Hearst Journalism Awards

The Hearst Journalism Awards program is a multi-level awards program that features scholarship money for the winners. To be considered for an award, students must first submit their entries to the designated contact in the Hubbard School. 

Writing Competitions

Entries must be emailed to Gayle (G.G.) Golden at [email protected]. Please include the url to the publication plus the following: Student name, address, phone, year in school and major(s). If you are submitting work in a professional publication that is not affiliated with the school, please provide an email from your editor that verifies the work was fundamentally your own and required only standard editing.

Feature Writing
Deadline: Submit article (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Oct. 27, 2023
Creative feature writing: color or mood article covering news, business, feature or entertainment as opposed to a hard conventional news story or personality profile. Stories should be memorable for their reporting, crafting, creativity and economy of expression. Sidebars subordinate in length and content to the article may be included.
All articles must be disseminated in print or online or both from Oct. 1, 2022 through Oct. 31, 2023.

Explanatory Reporting
Deadline: Submit article (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Dec. 1, 2023
Entries are the best example of explanatory reporting that illuminates a significant and complex subject,
demonstrating understanding and command of the subject, lucid writing and clear presentation. If from a series, only one article of the series may be submitted, but must be accompanied by not more than one page summarizing the remaining articles and describing resultant actions, if any. Sidebars subordinate in length and content to the article may be included.
All articles must be disseminated in print or online or both from Dec. 1, 2022 through Dec. 5, 2023.

Sports Writing
Deadline: Submit article (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Jan. 19, 2024
A news, feature story or commentary in sports, which must relate to an event or issue, not to a sports personality. Sidebars subordinate in length and content to the article may be included.
All articles must be disseminated in print or online or both from Jan. 1, 2023 through Jan. 23, 2024.

Personality/Profile Writing
Deadline: Submit article (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Feb. 9, 2024
A personality sketch of an individual on or off campus.
All articles must be disseminated in print or online or both from Feb. 1, 2023 through Feb. 13, 2024.

NEW! TEAM Investigative Reporting
Deadline: Submit article (or notice of its upcoming publication) by March 22, 2024.
For the best example of substantive investigative reporting that covers the subject intelligently and thoroughly, with special attention paid to overcoming particular challenges or difficulties in reporting or publishing, and any significant impact from the reporting. Each submission should include a description of the reporting that was required and how access to essential information was achieved, noting any special challenges and describing any actual or potential impact. If from a series, one article of the series may be submitted, but must be accompanied by not more than one page summarizing the remaining articles and describing resultant actions, if any. Sidebars subordinate in length and content to the article may be included. Any corrections or clarifications to the reporting after its publication must be identified and explained. Entrants MUST be undergraduate students (with the exception of minor help from graduate students who may have assisted with the project.)
All articles must be disseminated in print or online or both from March 1, 2023 through March 26, 2024. 

Audio and Television Competitions

Entries must be emailed to Scott Libin at [email protected]. Please include the audio/video link plus the following: Student name, address, phone, year in school and major(s). If you are submitting work in a professional publication that is not affiliated with the school, please provide an email from your editor that verifies the work was fundamentally your own and required only standard editing.

Television Features
Deadline: Submit video (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Nov. 10, 2023
Entries must be non-deadline reporting of personalities, events, or issues. Entries may be based on but not limited to public affairs, business, investigations, science, sports or weather. Each entry must consist of at least two reports totaling no more than ten minutes. The reports may be part of a longer newscast, but the entry itself is limited to ten minutes. Entries may be accompanied by multimedia versions of the reports entered as long as they were produced primarily by the entrant.
Entries must have been disseminated on air or online or both from Sept. 1, 2022 through Nov. 14, 2023.

Audio News and Features
Deadline: Submit audio (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Jan. 12, 2024
Entries must be coverage of breaking or developing news stories, and/or non-deadline news, non-deadline reporting of personalities, events, or issues. Entries may be based on but not limited to public affairs, business, investigations, science, sports or weather. Each entry must consist of at least two report in news and/or features, totaling no more than seven minutes. The reports may be part of a longer newscast, but the entry itself is limited to seven minutes. Entries may be accompanied by multimedia versions of the reports entered if they were produced primarily by the entrant.
Entries must have been disseminated on air or online or both from Sept. 1, 2022 through Jan. 16, 2024.

Television News
Deadline: Submit audio (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Feb. 16, 2024
Entries must be based on coverage of breaking or developing news stories related to campus, community, national or international issues, sports, business, investigative, science, weather or other current newsworthy matters. Reports must have a hard news focus, regardless of subject. Each entry must consist of at least two reports totaling no more than ten minutes. The reports may be part of a longer newscast, but the entry itself is limited to ten minutes. Entries may be accompanied by multimedia versions of the reports entered as long as they were produced primarily by the entrant.
All entries submitted must have been disseminated on air or online or both from Sept. 1, 2023 through Feb. 20, 2024.

