Entries are now open for the Society of Editors’ National Press Awards for 2019 – the ‘Oscars’ for the UK Press. The Awards will celebrate the best of British national journalism during 2019.

With revised, new and returning categories, entries can be made for work published in print, website, online, mobile, video, audio or any other news delivery format in any UK national newspaper or any news website or platform covering UK national news during 2019 (excluding broadcast media).

Following consultation with the industry, the awards this year will include three new awards recognising News Podcast, Lifestyle Podcast of the Year, and Business and Finance Team of the Year.

Ian Murray, chair of the judges and Executive Director of the Society of Editors said: “This has been a momentous year for news and the industry has shown itself remarkably able to report, explain and deliver the truth behind so much noise and confusion. Now is the time to recognise the very best of the very best.”

The Royal Lancaster London will provide the backdrop for the most prestigious event in the industry’s calendar with more than 400 editors, writers and columnists coming together to salute the quality, diversity and success of national journalism.

The closing date for entries will be to Friday 10 January 2020, allowing time for even the very last stories of the year to be included in submissions. A shortlist will be announced in February 2020.

Early entries are encouraged.

The Press Awards will culminate with a glittering gala dinner on Thursday 2 April 2020. They are organised on behalf of the industry by the Society of Editors.

Proceeds will help fund the Society of Editors campaigning for press freedom.

A full list of categories and entry guidance can be found on our website.

Any queries should be directed to 01223 304080 or office@societyofeditors.org

Award categories

Full guidance on how to enter can be found here.

Notes for categories

• * Journalists in these categories can submit joint byline work for no more than one example of up to three examples of their work.
• ** Two or more journalists working together on up to three examples of work. Can include work by full section teams. Judges’ focus will be on strength of examples submitted rather than numbers of journalists involved.

Young Journalist of the Year *
Open to journalists aged 26 or under on 31 December 2019 and entries can include work from any journalistic discipline. Judges will be looking for the individual who has made significant impact over the year.

Business and Finance Journalist of the Year *
For reporters, interviewers and commentators who work on economics, City, business and personal finance desks. Judges will be looking for the ability to break news and/or predict trends and/or analyse stories and explain issues to a general audience.

Political Reporter of the Year*
The winner will be the reporter who set the agenda with the biggest stories and/ or most revelatory writing.

Political Commentator of the Year*
The winner will be the writer whose articles were a must-read for anyone interested in the world of politics. The best writing, the best insight, the greatest authority.

Foreign Reporter of the Year*
For journalists who have been based in a foreign country or from where they have filed work that brings the country and its affairs to light for a UK audience.

Science Journalist of the Year*
For journalists who specialise in science journalism. The judges will look for journalists who led their field in 2019 – breaking news and/or analysing trends and throwing light on their subject for a wider audience.

Health Journalist of the Year*
For journalists who specialise in health journalism. The judges will look for journalists who led their field in 2019 – breaking news and/or analysing trends and throwing light on their subject for a wider audience.

Fashion Journalist of the Year*
The winner will be someone strong across the diverse range of forms: columns, features, interviews and show reports. Judges will look for writing that is informative, entertaining, and has the ability to engage with readers.

Technology Journalist*

The journalist who has shown consistently high standards in breaking technology stories, bringing complicated issues into the public domain and enabled the reader to have a wider understanding of breaking technology news.

Environment Journalist of the Year*
For journalists covering any issues that concern the environment. The judges will look for the best specialist journalist who led the field in 2019 – breaking news and/or analysing trends and throwing light on their subject for their audiences.

Travel Journalist of the Year*
For journalists covering travel in all its aspects such as hard news, features and reviews. The judges will look for the best specialist journalist who led the field in 2019 – fine writing, breaking news and/or analysing trends and throwing light on their subject for their audience.

Specialist Journalist of the Year*
For journalists with specialisms not covered by any other category, such as: education, arts, food, gardening, motoring or defence. The judges will look for the best specialist journalist who led the field in 2019 – breaking news and/or analysing trends and throwing light on their subject for their audiences.

Reporting Diversity Award*
The award will recognise a body of work from an individual or team that in the judges’ opinion has played a significant role in creating awareness of issues of diversity in the UK in all its forms. The submitted articles can include news reports, campaigns, spotlight features or interviews.

ShowBiz Reporter of the Year*
Judges will be looking for the best scoops and most informed writing in showbusiness which includes the worlds of stage, screen, TV and the music industry.

Sports Journalist of the Year*
Open to news writers, match reporters, feature writers, interviewers and columnists. Entries may be from a variety of sports or from one specialist area. Judges will be looking for brilliant writing and agenda-setting reporting that gave readers the best insight into sporting events during 2019.

Interviewer of the Year *
A: “Popular” and B: “Broadsheet” platforms
This award will be judged in two sections for “popular” and “broadsheet”. Judges will look for brilliant, engaging writing and revelatory news angles emerging from the interviews where the interviewer gets under the skin of the interviewee.

Columnist of the Year *
A: “Popular” and B: “Broadsheet” platforms
This award will be judged in two sections for “popular” and “broadsheet”. The winner will be a journalist who is a must-read, someone with a unique voice and the ability to provoke debate and may annoy as much as delight.

