Best of Show
The ACP Best of Show contest is available to all student media outlets attending the Spring National College Media Convention.
The Best of Show competition features two divisions —
Staff Recognition
Individual Recognition
Best of Show winners will be announced on site at the convention awards ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8.
The deadlines and submission guidelines are different for the two categories, so review these details carefully.
Submission deadlines
Individual Recognition
Submit these entries by 5 p.m. CT Wednesday, Feb. 19, using the BetterBNC award platform. Technical assistance is available from BetterBNC on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.
Staff Recognition
Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon PT on Friday, March 7. The second copy is for the People’s Choice Awards.
- Magazine
- Newspaper/Newsmagazine
- Yearbook
A URL link or PDF file must be submitted by noon on Friday, March 7 for the following:
- Advertising Media Kit
- Broadcast News Program
- Digital Newsletter
- Website
Payment
The contest fee is $30 per entry for ACP members and $45 per entry for nonmembers. Best of Show entries are purchased while registering for the conference.
Staff Recognition
The awards in this category are presented to the student media outlet for the overall product. Only one submission is allowed in each category. The entries compete directly against each other, and a critique or scoresheet is not provided.
The Best of Show winner receives the iconic ACP Best of Show trophy, with second through 10th place winners receiving certificates. The awards in this category are presented to student media staff. The media outlet must be represented by registered student delegates at the convention.
Deadline is noon PT on Friday, March 7.
Advertising Media Kit
Must be designed by students for a student media operation. The media kit tells the
story of your products, services and your marketplace. Enter the current 2023-24 school year media kit. Submit URL link or PDF file (do NOT submit both) using one of the following links:
- Advertising Media Kit (all)
Broadcast News Program
Entries consist of a single broadcast news program aired between Aug, 1, 2024, and the contest deadline. Entries must be submitted as URL links (i.e., a YouTube or Vimeo link). The news program must be housed on a site or channel owned by a student media outlet and not a personal site or channel. Submit your URL using one of the following links:
- Broadcast News Program (two-year campus)
- Broadcast News Program (four-year campus)
Digital Newsletter
This category is for digital email newsletters highlighting top stories and breaking news delivered by email. Submit PDF file (with working links) for one newsletter published between Aug. 1, 2024, and the contest deadline using one of the following links:
- Digital Newsletter (two-year campus)
- Digital Newsletter (four-year campus)
Magazine
Submit the most recent magazine print issue in one of the categories. Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon PT on Friday, March 7. Only print entries are accepted.
- Feature Magazine (two-year campus)
- Feature Magazine (four-year campus)
- Literary Arts Magazine (two-year campus)
- Literary Arts Magazine (four-year campus)
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Submit an issue of the newspaper/newsmagazine, published between Aug. 1, 2024, and the contest deadline. Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon PT on Friday, March 7. Only print entries are accepted.
- Newspaper/Newsmagazine (two-year campus)
- Newspaper/Newsmagazine (four-year campus with 15,000 students or fewer)
- Newspaper/Newsmagazine (four-year campus with more than 15,000 students)
Yearbook
The 2023 yearbook should be entered. Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon PT on Friday, March 7. Only print entries are accepted.
- Yearbook (all)
Website
An online website actively updated throughout the current school year, competing in one of three categories and submitted as a URL link using one of the following links:
- Website (two-year campus)
- Website (four-year campus with 15,000 students or fewer)
- Website (four-year campus with more than 15,000 students)
Individual Recognition
Best of Show Individual Awards recognize specific student journalists for their achievement.
To be eligible for the Best of Show competition, the media outlet must be represented by registered student delegates at the convention.
For Individual Recognition competitions; however, students do not need to be present to participate.
The awards in this category are presented to individuals or teams of up to five staff members. There are no restrictions on the number of entries; however, an entry can be submitted in only one category. All entries should be published during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024) by your student media outlet.
The Best of Show category winner receives a plaque, with second through 10th place winners receiving certificates.
Deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 5 p.m. CT.
1. ADVERTISEMENT: Print, Online, Video, Audio
Produced by student(s) for a client and published or aired on student media during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submitted by URL for broadcast and online and PDF file for print through the BetterBNC award platform.
2. BROADCAST: News Story
Demonstrates broadcast news-gathering and reporting skills. Produced and aired during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submit a URL link through the BetterBNC award platform.
3. BROADCAST: Feature Story
Demonstrates broadcast human-interest storytelling and reporting skills. Produced and aired during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submit a URL link through the BetterBNC award platform.
4. BROADCAST: Sports Story
Coverage of past or present games or seasonal coverage, may also include profiles or sports personalities or human-interest sports features. Produced and aired during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submit a URL link through the BetterBNC award platform.
5. DESIGN: Magazine
Single-page or double-page spread appearing in a print literary arts or feature magazine. Submit a PDF file of the page or spread published during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024) through the BetterBNC award platform.
6. DESIGN: Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Single-page or double-page spread appearing in a print newspaper/newsmagazine. Submit a PDF file of the page or spread published during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024) through the BetterBNC award platform.
7. DESIGN: Yearbook
Single-page or double-page spread appearing in a print yearbook. Submit a PDF file of the page or spread published in the 2024 yearbook or submitted for the 2025 yearbook through the BetterBNC award platform.
8. PHOTOJOURNALISM: News/Feature Photo
News/feature photo appearing in print or online. Image should be from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024) Photos without captions will be disqualified. Submit a file (JPG, TIF, PNG) along with a caption through the BetterBNC award platform.
9. PHOTOJOURNALISM: Sports Photo
Sports photo appearing in print or online. Photos may include game/action shots and sports features such as fans, sidelines, etc. Image should be from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024) Photos without captions will be disqualified. Submit a file (JPG, TIF, PNG) along with a caption through the BetterBNC award platform.
10. REPORTING: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Stories from all publications and platforms are eligible. Long-form stories, published in print or online, should be accompanied by sidebars, graphics and data. Broadcast packages may also be entered. Eligible coverage will include but not limited to race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and other differences. Content should be published during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submit a URL link for broadcast and online or a PDF for print (do not submit both) using the BetterBNC award platform.
11. REPORTING: News Story
Reporting on breaking news or an issue of importance to your audience that demonstrates strong news-gathering skills and delivers concise information. Story should be from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submit a URL link for online or a PDF file of the printed page(s) (do not submit both) using the BetterBNC award platform.
12. REPORTING: Feature Story
Personality profiles or human-interest general features. Story should be from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2024). Submit a URL link for online or a PDF file of the printed page(s) (do not submit both) using the BetterBNC award platform.
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