Multimedia Competitions

Entries must be emailed to Regina McCombs at [email protected]. Please include the entry link plus the following: Student name, address, phone, year in school and major(s). If you are submitting work in a professional publication that is not affiliated with the school, please provide an email from your editor that verifies the work was fundamentally your own and required only standard editing.

Narrative Video Storytelling 
Deadline: Submit entry (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Nov. 13, 2023
Entries consist of a story on any topic that is told through the medium of video for a digital audience. Judges will consider the uniqueness of presentation, how the work incorporates digital storytelling techniques and the impact and strength of the journalism produced. One video per entrant. Entries are defined as a single piece of journalism executed essentially by one journalist. They may not include dramatization and must have been published on the web.
The entry must have been produced and posted between Sept. 1, 2022 and Nov. 15, 2023.

Innovative Storytelling and Audience Engagement
Deadline: Submit entry (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Jan. 26, 2024
Entries demonstrate original and innovative ways to tell stories and engage with audiences using immersive digital tools and techniques. Stories may be told through emerging media such as virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and 360 video, as well as use of graphics, data visualization, animation, video, photos and social media. Judges will consider the quality of the journalism, innovative use of digital tools and techniques, originality and effective audience engagement. Entries are defined as a single piece of journalism executed essentially by one journalist. They may not include dramatization and must have been published on the web.​​​​​​​ Entries should include a brief explanation of the innovation attempted, the tools or techniques employed, and the success of the project in reaching and engaging the targeted community.​​​​​​​ One project per entrant.
The entry must have been produced and posted between Sept. 1, 2022 and Jan. 30, 2024.

Digital News or Enterprise Story – Individual
Deadline: Submit entry (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Feb. 23, 2024
Entries consist of individual reporting based on a single news event or enterprise or explanatory journalism around a newsworthy event or issue.​​​​​​​ Each entry must consist of at least three components that, together, tell the story. Components may include writing, photographs, audio, video, graphics, data, emerging media and social media.​​​​​​​ Judges will consider the newsworthiness of the topic, range and execution of digital techniques employed and the quality of the journalism.​​​​​​​ Entries are defined as a single piece of journalism executed essentially by one journalist. They may not include dramatization and must have been published on the web.​​​​​​​ One project per entrant.
The entry must have been produced and posted between Sept. 1, 2022 and Feb. 27, 2024.

Digital News or Enterprise Story—Team
Deadline: Submit entry (or notice of its upcoming publication) by April 5, 2024
Entries consist of team reporting based on a single news event or enterprise or explanatory journalism around a newsworthy event or issue. Each entry must consist of at least three components that, together, tell the story. Components may include writing, photographs, audio, video, graphics, data, emerging media and social media. Judges will consider the newsworthiness of the topic, range and use of digital tools and techniques employed, and the quality of the journalism. Entries may not include dramatization and must have been published on the web. Entrants MUST be undergraduate students (with the exception of minor help from graduate students who may have assisted with the project).  Awards will be shared by the individual undergraduates on the winning teams. There will be no Championship component for this competition.
The entry must have been produced and posted between Sept. 1, 2022 and April 9, 2024. 

Photojournalism Competitions

Entries must be emailed to Regina McCombs at [email protected]. Please include the entry link plus the following: Student name, address, phone, year in school and major(s). If you are submitting work in a professional publication that is not affiliated with the school, please provide an email from your editor that verifies the work was fundamentally your own and required only standard editing.

News and Features
Deadline: Submit entry (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Nov. 3, 2023
An entry consists of a minimum of four images (at least two news and two features) and a maximum of eight
images. News: breaking news, general news or news photos relating to sporting events. Features: features, portraits, sports, documentary photography.
All photographs must have been taken during the following time frame, and one image must have been disseminated in print or online or both from Sept. 1, 2022 through Nov. 7, 2023.

Picture Story/Series - Visual Journalism
Deadline: Submit entry (or notice of its upcoming publication) by Feb. 2, 2024
Each entry must include one picture story/series (still images) with up to fifteen images on any subject. Optional: entrant may include a video that contains the images submitted in the picture story, not to exceed 60 seconds. Nat sound or dialog is acceptable, but not necessary.
All photographs must have been taken during the following time frame, and one image must have been disseminated in print or online or both from Sept. 1, 2023 through Feb. 6, 2024.