Media Release: Highlands and Islands Media Awards 2013 – call for entries

THE Highland and Islands Media Awards officially open for entries today.

So it’s time to review the top stories and features you have written/broadcast over the past year and present them for critical review by the judging panel.

Entries for the awards are going digital this year for the majority of categories, so we would ask you to check the guidelines below and email your entries please.

The deadline for all entries is Wednesday 27 November at 5pm.

The media awards are this year sponsored by Diageo, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Fujitsu.

Winners will be announced at the 2014 Highlands and Islands Press Ball and Media Awards, to be held on Friday, 7 February, 2014 at the New Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.

We will be advising short listed entrants as early as possible, however, given the demand for seats last year we would advise early booking to secure your spot.

Further details on the event are available on the website www.pressball.info

Keep up to date on our facebook page www.facebook.com/pressballandmediaawards

Or on twitter @thepressball

Entry guidelines:

Please email entries to communications@hient.co.uk or send to Alison MacNeill, HIE, Cowan House, Inverness Retail Park, Inverness, IV2 7GF.  If there are any problems with emailing larger files, please get in touch.

The following categories apply and, within each, there will be one winner and one/two highly commended entrants. The categories are open to all writers, online and print, and broadcasters working in the Highlands and islands.

ALL ENTRIES SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN A NEAT AND TIDY MANNER AND ALL SCANS/FILES CLEARLY LEGIBLE. MISSING SECTIONS OF TEXT OR ILLEGIBILITY WILL, UNFORTUNATELY, DISQUALIFY ENTRIES.

Please DO NOT enter the same articles/features in separate sections i.e. Young Journalist and Feature Writer of the Year. Please submit a separate portfolio for the category of your choice.

YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – ALEX MAIN TROPHY

Entrants for this category must be under 25 on 27 November 2013. Judges are seeking evidence of journalistic skill in originality, presentation, dedication, and engagement with the community the entrant represents.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual pieces of work researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant. Please supply in easily accessible file format – pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

SPORTS REPORTER OF THE YEAR

Entries are welcome from writers/broadcasters delivering the wide range of sports coverage in the Highlands and Islands. Three pieces to be submitted demonstrating range of ability preferably across a variety of sports and/or events.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual pieces of work researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant. Please supply in easily accessible file format – pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

For news, sport or feature photography published within the Highlands and Islands. A portfolio of no more than six prints in colour or black and white, of which a minimum of three must have been published, should be supplied.

Entries – email or printed
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements –six individual pieces of work. Please supply as unmounted print no larger than A4 size and/or as a digital file.

TOP SHOT FOR THE YEAR

For news, sport or feature photography published within the Highlands and Islands. This will be open to both staff and freelance photographers. Provide one photograph which you think has the most outstanding story telling quality.

Entries – email or printed
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for piece.
Requirements – one photograph. Please supply as unmounted print no larger than A4 size and/or as a digital file.  If submitting as part of a portfolio for photographer of the year please indicate which picture is your top shop entry.

BORD NA GAIDHLIG AWARD

For the best three articles or broadcast features produced in Gaelic.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual pieces of work researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant. Please supply in easily accessible file format – pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

BEST USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA

Open to all journalists/editors or web designers for their representation of Highlands and Islands news or features on the web. This may include use of social media, articles, podcasts, or websites which appeared between December 2012 and 27 November 2013.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual pieces of work which were researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant. Please supply in easily accessible file format – links/files/web addresses, or in screen shots, pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

REPORTER OF THE YEAR – JIM LOVE MEMORIAL AWARD

Three separate published/broadcast stories across a range of subjects to be supplied indicating good community contacts, originality, accuracy, and an understanding of target audience.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual pieces of work researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant. Please supply in easily accessible file format – pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

TOP STORY OF THE YEAR

The winning writer should demonstrate service to the community/ies from fair, accurate and compelling coverage of an issue/campaign. This could be one outstanding piece of work or follow an issue across a number of occasions.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – one single piece or up to three pieces if part of a linked series. Must be researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant.
Please supply in easily accessible file format – pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

Open to all community newspapers/newsletters published within the HIE area between December 2012 and 27 November 2013.

Entries – either email, online link or printed
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual editions. If sent digitally please send link to website archive, or accessible file format.

NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

Open to all newspapers published within the HIE area between December 2012 and 27 November 2013.

Entries – either email or printed
Contact details – Name of publication, name of person submitting entry and contact info – phone number.
Requirements – three individual editions. If sent digitally please send link to website archive, or accessible file format.

FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR

This category is being extended to include the work of public relations professionals working in the area. Three news pieces and/or features should be submitted demonstrating range and ability.

Entries – email
Contact details – Name, name of employer/or indicate freelance, your contact info – phone number. Title for each piece submitted.
Requirements – three individual pieces of work researched, written and printed/broadcast by the entrant. Please supply in easily accessible file format – pdf, jpg, mp3 etc

THE CLASSIC MALTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Diageo. Overall award for most outstanding journalistic talent of the year. This will be selected at the judges’ discretion. No specific entries are required.

PLEASE ALERT ALL STAFF AND FREELANCE WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT YOU USE REGULARLY OR OCCASIONALLY OF THIS OPPORTUNITY.

MEDIA RELEASE posted by HIE. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.

Contact: HIE Communications
Phone: 01463244244
Email: communications@hient.co.uk
Website: http://www.hie.co.uk