There’s still time left to submit your nominations for the Canadian Association of Journalists awards, which recognize excellence in Canadian reporting.

To learn more about entry procedures, visit its website here.

Winners will be announced at CAJ’s spring conference, taking place from May 29 to 31 in Montreal.

Submit your application before 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 17.

CATEGORIES

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

These categories recognize journalism in a variety of media. Entries don’t have to be purely investigative to qualify; investigative entries are given added weight. Items based on the same body of research, regardless of which medium they were released in, can only be entered in one category. Entries in each of these seven categories is limited to one piece or a series of up to five related pieces. The recipient(s) of the Don McGillivray Award for Investigative Journalism is/are chosen from these categories.

Open media

Entries welcome for predominantly text-based pieces published in print or online, in any Canadian media outlet, regardless of publication frequency, circulation or audience reach.

Community media

Entries welcome for predominantly text-based pieces published in print or online in any Canadian media outlet. Print entries limited to those media printed fewer than five times a week or with an average daily print circulation of under 25,000. Online-only entries not from a print newsroom must serve a regional or community audience, and provide verifiable data to the awards committee on request. CAJ members submitting an individual entry pay no entry fee into this category.

Open broadcast feature

Entries welcome for any piece with a runtime of over five minutes, predominantly audio and/or video, broadcast to an audience of any size over the air or online.

Open broadcast news

Entries of any length welcome for any piece, predominantly audio and/or video, broadcast to an audience of any size over the air or online. These entries can be of any length—judges and the CAJ awards committee reserve the right to recommend entries with longer runtimes be moved into the Open broadcast feature category.

Community broadcast

Entries of any length welcome for any piece, predominantly audio and/or video, whose broadcast is targeted to a community or regional audience over the air or online. Over the air broadcast submissions must come from a local or regional station. Online entries not from a TV or radio broadcaster must serve a regional or community audience and provide verifiable data to the awards committee on request. An entry is one piece or a series limited to five related pieces. CAJ members submitting an individual entry into this category pay no entry fee.

Data journalism

Entries welcome from any media in any format published or broadcast in Canada where data journalism / CAR techniques played a key and indispensable part in developing the story. This category is meant to highlight the use of data journalism, but not at the expense of good journalism and good storytelling.

Online media

Entries welcome in any online-only format. No part of this entry can include any element that was published in print or broadcast on television or radio. Entries of online work that “wrap” around something that has been broadcast or published in print (for example, an “online extra” that was created to supplement a video documentary) are best entered in media or broadcast categories, with the online work as one of the permitted related items.

This really is a category to recognize work done by Canadian media exclusively for online, only available online. Entries limited to one URL or up to five related URLs, all posted in the 2019 calendar year.

GENERAL AWARDS

The following categories recognize exemplary journalism as laid out below. The winning entries in each of these categories is not eligible for consideration for the Don McGillivray award.

Photojournalism

Entries welcome showcasing a portfolio of up to 20 photographs demonstrating journalistic vision, consistent quality and a reflection of the entrant’s professionalism and journalistic abilities. No supporting letter is required in this category.

Scoop

Entries welcome from any media in any format published or broadcast in Canada that can show how it was the first to bring new or significant information to light of regional or national importance. Entry limited to a single piece published or broadcast on any single day in the preceding calendar year. A supporting letter with details on how the entry was a regional/national scoop is a required element of this category.

Daily excellence

Entries welcome from print, radio and television journalists for items published or broadcast in Canada demonstrating excellence in daily, deadline-driven reporting based on same-day research. We want to consider the result of a single day’s work where the research, interviews, writing, editing, etc. all took place on the same day. Entry limited to a single piece plus related element (ex: sidebar, online hit, etc.) published or broadcast on a single day in the preceding calendar year.

Text feature

Entries welcome for any primarily text-based article published in print or online in Canada that is not specifically investigative in nature. Entries limited to a single piece published on a single day in the preceding calendar year.

