ACP Best of Show
The ACP Best of Show contest is available to all student media outlets attending the Spring National College Media Convention.
Conference attendees may still enter the Staff Recognition categories.
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 11.
The deadlines and submission guidelines are different for the two categories, so review these details carefully.
People’s Choice Awards
Back by popular demand — you help pick the top print publication in attendance at the ACP Spring National College Media Conference in our People’s Choice Awards.
The People’s Choice Awards is open to print publications competing in Best of Show competition. When entering Best of Show, submit a second copy of your print publication for People’s Choice voting by the noon Friday deadline.
Then gather as a staff from 1-4 p.m. Friday to view the publications and make your all-staff votes. To cast your votes, put the ACP chips in the cups adjacent to your favorite publications.
The top vote-winners will be announced at the ACP Awards Ceremony along with the separate Best of Show contest winners at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, following the keynote speaker.
Submission deadlines
Individual Recognition entries were due by Feb. 27.
Staff Recognition: Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon PT Friday, March 10. The second copy is for the People’s Choice Awards.
Magazine
Newspaper
Yearbook
A URL link or PDF file must be submitted by noon PT Friday, March 10 for digital products.
Broadcast New Program
Website
Payment
Register and pay through online registration. Once online registration closes, attendees may still purchase Best of Show entries at the conference registration Best of Show desk until the deadline, noon PT Friday, March 10.
The contest fee is $30 per entry for ACP members and $45 per entry for nonmembers.
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.
Deadline is noon PT Friday, March 10.
Advertising Special Newspaper Section
A special advertising edition/section of the newspaper designed to generate revenue and provide sponsored feature content. Options include back-to-school, homecoming, orientation, welcome-back editions, holiday gift guides, fashion, housing guides and “best of” publications. A center spread is not considered a special edition. Submit PDF file or URL link (do not submit both) of the special newspaper section published after Aug, 1, 2022, using the link below.
1. Advertising special newspaper section (all)
Broadcast News Program
Entries consist of a single broadcast news program aired between Aug, 1, 2022, 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 the link below.
2. Broadcast news program (two-year campus)
3. Broadcast news program (four-year campus)
Digital Newsletter
This category is for digital newsletters highlighting top stories and breaking news delivered by email. Submit PDF file (with working links) for one newsletter published between Aug. 1, 2022, and the contest deadline using the link below.
4. Digital newsletter (two-year campus)
5. 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 on Friday, March 10. Only print entries are accepted.
6. Feature magazine (two-year campus)
7. Feature magazine (four-year campus)
8. Literary arts magazine (two-year campus)
9. Literary arts magazine (four-year campus)
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Submit one print copy of an issue of the newspaper/newsmagazine, published between Aug. 1, 2022, and the contest deadline. Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon on Friday, March 10. Only print entries are accepted.
10. Newspaper/Newsmagazine (two-year campus)
11. Newspaper/Newsmagazine (four-year campus with 15,000 students or less)
12. Newspaper/Newsmagazine (four-year campus with more than 15,000 students)
Yearbook
The 2022 yearbook should be entered. Two copies of print publications must be turned in to the conference registration Best of Show desk by noon on Friday, March 10. Only print entries are accepted.
13. 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.
15. Website (four-year campus with 15,000 students or less)
16. 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 staff must have a representative 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, 2022) 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. CT Monday, Feb. 27.
17. Blog
Must reflect journalistic standards in topic, coverage and writing and should appear on your student media outlet’s website. Entry must be a single blog, not a collection. Submit a URL link from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2022).
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
18. Podcast
Delivers relevant content through engaging audio storytelling and should appear on your student media outlet’s website. Entry must be a single podcast, not a collection. Submit a URL link from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2022).
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
19. Print Design
Single-page, double-page spread or a multi-spread presentation appearing in a print newspaper, magazine or yearbook. Submit PDF file of print newspaper design published after Aug. 1, 2022. Magazine and yearbook designs should be from the most recent publication.
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
20. Photojournalism
News, feature or sports photo appearing in print or online. Image should be from the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2022). Submit a file (JPG, TIF, PNG) along with a caption.
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
21. Social Justice Reporting
With a focus on equity and inclusion, news stories in this category are welcome from print, broadcast and online student media outlets. Submitted by URL for broadcast and online and PDF file for print and published during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2022).
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
22. Broadcast News Story
Demonstrates broadcast news-gathering and reporting skills. Produced and aired during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2022). Submit a URL link.
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
23. Broadcast Feature Story
Demonstrates broadcast human-interest storytelling and reporting skills. Produced and aired during the current school year (after Aug. 1, 2022). Submit a URL link.
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
24. 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, 2022). Submit a URL link.
> Submit entries using the BetterBNC platform.
25. 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, 2022). Submitted by URL for broadcast and online and PDF file for print..
