The 2023-24 NCPA Contest is open for entries! Rules packets for all entries can be found
here. Please upload your entries
here and make sure to re-register in the contest system, even if your newspaper has participated in past years.
The contest period runs from March 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. You can enter work published this month, and the deadline to enter is April 25th.
A few changes of note this year:
- Editorial: Appearance and design, Website, and Use of photos are now criteria in General Excellence judging.
- Advertising: We have combined a few categories in the ad contest into Service ads (Things you use or experience) and Retail ads (Things you have to buy); many of the categories remain from last year. Please take a look at the rules for individual categories.
- There is no longer a limit of entries per staff member allowed (there had been three in most categories)
- Our special awards - public service, Hugh Morton, public notice, higher education reporting, media & law, freedom of information - are worth double points in the GE tally. (10 points 1st, 6 points 2nd, 2 points 3rd).
- A new division has been created so that our magazine members can compete against each other.
A refresh on the General Excellence points system:
- General Excellence Winners in each division will be awarded based on a combination of 50% judged category results based on writing, sections, front page, editorial page, Appearance & Design, website, and use of photos (75 points to 1st place, 50 points to 2nd place and 25 points to 3rd place) and 50% point system for awards won in the editorial contest (5 points for each 1st place, 3 for each 2nd place and 1 for each third place). The points will be added up to determine the GE winner. It is difficult to win without entering the General Excellence category, so don't forget.
If you have any questions regarding contest entries or your division, please email
phil@ncpress.com and
katie@ncpress.com. So you know, the divisions are based on the most recent circulation numbers we gathered from your statements of ownership.
Step 1 — Register on the
contest website using your email address and the association code '
ncpress'.
This year, we will be judged by members of the Colorado Press Association. Good luck!
