Schachern Award

QUICK LINKS:
DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM (Microsoft Word version)
DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM (PDF version)
AWARD PLACEMENTS & VALUES
RULES
COPY PREPARATION
ELIGIBILITY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Award Placements & Values

Citations for first, second and third place will be given.
New for 2008: All circulation sizes are combined.

Awarded for excellence in religion pages or sections in the general circulation news media.
Entry fee: $50 for members / $70 for non-members (at least one staff member must be an RNA member).
Deadline: Feb. 1, 2008.

Contest Rules

• Submit exactly five (5) religion sections or pages printed in the year prior to the contest, loose and unmounted. (Sections published only in the 2007 calendar year are eligible for the 2008 RNA contests.)
• A single entry must be published on a single day.
• Special sections can count as part of the five entries.
• Staple pages in the upper left corner if needed.
• Entrants should also submit a letter to the judges indicating the size of staff, resources and other factors in the section/page's production.
• RNA reserves the right to limit the presentation of awards for insufficient entry numbers.

Entry Preparation

• If you enter more than one contest, each entry must have its own entry form.
• Clearly mark all entries with the appropriate contest name, and note on your payment all contests you are entering.
• Failure to adhere precisely to contest rules will lead to disqualification.
• Entries must be postmarked on or before Feb. 1, 2008.

Eligibility

It is the intent of the Religion Newswriters Association annual contests to recognize journalism excellence in general circulation newspapers, news magazines and news wire services. 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 write for general circulation media outlets are eligible to enter.
• RNA membership is NOT required for entry.
• RNA's president and contest chair are not eligible to enter individual contests.
• Entries will not be returned.

If you have questions about your eligibility, please call (614) 891-9001, ext. 2# or e-mail McCallen@RNA.org.

About the Award

The Schachern Award, first given in 1969, honors excellence in religion sections. Harold Schachern was RNA president from 1964 to 1966. During that time he worked as a religion reporter for The Detroit News. Among his many accomplishments, he pushed to have the National Conference of Catholic Bishops meetings opened to reporters. At the time journalists were given handouts of the conference from which they were expected to write stories as if it were first-hand. The sessions weren’t opened to the press until 1972, three years after Schachern’s death. His campaign has also been credited with positively affecting the coverage of the Second Vatican Council.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: SCHACHERN AWARD

ENTRY PREPARATION & PAYMENT QUESTIONS
ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS

SCHACHERN ENTRY PREPARATION & PAYMENT INFORMATION

How do I submit my loose sections or pages?
Remove section or pages from newspaper. If necessary, staple pages in upper left corner. Fold newspapers in half or in quarters. Lay on top or paperclip your entry form.

What identifying information IS allowed on my entry?
Everything. Please leave your entry as it appeared when published. Tearsheets are permissible.

What identifying information is NOT allowed on my entry?
You do not have to remove any information from Schachern entries. Please submit them as is.

What is the publishing date range to enter stories in the 2008 RNA Schachern Contest?
Sections/pages published Jan. 1, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2007 are eligible.

Should I submit personal comments or a letter from my editor with my Schachern entry?
Yes. Letters to the judges should indicate your size of staff, resources and other factors in your section/page's production.

Should I staple my entry form to the entry?
Please do not staple the form to your entry. You may use paperclips if you like, but they are not necessary. Entry forms are removed from entries before judges receive them.

May I copy the entry form if I enter more than one contest?
Yes. Be sure to write the contest name on the top of each of your entries, and include an entry form with every entry.

May my newspaper use one check to cover multiple people’s entries for many contests?
Yes. Include with the check a list of all the people and contests the check covers to make certain proper credit is given. 

May payment checks be sent separately from entries?
Yes, just note on your entry form that the check will arrive at RNA under separate cover. Be sure the check’s memo includes who and what contest the payment covers.

What forms of payment do you accept?
Check, credit card (VISA, MC, DISC, AMEX), cash, money order. Checks and money orders should be made payable to RNA or Religion Newswriters Association.

I’m sending my entry via FedEx, UPS or DHL. What RNA address should I use?
Send your entry to: RNA: Contests, 99-A North State Street, Westerville, OH 43081.

Will I receive confirmation that RNA received my entry?
No. You are welcome to call 614-891-9001, ext. 2#, if you’d like to verify that RNA received it.

SCHACHERN ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS

May full-time students (high school, undergrad or graduate) enter Schachern?
Yes, full-time students may enter Schachern. However, full-time students many not enter both Schachern and Chandler. Schachern entries from students must be from a general circulation publication (ie. Articles from student media are not allowed in Schachern).

Do I have to be a member of RNA to enter Schachern?
No, but you are welcome to use your entry form to join RNA.

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 Schachern?
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 Schachern?
Schachern is for print-primary publications. 

Why would an entry be disqualified, and what is the process for disqualification?
An entry could be disqualified for the following reasons: 1) Didn’t follow contest rules. 2) Doesn’t meet eligibility requirements. 3) Didn’t follow entry preparation guidelines. The contest chairperson contacts the entrant to let him/her know their entry is disqualified and why. The entry fee is returned.

SCHACHERN GENERAL QUESTIONS

May I submit more than one entry for the Schachern Award?
Yes. You may enter Schacjhern as many times as you like, provided the sections/pages for each entry are different.

May I enter other contests too?
Yes. You may enter as many contests as you wish, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for each contest.

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. 

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 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 Awards Banquet at RNA’s Annual Conference.

What are Schachern’s prizes?
Plaques are awarded for first, second and third place.

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 you are unable to attend the banquet, we will mail you your 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?
No. We print the names of winners on our Web site.

Do you return entries?
We are unable to return entries.