SABEW s BEST IN BUSINESS CANADA COMPETITION Contest Year This contest covers work published, broadcast and posted in the calendar year 2015.

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1 SABEW s BEST IN BUSINESS CANADA COMPETITION Contest Year 2015 Welcome to the 2 nd annual Best in Business awards competition, sponsored by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. This contest covers work published, broadcast and posted in the calendar year Eligibility, category, entry and deadline information is below. Finalists will be notified in March 2016, and a complete list will be posted at sabew.org. Winners will be awarded at the BIB Canada Award Ceremony on April 20, The 2015 Best in Business contest opens Jan. 1, QUICK FACTS DEADLINES: Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST, Feb. 16, ENTRY FEES: $50 USD per entry NEED HELP? Send us your questions at bib@sabew.org. GENERAL RULES ELIGIBILITY: Best in Business Canada is open to all Canadian members of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers in good standing as of the date of entry. For entries with more than one byline, one person must be a SABEW member in good standing. Regular membership is defined by SABEW s constitution and bylaws, particularly Article III. (View at Good standing means SABEW has received your membership dues and your membership is current as of the date you submit your entries. Check membership status at your member profiles: Please direct membership questions to Crystal Beasley, membership coordinator, at cbeasley@sabew.org or (602)

2 DEADLINES: Contest entries will be accepted online only, using the BIB entry form at sabew.org. Entry period begins at 12:00 a.m., Jan. 1, 2016 EST and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST, Feb. 16, FORM OF ENTRIES: Contest entries will be accepted in PDF and/or through permalinks from URLs. COVER LETTERS (OPTIONAL): If you wish to submit a one-page cover letter (doublespaced), attach it to your entry as a PDF. (To help the judges, please style the PDF title like this: yournamecoverletter.pdf) MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: The same story or package may be entered in no more than two categories. Each entry must be made separately, and a separate entry fee will be charged. You may submit more than one entry in the same category. PAYMENT: Unless prior arrangements are made with SABEW, payment must be made in USD by Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express through the secure BIB entry program. Entrants will receive an ed receipt for each payment we receive. Please note: There is the ability to leave entries and come back to them for completion later, allowing for a single payment once all entries have been made. No entries will be judged without completing the entry process. JUDGING: Each category will be judged by a panel of business journalists who will award a maximum of first, second and third place in each category (where a sufficient number of entries is received). If there are ten entries, only first and second place prizes may be awarded. If there are greater than ten entries, first second and third place prizes may be awarded. HOW JUDGES WERE SELECTED: Prominent journalists or journalism educators are selected by the Best in Business Canada Contest Committee. Each category is judged by a group of judges chaired by a head judge. Judges decisions are final.

3 RULES FOR EACH CATEGORY A one-page cover letter may be submitted with entries as a PDF. (To help the judges keep track of things, please style the PDF title like this: yournamecoverletter.pdf) Submit entries as permalink URLs or PDFs. Unless otherwise noted, entries may include up to five elements, including but not limited to stories, videos, graphics. CONTEST CATEGORIES Investigative: In-depth, watchdog reporting that: a) presents important information that was unknown to the general public and was unavailable from other sources before publication; b) demonstrates an obvious need for change in law/policy/behavior. Commentary: Reported coverage that reflects the point of view of a writer, writers and/or news organization. Includes blogs as well as unsigned editorials and individual columns. Entrants should choose their best four examples and submit them as permalink URLs. For unsigned editorials, names of editorial board members must be included in the list of contributors. Feature (long-form): A single story or series that: a) does not require a time element to be relevant; b) that demonstrates creative approaches to writing and/or presentation; c) is longer than 2,500 words.

4 Feature (short-form): A single story or series that: a) does not require a time element to be relevant; b) that demonstrates creative approaches to writing and/or presentation; c) is shorter than 2,500 words. Personal finance/investing: Personal finance reporting and/or commentary on any platform. Works may be from one reporter or from various reporters covering personal finance. Entrants should choose their best five examples and submit them as permalink URLs. Multimedia: Entries can be packages that combine multimedia elements in unique and interesting ways. Data visualization projects are encouraged for entry in this category, as are stories, projects and initiatives that exemplify creativity and originality. Judges will interpret this category broadly. Examples might include unique uses of multimedia elements, mobile apps or data visualization projects that debuted in It could be a package of stories that use nontraditional storytelling techniques. The division is format- and platform-agnostic. Entries will be judged against each other, with judges weighing mission and size of entrant. For paid tablet or smartphone apps, entrants must make access available to SABEW for judges use. Package or ongoing series: A collection of articles and/or multimedia elements on a particular topic or theme that work together to tell a memorable story. Works may be from one reporter or from various reporters contributing to the package. Submit 3-6 elements.

5 Beat reporting: Reporting on a beat of your choosing, such as energy, technology, small business and media. Entry requires three stories. Works may be from one reporter or from various reporters covering a specific beat. Profile: A business-themed profile of a person or company that informs and engages the reader. Breaking News: A story or collection of stories during a 24-hour period covering a breaking business news event. Works may be from one reporter or from various reporters from the organization. Must include a cover letter explaining how the online coverage added value and differentiated itself from other publications. Infographics, accompanying photos and other media that added to the coverage may be included. Local: This division is format- and platform- agnostic. This category is open to non-national news outlets and covers business reporting that focuses on a local issue or the local impact of a national or global business issue. Submit up to three elements.