(click on categories for descriptions and judging criteria)
Television
The AJAs recognizes there is a diversity of TV news presentation in the region and wish to encourage entries from both private and public broadcasters. TV entries therefore are limited to the following formula. The maximum number of entries per station is listed.
The cameraperson and editor involved in the story can also be listed as a nominee along with the journalist.
In this category there will be three finalists including one overall gold winner and two silver winners.
These awards, in the opinion of the judges, display the most skill in reporting a breaking news event. Breaking News applies to stories completed in response to an unanticipated event.
Entrants are encouraged to include any digital elements to the stories which enhances the coverage.
Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include the story's chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete the story.
Evaluation Scale / Main Factors
30% Degree of difficulty – logistical and other challenges experienced in getting and filing the story, including deadline pressure.
30% Comprehensiveness and quality of information.
30% The quality of writing and presentation.
10% Resources used by the journalists.
Televsion
The AJAs recognizes there is a diversity of TV news presentation in the region and wish to encourage entries from both private and public broadcasters. TV entries therefore are limited to the following formula. The maximum number of entries per station is listed.
In this category there will be three finalists including one overall gold winner and two silver winners.
These awards, in the opinion of the judges, display initiative and show enterprise in journalism. Investigative journalism stories are welcome in this category. Continuing coverage of a breaking news event may also be entered here.
Judges will look for enterprising journalism that goes beyond the obvious, the ordinary, the expected, and the regular. They will look for journalism that puts issues in context and in perspective and thereby makes those issues make sense.
Entries should include an item, or a series of not more than three related stories that displays enterprise as well as depth and quality of research. The difficulty of the story or stories will be considered.
The photojournalist/cameraperson and editor involved in the story can also be listed as a nominee along with the journalist.
Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include the story's chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete the story.
Evaluation Scale / Main Factors
30% Entries which display initiative and show enterprise in journalism, going beyond the obvious, the ordinary, and the expected.
30% Issues are in context and in perspective.
30% The difficulty of the story.
10% Resources used by the journalists.
Television
The AJAs recognizes there is a diversity of TV news presentation in the region and wish to encourage entries from both private and public broadcasters. TV entries therefore are limited to the following formula. The maximum number of entries per station is listed.
In this category there will be three finalists including one overall gold winner and two silver winners.
These awards, in the opinion of the judges, display excellence and creativity in the presentation of feature or human interest stories with journalistic merit.
The entry can be the original item plus not more than 3 items if a series.
The cameraperson and editor involved in the story can also be listed as a nominee along with the journalist.
Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include the story's chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete the story.
Evaluation Scale / Main Factors
30% The substance of the story.
30% How well the story is told.
30% The treatment of the story. It includes such ingredients as novelty or original treatment, drama, personalization, human interest, humor, and pathos.
10% Resources used by the journalist.
This category is open to television stations only. No online material.
Each news jurisdiction may enter one complete newscast The newscast can be either one half hour or one hour.
The newscast date is open to any newscast during the year. No restrictions as to a broadcast date.
The maximum numbers of newscasts that can be entered are:
NTV - 1
CBC NL - 1
GLOBAL NS - 1
GLOBAL NB - 1
CTV - 1
CBC NS -1
CBC NB -1
CBC PEI - 1
Radio-Canada Acadie - 1
There will be three finalists including one overall gold winner and two silver winners.
Judges will look for the newscasts that have the best journalistic merit and which combine spot news, continuing coverage, feature, enterprise reporting and weather reporting into an informative newscast.
Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the newscast and how it developed. Details should include the newscasts chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete the story.
Evaluation Scale / Main Factors
20% Anchor/in studio presentations
20% Use of spot news, enterprise reporting, continuing coverage, features, weather,sports, interviews
20% Journalistic content and balance.
20% Relevance to audience.
20% Production values.
This category is open to Video journalists working in television.
The Videojournalist "Show of Work" category is for television journalists who are reporter, camera operator and editor. In this category there will be three finalists including an overall gold winner and two silver winners.
VJs should submit one Show of Work entry, which should consist of three different stories broadcast during the calendar year.
The judges will look for entries in which a journalist, acting as reporter, camera operator and editor, displays the most skill in reporting, shooting and editing a news story. Each entry should be accompanied by a short explanation of the story and how it developed. Details should include the story's chronology and circumstances affecting its gathering and presentation as well as the resources (money and time) available to complete the story.
Evaluation Scale / Main Factors
30% The quality of research, writing and presentation.
30% The degree of difficulty – logistical and other challenges experienced in getting and filing the story.
30% Excellence of composition, clarity and crispness of the images and audio.
