Multimedia content eligible in contests, online entry system adopted

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Dec. 15, 2009

Multimedia content eligible in contests, online entry system adopted

COLUMBIA, MO—For the first time in its 60-year history, Religion Newswriters Association will allow multimedia content in its contests.

The Schachern Award—an RNA contest founded in 1969 to honor newspaper religion sections—will now honor multimedia coverage. The deadline for entries is Feb. 1, 2010, for online content appearing in 2009.

Changes recommended by the RNA Contest Committee and approved by the RNA Board this year also expand the eligibility of RNA contests to both traditional and independent, online-only news sites. Online religion sections also continue to be eligible for the award.

Entries to the revised Schachern Award will be judged first on the quality of reporting and writing, and secondly on the best use of multimedia techniques and digital resources. For more details about Schachern contest rules, see http://www.rna.org/?page=schachern

In addition to allowing multimedia submissions to the Schachern contest, RNA will also begin using an online only submission process for its eight award categories. The contest will no longer allow printed, paper, CD or videotaped entries.

Earlier this month, the RNA Board approved reducing the number of stories required for most contests, in order to ease the submission, costs and administration of the contests. The online submissions will save RNA the cost of bundling and shipping entries to the dozen or more contest judges used each year.

The contests affected are Cassels, Cornell, and Supple. The required number of stories for each of these contests was reduced by two. Chandler and Schachern already require only three submissions per entry.

See RNA’s contest pages for details about the file formats accepted and other information you’ll need to meet the Feb. 1, 2010, deadline.

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