JHR / CAJ Award for Human Rights Reporting 

What is human rights reporting? This prize rewards journalism that puts a human face on situations where human rights are not respected and/or holds authorities to account to do a better job of protecting those rights. As a result, the story builds awareness of human rights and social justice issues, and shows the human impact and the human cost of abstract political and economic forces. For examples of human rights reporting, visit www.jhr.ca/success/

Entries limited to a single piece, published or broadcast on a single day in the preceding calendar year.

JHR / CAJ Emerging Indigenous Journalist Award

This award recognizes exemplary journalism being produced by a First Nations, Inuit or Metis journalist who is at the beginning of her or his career. This is a portfolio category of up to five pieces in any format, published or broadcast in Canada in the preceding calendar year, from a journalist with up to five years’ experience. The submitted work can be on any topic– we are seeking to recognize an amazing journalist creating amazing work on the issues they care about.

A supporting letter is mandatory and must include information on when the person started working in journalism. It should also include what First Nations, Metis or Inuit community the person is from, where s/he has been recognized as a member of the community.

APTN / CAJ Reconciliation Award

This award seeks to recognize the work of a non-Indigenous journalist whose reporting has broadened the understanding of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. This is work that digs beneath the surface of a news event and educates Canadians on the historic and ongoing challenges of the relationships between Canada’s Indigenous peoples, the people in power and the people who’ve come to call Canada home.

This is a portfolio entry of up to five pieces, in any format, broadcast or published in Canada in the preceding calendar year. A supporting letter is mandatory.

CWA Canada / CAJ Award for Labour Reporting

What are labour issues? Judges will be instructed to reward those entries that effectively bring to the public’s attention important labour issues. The award seeks to honour journalism that goes beyond a work-to-rule, strike, lockout or other job action and shows skill in reporting on the social, economic and political factors that impact the labour environment in Canada. Entries showing impact on policy, law or public awareness are encouraged. This award is meant to recognize great journalism on labour issues that can make a difference in the lives of Canadians.

Does an entry have to be reporting on a union? No– judges are looking for the best journalism on labour issues. While Canada’s unions are integral to the labour movement, not all of the labour issues that are reported on in this country involve unions. It’s expected many entries will include the labour movement and unions, but this is not a requirement of the award.

Entries are encouraged in either official language. Entries are a single piece, published or broadcast on a single day in the preceding calendar year. Should the judges determine it appropriate, one award may be handed out for reporting done in English and another in French.

**NEW for 2019** Climate Change and Environmental Reporting Award

This award seeks to recognize the work of professional journalists in Canada who have contributed to improving the public understanding and awareness of the evolving climate crisis, its symptoms, and its impact on the daily lives and well-being of citizens. By making the rigour of scientific research accessible to Canadians, such reporting can foster and inform ongoing dialogue on how we need to act to avoid irreversible climate-related damage.

The award is open to submissions covering the spectrum of environmental reporting, including but not limited to ecology, habitat, endangered species, conservation, climate change, extreme weather events, and biodiversity. Entries must include — either in the supporting letter or within another document — links to the scientific interviewees, sources and/or research on which it was based.

Entries limited to one piece plus a related sidebar, both published or broadcast on the same day.

Student Award of Excellence

The award recognizes excellence in the field of journalism at the student level. Submissions will be accepted from all students enrolled (at the time of publication or broadcast) in an accredited degree/diploma program offered by a Canadian post-secondary institution. Feature-style entries are preferred, but any format or style permitted. Proof of enrolment and a cover letter speaking to the origins, difficulties and resulting change / impact / action must accompany entries. Entries will not be considered complete until these have been submitted. Entries may be a single piece, or series of up to five related pieces, published or broadcast at any time in the preceding calendar year.

Individuals submitting entries into the student awards must be CAJ student members. These individuals pay no entry fee for this award, and are eligible for a reduced entry fee for other categories.

For group / class project submissions into this category, please contact the awards committee.

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