For excellence in arts and culture coverage. Arts reviews, previews, criticisms, multimedia, commentaries, personal essays, arts news and features and profiles are all accepted in this category. Topics can include movies, music, television, books, dance, visual arts, food, fashion and others of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story related to arts and culture?

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness, creativity, enterprise and persistence?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?

• Is the story well told, compelling and properly explained?

• Is the topic accessible to both a specialized and general audience?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in community service reporting. This award is only open to CUP member publications. News, features, newsletters, multimedia, columns and other stories and projects will be accepted. Singular stories, series, subsections, beat reporting and more will be considered. Projects which had an impact on a newspaper’s community will be considered. One project per submission is permitted. Publications can submit a maximum of two entries for this award.

Submissions must include a 500-word supporting letter outlining how reporting impacted a newspaper’s community including if change was made and what purpose the reporting served.

• Is the submission’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the submission have a political, social or cultural impact on the community?

• How important was research, resourcefulness and persistence in the submission?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including a range of diverse and varied voices, perspectives, statistics and more in the coverage?

For excellence in web design. Interactive stories and online layout will be accepted for this award. Up to five pages may be submitted as link form on a single sheet (for example: a special landing page, a website homepage, etc). Publications must only submit once for this award.

• Is the submission unique, original, significant and intuitive?

• Is the submission technically sound?

• Is the submission an active part of the online culture of a university’s community?

• Is the web design innovative?

• Is the design easy to use and have accessibility features?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in feature writing. This award is only open to CUP member publications. Single or multi-part stories may be submitted as long as total word counts are between 1,000 and 4,500 words. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Was the narrative compelling?

• Did the story enhance readers’ comprehension of the issue?

• Did the work tell us about how we live now or deepen understanding of community histories?

• How important was research, resourcefulness, persistence and enterprise in the telling of this story? Would there have been difficulty in getting this information?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including a range of diverse and varied voices, perspectives, statistics and more in the coverage?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in humour and satire writing. Essays, satirical news, columns, multimedia and comic strips among other forms will be considered. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story original, creative and coherent?

• Does the story reflect the community and refrain from inaccurately and offensively portraying specific communities such as marginalized peoples?

• Is the story inventive and experimental — i.e., does the piece experiment with form, incongruity, literary devices and more?

• Does the content seem natively humourous — i.e., do the themes dealt with seem to best be dealt with by taking a humorous approach?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in reporting on Indigenous communities. News, features, photo essays, multimedia and columns will be accepted. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper. Special consideration will be given to stories that highlight concerns not receiving coverage from non-student press.

• Does the reporting broaden the audience’s understanding of a specific issue facing Indigenous communities?

• Is the reporting fair, balanced and understanding of varied Indigenous community concerns and experiences?

• Does the reporting educate the audience on the historic and ongoing challenges of the relationships between Indigenous peoples in Canada, the people in power and settlers?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?
  

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in investigative reporting for publications whose revenue is under $100,000. This award is only open to CUP member publications. Stories submitted can be of any length under 4,500 words. News, features and other forms are accepted in this category. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper and of public importance.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story have a political, social or cultural impact on the community?

• How important was research, resourcefulness, persistence and enterprise in the telling of this story? Would there have been difficulty in getting this information?

• Did the journalist demonstrate the skillful use of FOI and/or public records, data and/or a variety of on the record and confidential sources in this project?

• Does the story take a complicated subject and make it clear and easy to follow for the audience?

• Was the story written in a compelling manner?

• Did the story result in change?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including a range of diverse and varied voices, perspectives, statistics and more in the coverage?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in investigative reporting for publications whose revenue is over $100,000. This award is only open to CUP member publications. Stories submitted can be of any length under 4,500 words. News, features and other forms are accepted in this category. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper and of public importance.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story have a political, social or cultural impact on the community?

• How important was research, resourcefulness, persistence and enterprise in the telling of this story? Would there have been difficulty in getting this information?

• Did the journalist demonstrate the skillful use of FOI and/or public records, data and/or a variety of on the record and confidential sources in this project?

