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Video Photojournalism: Categories and Descriptions

NPPA 2021 Best of Photojournalism

 

January 8, 2021 Note: There is a change to the 90% rule, because of COVID restrictions. 

Here is the change:

60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist. However, if you use transformational techniques to show Zoom/Skype/Facetime/etc interviews or provided video in your entry, this can count as part of your 60%. 

*Please note, we have posted a detailed explanation of the new rule on the Facebook page of the NPPA BOP Video Photojournalism Contest. Also, if you entered stories before this rule change and have questions, please contact Brett Akagi tvbop.chair@nppa.org. 

The Best of Photojournalism – Video Photojournalism division recognizes visual journalists who, working through the medium of video, tell stories that are relevant to their communities, helping them understand trends and issues so that they can make informed decisions. Judges will look at technical excellence as well as storytelling, but the key factor will be the journalism that is demonstrated.

Entries in this category are primarily made by individual journalists with the exception of the Station of the Year categories. Due to the different responsibilities of the solo video journalist, there are several unique categories for them.

Photojournalists may work as either members of a newsroom staff or as independent photographers. The work must have been made with the intent of journalistic distribution, either broadcast or online – work created as sponsored content or for a company, brand, team or other entity is not allowed. Entries must have been broadcast or published online.

Please see the Technical Guidelines section of the competition web site for more detailed information.

In Video Photojournalism, there is a limit of two entries per category in each of the individual story categories, per individual contestants. Compilation categories (ROY, SOY and POY) count as a single entry.   

For all individual Video Photojournalism entries (except those in the Team and Documentary categories), 90% of the video must have been shot by one photographer.

One major change you should note: If the photographer’s name is mentioned in the story entry, you can leave it in. For example, if the reporter’s outcue says, “With photographer John Doe…,” the photographer’s name DOES NOT have to be edited out of the entry. 

Please contact Brett Akagi at tvbop.chair@nppa.org for more information or questions about the contest.

Breaking News: An unscheduled and unfolding news event for which there was no opportunity for planning. This category recognizes the photographer’s ability to function in a stressful situation, keeping his or her photographic gear rolling to capture the overall scope of the scene, and zeroing in on individual reactions.

  • Story must have been shot, edited, and broadcast within 24 hours. 
  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit

Deadline News: A Spot News or General News story that may include a live aircheck presentation by a reporter or photojournalist. The goal of this category is to highlight television photojournalism under deadline pressure. The entry must be shot, edited, and broadcast within 4 consecutive hours. This entry may be a stand-alone package, a package with a liveshot, or a liveshot with a VO or VOSOT. If the entry includes a live shot, the air check presentation must be submitted with no re-editing allowed. 

  • 60% of the video & live shot must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

Live: Any live shot where you may or may not have video to play during your live hit. Most likely to be a breaking news situation.  

  • 20 Minute Time Limit.

General Hard News: A timely news story, serious in nature (not soft or humorous) that covers a planned or unplanned news event, an issue, or person or topic of general interest and importance. It can be a follow up or sidebar to spot news. General news stories should contain no music, except where it’s part of the natural sound of the story.

  • Stories must have been shot, edited, and broadcast within 24 consecutive hours.
  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

General Soft News: A timely news story, soft or humorous in nature that covers a planned or unplanned news event, an issue, or person or topic of general interest and importance. It can be a follow up or sidebar to spot news. General news stories should contain no music, except where it’s part of the natural sound of the story.

  • Stories must have been shot, edited, and broadcast within 24 consecutive hours.
  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

News Feature: A planned story that appeals to the emotional side of the viewer where the photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story. Features that score highly show imagination and creativity.

  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

48 Hour Feature: A feature or human-interest story shot and edited within a time frame of 48 consecutive hours.

  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

Sports Feature: Any feature story about participants, spectators, or those involved or interested in a sport or sporting event. Does not need to focus on the outcome of the game.

  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

In-Depth: A planned story that appeals to the emotional side of the viewer where the photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story. Stories in this category should be serious in nature.

  • 60% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

Investigative: A planned story where the photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story. It may be divided into a series or successive days. If so, edit the individual parts together, leaving a second of black between each piece.

  • 50% of the video must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.
  • 30 Minute Time Limit.

Team: Any story that was shot by more than one photojournalist. The story may fall into any of the other subject categories except Documentary.

  • 15 Minute Time Limit.

Documentary: A complete, creative study of a subject or issue in which the theme and treatment follow a predetermined direction. Can be shot by one person or more. Must have debuted during the contest year.

  • 60 Minute Time Limit.

Pandemic: This year many of your typical storytelling methods were altered by social distancing, newsroom restrictions, and safety protocols while gathering interviews and video, because of COVID-19. We've created a category to show outstanding storytelling despite dealing with the new reality. Your work should exemplify creative ways to still tell a good story with social distanced interviews and video.

  • No Time Limit.


Solo Video Journalist General News: This award is to recognize those who do it all themselves, do it daily, and do it well. It will recognize the best single story produced by a primarily full-time solo video journalist. This is not a category for those who may shoot alone once or twice a week. You must be a solo video journalist during your entire work week schedule.

