A transcript printed on 8.5" x 11" or 11x17” paper
• 3 copies of the radio broadcast or audio on CD. (Please label all three CDs with the entry name, total run time and affiliation/organization).
• A CD containing a copy of the questionnaire (Word document or PDF)
• Payment for entry (by check or credit card)
 

Book Entries:

FOR MAILED, HARD COPIES ONLY:

• You must submit three (3) collated entry packets. Each packet must contain:
• A completed entry form
• A completed questionnaire
• A copy of the book
• One (1) CD containing a copy of the questionnaire (Word document or PDF)
• Payment for entry (by check or credit card)
• Please place the three (3) packets, one (1) CD, and payment in an envelope or folder and write the title of the entry on the outside.
 

Multiplatform Entries:

FOR MAILED, HARD COPIES ONLY:

• You must submit:
• A completed entry form
• A completed questionnaire
• A printed copy of the entry, including the URL; a CD containing the websites if they cannot easily be reached online by the judges; 3 COPIES of video/audio on   CD/DVD; transcript of video/audio. (Contents vary by entries).
• One (1) CD containing a copy of the questionnaire (Word document or PDF)
• Payment for entry (by check or credit card)

When will the judging be complete?
Judging will be completed by April 2013.

 

Who should I call if I have any other questions?
Please call the IRE Resource Center at 573-882-6668 or e-mail for assistance in submitting contest entries.