Feature Writer of the Year *
A: “Popular” and B: “Broadsheet” platforms
This award will be judged in two sections for “popular” and “broadsheet”. Judges will be looking for journalists who demonstrate great writing whether it be in features, news reportage, colour writing, analysis, and backgrounders.

Critic of the Year *
For reviews and criticism in any area of journalism – including theatre, dance, music, art, books, film, television and radio, food, etc. Writing that enlightens, compels and entertains the general reading audience will score highly.

Photographer of the Year
News and feature pictures are eligible. Judges will be looking for versatility, technical skill and the ability to capture the news picture that matters.

Sports Photographer of the Year
Entries can come from a single sport or from several and may be action shots or feature pictures. Judges will be looking for compelling images that get under the skin, capture the essence of a sport or a sports star, or reveal a unique moment of sporting drama.

Cartoonist of the Year
Pocket cartoons, strips, caricatures, political cartoons and illustrations are eligible in this category. Judges will be looking for the stand-out cartoons that feature regularly and that best capture the events of 2019.

Georgina Henry Award for Digital Innovation
The winner will be chosen by Women in Journalism which will organise how women journalists can enter. Entries cannot be submitted online via the Society of Editors’ website.

Journalists’ Charity Award 
The winner will be chosen by the Journalists’ Charity. This award cannot be entered and carries no entry fee.

Scoop of the Year
The story or series of stories on one subject, which everyone else wished they had broken. This can be awarded to an individual or a team.

Scoop: Popular Life
This category is open to journalists or the team who have created or specialise in seeking out stories of popular issues to readers. These could be around celebrities, sports personalities, the unusual, the bizarre, affairs of the heart or the heart-warming. The judges are looking for that one scoop from this field that struck a chord with the public.

Investigation of the Year

Body of work that reveals investigative skills of a team or individual to the full, lifting the lid and bringing to light the investigative news story no other news organisation has discovered.

Sports News Story of the Year
Body of work that reveals the skills of a sports team or individual to the full, lifting the lid and bringing to light a story no other sports news organisation has discovered. Entrants should include the original story and any follow-ups.

News Reporter of the Year *
The award will acknowledge good reporting on one or more stories across the year. The judges will be looking for exclusives, expertly researched and brilliantly told. Tenacity, flair and investigative skill will all score highly. In the case of long-running investigations, entrants may include up to three items to count as one story entry.

Team Awards

Business and Finance Team of the Year **

For journalist team who work on economics, City, business and personal finance desks. Judges will be looking for the ability to break news and/or predict trends and/or analyse stories and explain issues to a general audience.

News Podcast of the Year

This award recognises excellence in creating a regular news podcast covering news, politics or current affairs. The judges will be looking for excellence in innovation, presentation, content, knowledge and interpretation of the subject, as well as an understanding and ability to truly reach the target audience. Evidence of audience reach will be required, but size of audience will not be a deciding factor.

Lifestyle Podcast of the Year

This award recognises excellence in creating a regular podcast covering lifestyle topics such as entertainment, sport, fashion or leisure. The judges will be looking for excellence in innovation, presentation, content, knowledge and interpretation of the subject, as well as an understanding and ability to truly reach the target audience. Evidence of audience reach will be required, but size of audience will not be a deciding factor.

Supplement of the Year

Any supplement that is not a “magazine” but is published weekly, monthly or at other regular intervals throughout the year as part of a newspaper. Entries will be judged on outstanding content, design, use of photography and readability.

Magazine of the Year

A “magazine” published as an addition to an edition of a newspaper, weekly, monthly or at other regular intervals throughout the year. Entries will be judged on outstanding content, design, use of photography and readability.

Front Page of the Year
Judges will be looking for the outstanding and most memorable front
page published in print during the year.

The Cudlipp Award – Campaign of the Year – supported by the British
Journalism Review

The award, in partnership with the British Journalism Review, commemorates the journalism of the great editor and editorial director Hugh Cudlipp and recognises the Campaign of the Year. It is open to all editors, writers or teams of journalists. It can include campaigns which led to a law change and popular campaigns that captured the nation’s attention and achieved tangible results. This award is judged by a separate BJR panel of distinguished journalists who reserve the right to include nominations of their own. The entry process for the Cudlipp Award is the same as for the general categories.

News Website of the Year
This award will be decided by a distinguished panel of The Press Awards independent judges and carries no entry fee. The judges will look at the overall strength of a news website, either associated with a newspaper or stand-alone digital. The judges will take into account innovation, depth of coverage, and content presentation.

Chairman’s Award

In the gift of the Chairman of the Judges – an award that recognises a story, a feature, a body of work, a journalist or a team that has broken the mould. This award cannot be entered.

Daily Newspaper of the Year

The paper that has made the most impact and provided consistent high quality, ground-breaking coverage throughout the year. Judges will take into account not just front page splashes and investigations, but also coverage of sports, features, lifestyle and innovation: the whole package.

Sunday Newspaper of the Year

The Sunday paper that has made the most impact and provided consistent high quality, ground-breaking coverage throughout the year. Judges will take into account not just front page splashes and investigations, but also coverage of sports, features, lifestyle and innovation: the whole package.