The Individual Award nominations deadline for the 2014 MPA Better Newspaper Contest has been extended to July 25, 2014. The guidelines for entering are shown below. Elaborate portfolios are not necessary – only the content is judged.

UNSUNG HERO AWARD: For any staff member, in any department, whose contributions to his or her newspaper have been essential but often overlooked. Nominations may include examples of the nominee’s work and letters from supervisors and/or co-workers detailing his or her contributions.

ADVERTISING PERSON OF THE YEAR: For an advertising employee whose work has been truly distinguished over the course of a year or years. Candidates may have established unique marketing plans or stood out through other measures such as sales record. Work samples may be included with a nomination letter.

BOB DRAKE YOUNG WRITER’S AWARD: For a full-time staffer of an MPA newspaper with fewer than two years of full-time experience as of July 11, 2014. A letter from the staffer’s supervisor must contain a review of the nominee’s experience and accomplishments. School or college newspaper experience does not count as full-time experience. Entries will be evaluated on writing quality, enterprise, imagination, thoroughness, balance and general reporting. As many as six articles may be submitted.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR: For an exceptional news employee whose work has been truly distinguished over the previous year or a period of years. A reasonable number of news clips, photographs or other samples of work must be included with a cover letter from the nominee’s editor or publisher. The nominee must be a staff employee of a member newspaper.

Mail all nominations by July 25, 2014 to:
Diane Norton, Executive Director
Maine Press Association
PO Box 336
Camden, ME 04843
Email: mainepressmail@gmail.com
Note: If the number of entries is insufficient for any individual award, that award may not be given out. In that case, any nominations will be held over for the following year.