- Awarded to the religion writer of the year at mid-sized publications.
- Entry fee: $25 for members / $50 for non-members
- Deadline:Feb. 1, 2010 Extended to
Feb. 5, 2010
- 1st place: $1,000 and citation
- 2nd place: $250 and citation
- 3rd place: $100 and citation
- Submit three articles on religion written by one person and printed in the calendar year prior to the contest. (Stories published in 2009 are eligible for the 2010 contest.)
- Stories from the printed publication or its online adjunct are allowed. Stories may include the main text, infographics, charts or other text material that appeared solely online. All articles that appeared online must have been published on the same date as its companion print piece and reported/written by the same author. No photos or audio allowed.
- Stories should be submitted in an anonymous fashion; No bylines, photo credits or other identifying information allowed.
- No multiple bylines.
- No sidebars.
- Publications with weekday circulations of 50,001 to 150,000 only.
- RNA reserves the right to limit the presentation of awards for insufficient entry numbers.
- Prepare your stories in one of these formats: Microsoft Word, PDF or text-only (txt) documents.
- Use
the online form to submit your stories and entry fee. If your entries were received properly, you'll receive an e-mail confirmation.
- Entries must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2010 Extended to
Feb. 5, 2010
- Our online entry form includes a payment page. There, you can pay with a credit card (individual entries only),
or you can choose "Bill Me" at checkout to pay by check.
- We accept personal or company checks (made payable to RNA), and most major credit cards (VISA, MC, DISC, AMEX).
- If paying for multiple entries with the same check: choose "Bill me" when completing our online form. Then, generate a check (made payable to RNA) and include with it a list of all the people and contests
the check covers to make certain proper credit is issued. Submit checks to our business office: RNA, PO Box 2037, Westerville, OH
43086-2037.
- Canadian entrants: credit card payment is preferred. If paying by check, use dollars for currency.
- Receipts will be sent via e-mail.
It
is the intent of the Religion Newswriters Association annual contests
to recognize journalism excellence in general circulation newspapers,
news magazines, news wire services, radio and television. The contests
are designed to measure a journalist's grasp on a diversity of religion
issues. Religious media, including media whose goal is to support or
promote a particular religion, faith community or religious group, are
not eligible to participate in RNA contests.
In addition:
- All journalists who work for general circulation/audience media outlets are eligible to enter.
- RNA membership is NOT required for entry.
- RNA's president and vice presidents are not eligible to enter individual contests.
- See individual contest pages for further eligibility rules
The Cornell Award was introduced in 1995. George Cornell was a religion reporter for The Associated Press for 43 years. When he began on the beat in 1951, his religion columns were the first to be carried regularly by a news wire service. In 1987, he won the former Templeton Reporter of the Year Award. Members recall Cornell as "able to take the most complex events and the most arcane religious topics and reduce them to readable, intelligent stories." He died in 1994.
Entry preparation & payment questions
Can I submit hard copies?
We only accept online submissions.
What should be included with my submissions?
The
text of your story and its publication date. They can also include
headlines/subheads, datelines and informational graphics.
May I submit more or less than three stories?
You may submit up to three stories, however, most entries are comprised of the full three stories.
Should I include sidebars with my entry?
No. Sidebars aren’t allowed in the Cornell contest.
May I submit a story with more than one byline?
No. Cornell allows only one byline (one author) per entry.
What is the publishing date range to enter stories in the 2010 RNA contests?
Stories published Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2009 are eligible for the 2010 RNA contests. The Chandler Award has a different date range.
Eligibility Questions
What constitutes a "mid-sized” newspaper?
For the Cornell contest, newspapers with weekday circulations of 50,001 to 150,000 are eligible.
May full-time students (high school, undergrad or graduate) enter Cornell?
Yes,
full-time students may enter Cornell. However, full-time students many
not enter both Cornell and Chandler. Cornell entries from students must
be from a general circulation publication (ie. Articles from student
media are not allowed in Cornell).
Do I have to be a member of RNA to enter Cornell?
No, but we welcome you to look over our membership benefits and encourage you to join. Plus, members are eligible for highly discounted contest and conference registration fees.
Do I have to be a religion beat reporter to submit an entry?
No. Any journalist may enter provided the stories were published in an eligible publication.
I’m a columnist who writes about religion. May I enter Cornell?
Yes.
If your column is syndicated, its total circulation should not exceed
150,000. Syndicated columnists may also enter Cassels, Supple and Religion Reporter of the Year.
I’m a freelancer. May I submit articles from more than one outlet?
Yes.
You must list all the outlets included in your entry on your entry form
(use the back of the form if you need more room). If you’re entering
Cornell as a freelancer, make sure all the outlets meet the circulation
requirements (weekday circulation 50,001-150,000).
I work for a newspaper outside North America. May I enter RNA’s contests?
No, only U.S. and Canadian outlets are eligible to enter RNA’s contests.
Are religious publications eligible to enter Cornell?
No.
Religious media, including media whose goal is to support or promote a
particular religion, faith community or religious group, are not
eligible to participate in RNA contests.
Are broadcast outlets or online-only outlets eligible to enter Cornell?
Cornell is for print-primary publications. However, articles that also appeared on a newspaper’s Web site are eligible.
Why would an entry be disqualified, and what is the process for disqualification?
An
entry is only disqualified if the entrant doesn't make our eligibility
requirements. The contest chairperson contacts the entrant to let
him/her know their entry is disqualified and why. The entry fee is then
returned.
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General Questions
May I submit more than one entry for the same award?
Yes.
You may enter an award as many times as you like, so long as you submit
different stories for each entry and pay the entry fee for each set.
May I submit entries for other awards too?
Yes. You may enter as many RNA awards as you wish, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for each one.
Will I receive confirmation that RNA received my entry?
Yes! When you submit your entry properly, you'll receive a confirmation via e-mail (be sure to check your spam folder too).
Who judges the contest?
Judges
include former contest winners, religion writers or others with
specialized knowledge of religion reporting. Judges are not allowed to
judge contests in which they may have a conflict of interest.
How many finalists/winners will the judges choose?
Judges generally select 10 finalists and three top winners, depending on the number of entries.
When will I know if I’m a finalist?
RNA posts the finalists on its Web site, www.RNA.org, by May 15. The list is also published in the RNA e-newsletter.
When will I know if I’m a winner?
The
contest chairman will contact winners in June. Winners are revealed to
the general public at the fall Awards Banquet at RNA’s Annual Conference.
Do I have to collect my prize in person to receive it?
No.
Most winners do try to attend the Awards Banquet, however, because the
event is so enjoyable. There
is no cost to you and one guest to attend the banquet. If winners are
unable to attend the banquet, we mail them their check and plaque.
May I get a copy of the judges’ comments about my entry?
Only winners receive judges’ comments, if the judges provide them.
Do you publish past entries?
At www.RNA.org, we link to stories from the first, second and third place entries in each writing contest (when possible).
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