Templeton Award for Religion Reporting

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

Award Placements & Values

• 1st place: $3,500 and a citation
• 2nd place: $400 and citation
• 3rd place: $200 and citation

Awarded for excellence in enterprise reporting and versatility in the field of religion in the general circulation news media.
Entry fee: $100 for members / $120 for non-members.
Deadline: Feb. 1, 2008.

Contest Rules

• Submit: Five (5) articles on religion published in the year prior to the contest. (Stories published only in the 2007 calendar year are eligible for the 2008 RNA contests.)
• The five articles should show both breadth and depth in reporting and should be written by one person (Note: series are an exception; please see rules below. NEW FOR 2008: You no longer must submit stories that fit category criteria.).
• One sidebar per story (printed on the same day) is allowed.
• Series with single OR multiple bylines are allowed, but each installment of a series will count as a separate story (max of five stories). When series have multiple bylines, the award will be given to the media outlet rather than a single reporter.
• Stories from the printed publication or its online adjunct are allowed. Stories may include the main text, related sidebars, infographics, charts or other text material that appeared solely online. All materials must be published on the same date and reported and written by the same author (unless a series). No photos or audio allowed.
• RNA reserves the right to limit the presentation of awards for insufficient entry numbers.

Copy Preparation

• Submit letter-size, computer printouts, hole-punched on left margin (do not obscure text). All entries are anonymous (NO photos, headshots, bylines, editor's letters, photographer credits, URLs or other identifying credits). Include publication dates. Infographics allowed.
• 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 John M. Templeton Foundation funds the Templeton Reporter of the Year award, first given in 1984, which honors the breadth and depth of a journalist’s skills. Beginning his work on Wall Street in 1937, Templeton established some of the world's largest and most successful international investment funds. He eventually sold his funds in 1992 for $440 million. His philanthropy extends toward projects, college courses, books and essays on the benefits of cooperation between science and religion. The Templeton Religion Reporter of the Year is the most prestigious RNA prize and boasts the largest award of RNA's contests—$3,500.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: TEMPLETON REPORTER AWARD

ENTRY PREPARATION & PAYMENT QUESTIONS
ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS

TEMPLETON REPORTER ENTRY PREPARATION & PAYMENT INFORMATION

What are “letter-size, computer printouts?”
The ideal submission is plain text, printed out portrait-oriented on 8.5” x 11” paper, with a 1.5” left margin, three-hole punched on the left side. Most entrants either print stories directly from their paper’s Web site archives and then blacken out any identifying information, or they copy and paste the text of their story into a word processing program and cut any identifying text before printing out the story. Either way, be sure your printed version still has its headline and publication date.

Because all entries are submitted to judges without identifying information, we take extra care to assure no pages come out of order. To help do this, entries are put into three-ring binders before going to the judges.

May I send clips cut out from my newspaper?

We accept clips. Please still trim or blacken any identifying information (ie: photographer credit, paper name, etc.), and remove any photos. We request a 1.5” margin so none of the story is obscured when it is put in a three-ring binder for judging.

What identifying information IS allowed on my entry?

• Text of the story, headlines/subheads, datelines, publication dates
• Informational graphics (blacken graphic credit)

What identifying information is NOT allowed on my entry?

• Bylines, photographer/designer/graphic/editor credits, URLs with the paper’s name in it (be sure to check the bottom of your printout), headshots/photos, newspaper name
• Editor’s letter

Tip:  Correction fluid works best to cover up identifying information.

May I hand write information such as publication dates on my entry?
Yes you may.

May I use markers to cover up identifying information?
Yes you may. Correction fluid also works well to cover up information.

Should I include sidebars with my entry?
One sidebar per story is allowed, published on the same day of the story they reference. You are not required to include them.

May I submit a series?
Identified series (ie: “Part 1 of a three-part series) are allowed, but each installment will count as a separate story. If a winning series has multiple bylines, the award will be given to the media outlet rather than the individual.

May I submit stories—not part of series—that have more than one byline?
If you are entering five stories that are NOT part of a series, only one of them may have multiple bylines. You must write on the top page of that story: “Multiple byline; entrant did main writing.”

If you are entering a series, it can have multiple bylines. In that case, the award will be given to the media outlet rather than the individual.

May I submit more or less than five (5) stories for the Templeton Reporter contest?
You must submit five (5) stories. 

What is the publishing date range to enter stories in the 2008 RNA Templeton Reporter Contest?

Stories published Jan. 1, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2007 are eligible.

Do I have to number the pages in my entry?
No.

Should I submit personal comments or a letter from my editor with my Templeton Reporter entry?
No.

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.

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.

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. Entries will be placed into notebooks for judging.

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.

TEMPLETON REPORTER ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS

Is there a circulation-size requirement for Templeton Reporter?
No. All newspaper sizes are eligible.

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

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 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 Templeton Reporter?
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.

I’m a columnist who writes about religion. May I enter Templeton Reporter?
Yes.

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).

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

Are broadcast outlets or online-only outlets eligible to enter Templeton Reporter?
Templeton Reporter is for print-primary publications. However, articles that also appeared on a newspaper’s or magazine's Web site are eligible as well.

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.

TEMPLETON REPORTER GENERAL QUESTIONS

May I submit more than one entry for the Templeton Reporter Award?
Yes. You may enter Templeton Reporter as many times as you like, provided the stories 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.

If my entry (computer printouts) is anonymous, how do you know who won?
We assign each entry a unique number. We write that number on the entry form and the entry itself. The judges list the winners by entry number. The RNA staff then matches the entry number to the entry form to reveal the winners’ names.

Who judges the contest?
Contest judgers are normally former award-winning religion reporters (no longer on the beat).

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 Templeton Reporter’s cash awards?
First—$3,500, Second—$400, Third—$200

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 check and plaque.

Can 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).

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