The First Amendment Awards honor work that defends the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution; furthers the people’s right to know how governments and businesses affect their lives; and champions the powerless and disadvantaged.
Who may enter: print/online and broadcast journalists in Texas and Oklahoma — SPJ Region 8 — or whose work is used by news organizations in those states. Stories that address an incident or topic in Texas or Oklahoma are eligible regardless of the reporter’s location or news organization. An entrant does not have to be a member of SPJ.
Early-bird deadline Jan. 15 = $35 per entry; last chance deadline Jan. 31 = $45. No entries will be accepted after Jan. 31.
Entries must have aired or been published in 2023 and are grouped for judging based on market size (broadcast) and circulation/reach (print/online).
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If a division in a category has only one entry, it will be judged with the entries in the other division in the category.
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Category Divisions
P1 – print over 100,000 circulation and online digital outlets over 100,000 reach
P2 – print under 100,000 circulation and online digital news outlets under 100,000 reach; an entry here can be judged in P1 if the entrant requests it
B1 – major broadcast market: Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Oklahoma City
B2 – medium broadcast market: all others
SW1 – student work (print, digital, broadcast) that appears in student media
SW2 – student work (print, digital, broadcast) that appears in professional media
An entry may contain only one story, with the exception of a two-parter (both stories count as one entry). An entry in a *starred category may contain up to five stories, as in a series (regardless of how many stories are in the series, submit no more than five for judging).
A supporting narrative or other documentation may attest to persistence, public service performed or to clarify. Limit supporting narratives to 500 words. A story/story package may not compete in more than one category or win more than one award. An entry that is inaccessible on the internet will not be judged.
Judges may shift a story to a category deemed more appropriate.
Categories
Business News – Story that uses business or public records to report on nongovernmental entities
Defending the Disadvantaged – Story that illustrates problems of the powerless in society
General News – News story or feature that uses public records
General News, Spanish Language – News story or feature written in Spanish that uses public records
Green News – Story with an environmental angle that uses public records
*Investigative – In-depth story or series that uses public records
*Investigative, Spanish Language – In-depth story or series written in Spanish that uses public records
Opinion or Commentary (all circulations) – Editorial or column on open government/freedom of information issues
*Student Work/Student Media (all circulations) – Journalism in any form that runs exclusively in a student publication and uses public records or examines the issues of open records/open government
*Student Work/Professional Media (all circulations) – Student journalism that runs in a non-student publication
OPEN DOORS AWARD (no entry fee; recipient chosen by Fort Worth SPJ board) – Celebrates an individual or organization’s lifetime body of work in defending the people’s right to open government and open records. A narrative with details showing a sampling of the nominee’s work may be submitted (two typed pages maximum) in support of a worthy candidate. Winner need not be in the media. Nominations deadline is Nov. 15, 2023, for the 2024 Open Doors Award. Send nomination information to kejones.university@gmail.com.
See spjfw.org for updates on the First Amendment Awards and Scholarship Banquet scheduled for at the Texas Rangers Golf Club, 701 Brown Blvd, Arlington, TX 76011.