Nominations open today for the fourth British Journalism Awards for public interest journalism.
Organised by Press Gazette, and presented this year in association with Audi, these awards are open to all journalists wherever they work and are for journalism which is in the public interest and interesting to the public.
This year there is a new category for popular journalism which is for work published in tabloid newspapers and by broadcasters and websites with mass market popular appeal.
This is in addition to the usual categories which include: Journalist of the Year, Investigation of the Year, New Journalist of the Year and Campaign of the Year.
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The awards have grown in popularity every year and last year attracted more than 200 entries from broadcasters, national and regional newspapers, magazines, websites, news agencies and freelances.
Last year Andrew Norfolk of The Times was named Journalist of the Year for his investigation into sex abuse by gangs of men and failings by public authorities in Rotherham. Previous winners of this prize are David Walsh, for his investigation into Lance Armstrong, and Michael Gillard for his exposure of gangster David Hunt.
Chairman of judges and Press Gazette editor Dominic Ponsford: "The British Journalism Awards aim to celebrate and promote high quality journalism which makes a difference. They underline the huge contribution journalism makes to society at a time when it continues to face a fight for survival in the face of economic pressure and technological upheaval.
"These are the only media awards in the UK which focus purely on public interest journalism and which are open to all journalists wherever they work. Defining what comprises the public interest will be for the judges to decide. Broadly speaking they will be looking for work which has made a difference for the better in society.
"The importance of showing that journalism serves the public interest was again underlined last year in a series of criminal trials where it has meant the difference between freedom and imprisonment for journalists accused of paying public officials for stories.
"This year's British Journalism Awards reception will be a particularly special night because it will kick-off a year of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Press Gazette, which was launched on 23 November 1965."
The deadline for entries is 5pm on 9 October.
The deadline for entries has been extended to midnight, Wednesday 14 October.
The winners will be announced at the awards reception at Stationers' Hall on 1 December.
New judges this year include Mary Ann Sieghart, Philippa Kennedy, Dominic Young, Louise Chunn and Jon Slattery (full list of judges here).
Entries to the British Journalism Awards 2015 are made via this website.
Full list of categories:
Business, Finance and Economics Journalism sponsored by TSB
For the journalist, or journalism team, who has done the most to probe and investigate the world of business
Sports Journalism
Aimed at the sports journalist, or team, who done the most to investigate the world of sport and serve the public interest
Science and Technology Journalism sponsered by Astellas
Aimed at journalists who cover science, health and technology with a focus on those involved in investigative features and news. Open to individuals or teams
New Journalist of the Year, sponsored by the Stationers' Crown Woods Academy
This award is for a relative newcomer to the industry (who may have worked in other jobs before). They must have been a journalist for less than 36 months.
Digital Innovation
For the journalist, or team, who has done the most to help secure the future of public interest journalism with a digital innovation. It could be a successful app, website or blog. Or for a piece of software or hardware. A successful paywall, or other, commercial strategy could also be considered
Foreign Affairs Journalism
For the journalist, or team, working for a UK audience whose reports from overseas have done the most to serve the public interest. As with the other categories, this is open to journalists who work in print, online and broadcasting
Campaign of the Year
For the series of articles or broadcasts which as done the most make a difference for the better in society and serve the public interest (you cannot enter the same work in campaign and investigation)
Investigation of the Year
For the most incisive and revelatory public interest investigation of the year (you cannot enter the same work in campaign and investigation)
Photojournalism
For photographer whose work has done the most to serve the public interest
The Breaking News Award
This is the prize for the best scoop of the year (you can only enter one story for this award)
Local Heroes Award
For the journalist or team who has done the most to serve the public interest a local level or regional level
Politics Journalism
This award is aimed the journalist, or team, who has done the most to hold politicians to account, with an emphasis on revelation and investigation (rather than purely commentary)
Popular Journalism
This is the prize for the journalist, or journalism team, who has done the most to serve the public interest with a piece of journalism which also has mass market appeal. Open to tabloid and mid-market newspapers, broadcast journalism with a mass-market audience and websites with mass appeal.
Journalist of the Year sponsored by Audi
For the outstanding journalist of the year. This may, or may not, go to someone who has entered another category
The Marie Colvin award
For the journalist who over the course of their career has done the most to raise the reputation of the trade of journalism. In previous years this prize has gone to foreign correspondents but it is open to all journalists working mainly for a British audience.
Judging criteria
The judges will be looking for journalism which is compelling, revelatory and which makes a difference. It must be both interesting to the public – and in the public interest.
It will be up to the judges to decide how to apply the public interest test, but they must look for a higher standard than just that a story is interesting to the public.
The judges will take into account the level of journalistic skill, professionalism and effort employed to bring new information to light. The work must tell readers something they did not already know.
Work should have have been first published or broadcast between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015.
Judging will take place in October 2015 and will be on a jury-style system with a consensus needed from all the judges before each winner is decided. Journalism will be judged on its merits regardless of the size of news organisation which produces it. Shortlists of awards finalists will be up to eight-strong and aim to include representation across national press, regional press, consumer and business magazines and broadcasting.
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