• Does the story take a complicated subject and make it clear and easy to follow for the audience?

• Was the story written in a compelling manner?

• Did the story result in change?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including a range of diverse and varied voices, perspectives, statistics and more in the coverage?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in labour reporting. This award is only open to CUP member publications. News, features, multimedia and profiles are all accepted in this category. Topics may include the social, economic and political factors that impact labour environments, unionization, hearings, lawsuits, strikes and other topics of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness and persistence?

• Does the story provide a complete understanding of an event or issue?

• Is this story related to labour issues?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in reporting on marginalized communities. Profiles, news, multimedia, features and other forms of journalism will be considered. Topics may include coverage of an event, issue, conversation or person of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness and persistence?

• Does the story focus on a topic directly related to marginalized communities?

• Does the writer practice trauma-informed reporting, if needed?

• Is the story positioned toward social progress or change?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in news reporting. Breaking news, continuing coverage, major developing stories, scoops, data journalism, beat reporting and others will all be accepted for this award. Long-term news projects and features will not be considered. Business, health, court and other beats fall under this category. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Did the story have a community impact?

• Did the story include content and information unique to the intended audience?

• Has the writer balanced multiple sources?

• Are quotes used effectively and are they properly attributed?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness and persistence?

• Was the material presented in a creative and compelling fashion?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in French language reporting. Breaking news, continuing coverage, major developing stories, scoops and beat reporting of any topic will all be accepted for this award, so long as it is written and originally published in French. Long-term news projects, opinions, humour, multimedia and features will not be considered. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Did the story have a community impact?

• Did the story include content and information unique to the intended audience?

• Has the writer balanced multiple sources?

• Are quotes used effectively and are they properly attributed?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness and persistence?

• Was the material presented in a creative and compelling fashion?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission. Supporting documentation can be written in French or English.

For excellence in opinion writing. Columns, analysis, multimedia, editorials, op-eds, letters, reported opinions and other forms of opining will be accepted. Submissions must articulate an argument and be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• How well would this story engage a reader of the intended audience?

• Is the story’s claim unique or original? Does it add something new to any national or regional conversation that it is entering?

• Does the writer address their positionality in their writing?

• Are all arguments backed up by research and presented in a logical manner?

• Does this work identify an issue of some importance and help the reader to understand it in a new way?

• Does the article encourage reader response?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in science reporting. News, features, multimedia and profiles will be accepted. Topics must be related to science and can include technology, business, public health, scientific research including social science, the environment, artificial intelligence and others of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness and persistence?

• Does the story translate a complex topic in science or technology in a way that is easy to understand for the newspaper’s audience? Is the story accessible?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in sports coverage. Previews, recaps, multimedia profiles, commentaries, news and features about sports and movement will be accepted. Topics must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

• Is the story’s subject matter original, significant and timely?

• Does the story demonstrate research, resourcefulness, creativity and persistence?

• Is the story well told, compelling and properly explained?

• Is the topic accessible to both a specialized and general audience?

• Was the work fair to people portrayed in and impacted by the story?

• Does the work reflect the community by including diverse voices and perspectives?
  

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in designing layout. Newspaper and magazine covers, centerfold feature layout or special designs will be considered. A maximum of two pages will be considered. This award is judging the visuals and layout and how coverage is communicated by the layout, not the coverage itself.

• Does the layout design make for a strong visual image that conveys the intended message?

• Are colour, the copy and typefaces used effectively to make important information stand out?

• Are the main story and photo(s) featured prominently?

• Is the layout representative of the writing? Is it fair, trauma-informed, etc.

• Are all photos/artwork cropped and sized properly?

• Is there a clear relationship between the story and images on the page?
  

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in illustration and graphics. The visual must enhance a story from an informational and/or aesthetic standpoint. All mediums will be considered. Factors of judging will be colour, artistry, clarity, creativity and impact. If the visual accompanied a written story, please include a link to it in the supporting letter.

• Does the artist display superior artistic talent?

• Does the graphic or illustration enhance the reader’s understanding of the piece?

