Financial Awards for Innovative Journalists and Media That Got the Public Involved In Civic Issue

From The Foundation Center...

Entries Invited for Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism

Deadline: June 11, 2008

The Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism spotlight news and information providers who offer more than multimedia journalism. Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation ( http://www.knightfoundation.org/ ) and administered by J-Lab:
The Institute for Interactive Journalism ( http://www.j-lab.org/ ) at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, the awards honor "novel efforts that seize and create opportunities to involve citizens in public issues and supply entry points that invite their participation or spark their imagination."

The awards honor pioneering approaches to journalism that encourage new forms of information sharing; spur non-traditional interactions that have an impact on community; enable new and better two-way conversations between audiences and news providers; foster new ways of imparting useful information; and create new definitions of news. Entries could consist of such things as online news experiences, news games, mobile news ideas, citizen media, creative use of cell phones, Webcams, blogging, podcasting, social networks, computer kiosks, new applications of software, content management systems, and other advances in interactive or participatory journalism. Entries may also demonstrate simple efforts that notably connect in new ways with a community.

Entries must consist of journalism content created by a news- producing initiative. Individuals must have been affiliated with such initiatives at the time of publication to enter. The contest is open to all news efforts originating between May 1, 2007, and June 11, 2008.

Among the prizes to be awarded are a $10,000 Grand Prize; up to $5,000 in Special Distinction Awards, including a Wild Card Award, to be given at the judges' discretion; and a $1,000 Citizen Media Award.

Complete program guidelines and application are available at the J-Lab Web site.

RFP Link:
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15012354/j-lab