$20 NSPA members | $30 non-members
Open to both NSPA members and non-members, the Best of Show competition honors the best student media represented at the convention. Best of Show is a competition in which entries compete against each other and are ranked with the first-place winner in each category taking home a trophy. Critiques and score sheets are not provided in this contest.
Entries are due by 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22. Winners will be announced at the NSPA Awards Ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23.
All NSPA member high-school staffs (with students attending) and junior high advisers are invited to enter their website, newspaper, yearbook, newsmagazine, broadcast production or literary arts magazine, blog or podcast in the NSPA Best of Show competition.
Newspapers, newsmagazines and broadcasts must be published between Aug. 1, 2019, and the start of the convention. Only 2018-19 yearbooks and literary magazines will be accepted. Websites must have been updated since Sept. 1, 2019.
A blog must reflect journalistic standards in topics, coverage and writing, and it should be a component of the journalism program’s online website. While the blog is likely a regular feature, a single blog entry should be submitted. This competition is for text blogs not video blogs.
A podcast delivers relevant content through engaging audio storytelling and should be a component of the journalism program’s online website. While the podcast is likely a regular feature, a single podcast entry should be submitted. This competition is for audio podcasts not video podcasts.
Best of Show Categories
Broadcast Program
Literary Magazine
Newspaper
Broadsheet
Tabloid (16 or fewer pages)
Tabloid (17 or more pages)
Junior High/Middle School
Newsmagazine
Newspaper Special Edition
Website
Small School (Enrollment of less than 1,500)
Large School (Enrollment of 1,500 or more)
Blog
Podcast
Yearbook
High-school yearbooks will be divided into four equal categories based on number of pages. Junior-high/middle-school yearbooks will compete in one category.
Best of Show Rules
High-school media staffs must have at least one student representative registered for the convention in order to be eligible for the Best of Show competition. Junior-high media may be entered as long as the adviser is a registered delegate at the convention.
A special-edition newspaper/newsmagazine should meet one or more of these qualifications — anniversary commemoration; extra edition or thematic coverage (majority of coverage devoted to one topic). Schools may enter one issue of their newspaper or newsmagazine in the regular newspaper or newsmagazine categories and one issue in the special edition newspaper/newsmagazine category. No issue or edition may be entered in more than one category.
Broadcast entries will consist of a single program. Entries must be submitted via a direct URL (i.e., a YouTube or Vimeo link).
A blog must reflect journalistic standards in topics, coverage and writing, and it should be a component of the journalism program’s online website.
A podcast delivers relevant content through engaging audio storytelling and should be a component of the journalism program’s online website
Member publications of any kind may enter in the website category. Entries will be judged for general excellence in coverage, interactivity, breaking news, design and rich media. Entries will be divided into categories based on school enrollment.
Publications must submit their entry on site at the Best of Show desk near convention registration. Do not submit entries to NSPA prior to the convention.