  • The story must be shot, written, and edited within 24 hours by the entrant.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

Solo Video Journalist Feature: This award is to recognize those who do it all themselves, do it daily, and do it well. It will recognize the best single story produced by a primarily full-time solo video journalist. This is not a category for those who may shoot alone once or twice a week. You must be a solo video journalist during your entire work week schedule.

  • The story must be shot, written, and edited within 48 hours by the entrant.
  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

Solo Video Journalist In-Depth: This award is to recognize those who do it all themselves, do it daily, and do it well. It will recognize the best single story produced by a primarily full-time solo video journalist. This is not a category for those who may shoot alone once or twice a week. You must be a solo video journalist during your entire work week schedule. A planned story where the SVJ puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story.  Can be divided into a series or successive days.  The story must be shot, written, and edited by the entrant.

  • 15 Minute Time Limit.

Solo Video Journalist Pandemic: This award is to recognize those who do it all themselves, do it daily, and do it well. It will recognize the best single story produced by a primarily full-time solo video journalist. This is not a category for those who may shoot alone once or twice a week. You must be a solo video journalist during your entire work week schedule. This year many of your typical storytelling methods were altered by social distancing, newsroom restrictions, and safety protocols while gathering interviews and video, because of COVID-19. We've created a category to show outstanding storytelling despite dealing with the new reality. Your work should exemplify creative ways to still tell a good story with social distanced interviews and video.

  • No Time Limit.


NPPA Photojournalism Award for Reporting: This award is to honor those reporters and field producers who, in collaboration with a television photojournalist, produce outstanding visual stories. Entrants must submit a compilation of 3 stories they have written from the individual categories.  The first story must be General News. This is not only a writing category. The judges will be looking at overall visual storytelling and how the reporter/field producer contributed to the quality. At least one member must be an NPPA member or an entry fee is required. A Winner and Runner Up will be awarded.

  • 20 Minute Time Limit.


Ernie Crisp Photojournalist of the Year: This award serves as recognition of individual ability-an ability against which others can compare their output to determine if they are meeting the standards of the industry. The winner must show a high level of skill and professionalism.

Entrants must submit stories in six of the ten categories as part of their portfolios, no more than two stories can be entered from any one category, in order: 

  • Breaking News
  • Deadline News
  • Live
  • General News (need to ID which stories are “Hard” or “Soft” Gen. News)
  • News Feature
  • 48 Hour Feature
  • Pandemic
  • Sports Feature
  • In-Depth
  • Investigative

Breaking News, Deadline News and General (Hard) News are mandatory.

60% of the video in each story must have been shot by the entering photojournalist.

Stories entered in the individual categories may be a part of your Photojournalist of the Year entry, but they must be entered under the same categories. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

On the online entry form, use only the date of the first story in the date field. Using text or a series of dates will cause an issue with the upload.

No promotional material concerning the photographer or their station may be included in the entry.

  • 30 Minute Time Limit.


Station of the Year: The Station of the Year Award will be presented to three (3) different television stations in three (3) separate divisions based on Nielsen market sizes:

  • Large Market (1-34)
  • Medium Market (35-69)
  • Small Market (70-212)

You can find out the size of the market you work in on the Nielsen Media website.

This award recognizes a local broadcast station’s photography staff for their consistency in providing outstanding news photography coverage for and about the audience it serves. The award singles out an individual staff as one that has achieved a high standard of quality in photography that is unmatched by any other station in their division. Selection as Station of the Year honors excellence, and most importantly, it serves to raise the standards of the industry.

Entrants must submit stories in six of the ten categories, in order: 

  • Breaking News
  • Deadline News
  • Live
  • General News (need to ID which stories are “Hard” or “Soft” Gen. News)
  • News Feature
  • 48 Hour Feature
  • Pandemic
  • Sports Feature
  • In-Depth
  • Investigative

Breaking News, Deadline News and General (Hard) News are mandatory.

No more than 3 stories can be entered in any one category. Team entries are allowed in each category. One photojournalist can’t have more than 3 stories on the entry. SVJ Deadline News, General News, Feature or In-Depth stories can be in the respective SOY categories: Deadline News, General News, News Feature and In-Depth. Stories entered in the individual categories may be a part of your SOY entry, but they must be entered under the same categories. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

  • No promotional material concerning the photographer or their station may be included in the entry.
  • For Photography Staffs of 15 or more: 1/3 of the station’s photography staff must be represented on the Station of the Year entry. A single photographer can contribute no more than 3 stories on the entry.
  • For Photography Staffs of 14 or fewer: 1/2 of the station’s photography staff must be represented on the Station of the Year entry. No photographer can contribute more than 50% of the stories on the tape.
  • 40 Minute Time Limit.

Entrants are required to save an air check of their early block (5pm-6pm) and their late block (9pm to 11pm) each day for the month of February 2021. Sometime during the month, your staff will be called by the contest chair and told which newscast to submit as part of your SOY entry. This entry will be the same time and day for everyone. The air check should not be edited and must include the open, close, news, weather, sports, and all commercials.

For Station of the Year, if any division has less than six entries, it will be merged with whichever adjacent division has a smaller number of entries. For example, if Large Market has 20 entries, Medium Market has four entries and Small Market has ten, the Medium and Small markets would be combined.