• Is the illustration or graphic true to the story contents and journalistically sound?

• Does the illustration or graphic have purpose? i.e., are there elements relevant to the story being told that are best told by the visual copy?
  

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in video storytelling. Submissions must be pieces of original reporting. Topics can fall under any JHM topics such as arts and culture, community service, features, humour, Indigenous reporting, investigations, labor, marginalized community reporting, news, opinion, science and/or sports and must be of relevance to the community of the newspaper.

Videos must be longer than one minute, but shorter than 10 minutes, and must be submitted as a link. Publications can submit a maximum of two entries for this award.

• Is the submission original, significant, intuitive and timely?

• Is video the best way to convey the reporting?

• Is the submission an active part of the online culture of a university’s community?

• Is the submission technically sound and accessible?

• Is the video innovative?

A 300-word supporting letter must be included upon submission.

For excellence in photography. News and arts photography will be accepted. Photos must be of a topic relevant to the community of the newspaper and must adhere by photojournalistic ethics. Only one photo per submission will be considered, and photos will be judged on technical ability and artistic license.

Photos, in JPEG form, must be accompanied by a caption and alternative text. Screenshot of photos will not be accepted.

• Is the photo’s subject matter original, creative, significant and timely?

• Does the photo utilize colour well, have excellent technical quality, composition and lighting and communicate a story?

• Does the photographer display a concrete grasp of photography skills and photojournalism ethics?

• For news photos, impact, news judgment, timing, reflex, composition and creativity will be considered.

• For arts photos, drama, humour, poignancy, as well as talent within a particular scene relating to the arts will be considered. Focus must be on the art form captured.
  

A 300-word supporting letter can be included upon submission.

For excellence as a student journalist. This award is only open to CUP member publications. This award is intended to highlight and focus on student journalists who have taken initiative as an editor or with a unique, diverse perspective and beat who primarily works in written media.

This is just as much a leadership award as a skill award. The award will also focus on highlighting student journalists equipped to bring unique and meaningful contributions to Canadian media.

Students who submit to this category cannot submit for Student Journalist of the Year, Multimedia.

Submissions must include:

• A copy of a nominee’s resume, which should highlight past experience in various journalism fields or related areas. Contact information such as email and phone number must be included.

• A portfolio of published work of at most three pieces in link and PDF form.

• A one-page work report highlighting special projects, accomplishments or initiatives tackled within the applicant’s tenure as a student journalist. It should also outline a statement of purpose surrounding their journalistic body so far.

• A letter of reference.

For excellence as a student journalist. This award is only open to CUP member publications. This award is intended to highlight and focus on student journalists who have taken initiative as an editor or with a unique, diverse perspective and beat who primarily work in photojournalism, visual journalism, audio/broadcast journalism.

This is just as much a leadership award as a skill award. The award will also focus on highlighting student journalists equipped to bring unique and meaningful contributions to Canadian media.

Students who submit to this category cannot submit for Student Journalist of the Year, Written.

Submissions must include:

• A copy of a nominee’s resume, which should highlight past experience in various journalism fields or related areas. Contact information such as email and phone number must be included.

• A portfolio of published work of at most three pieces in either link (video, audio) or JPEG format (photo). Photo series and photo essays count as one work and can be submitted in link and PDF form. All standalone photos must include a caption and alternative text.

• A one-page work report highlighting special projects, accomplishments or initiatives tackled within the applicant’s tenure as a multimedia journalist. It should also outline a statement of purpose surrounding their journalistic photo portfolio so far.

• A letter of reference.

For annual student journalism excellence. This award is intended to highlight student press groups’ annual reporting, community and staff engagement, new initiatives and relevance and impact on its communities. This award is only open to CUP member publications.

Submissions must include:

• A one-page work report of what your newspaper has accomplished in the past year and why it should win the award.

• Up to a maximum of five portfolio pieces that demonstrate the newspaper’s impact. This can include articles, photos, website pages, social media pages, newsletters, policies, etc.

Three publications will be shortlisted and CUP membership will vote on the winner. The shortlisted publications cannot vote for themselves.