FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: What news organizations are eligible to enter the contest?
Answer: Any United States-based news organization can enter the contest. This includes print/digital, broadcast, audio and other platforms. 

Question: Can entries include supplemental materials?
Answer: Yes, any entry can have supplemental materials as long as the required materials are there following the category instructions for the entry. Supplemental material should be labeled as such. A PDF can be used to guide judges if needed.

Question: I am a student/freelancer/independent journalist. Will you waive the entry fee for me? 
Answer: Unfortunately, we cannot waive or reduce the entry fee. Poynter is a nonprofit organization that relies in part on support from grantors and donors. Our sponsors help defray the costs of the contest and prize money, but that support does not cover all costs. Poynter relies on the entry fees to be able to continue to run the contest. 

Question: Can entries be submitted to more than one category?
Answer: Yes, the work of a journalist or team can be entered in more than one category but can be selected as a winner in only one. 

Question: The rules say an organization can submit up to three entries per category, but the category rules say an entry can have up to five items in it. Is this a conflict? 
Answer: No. Each entry (of the three allowed per organization per category) has a maximum number of pieces or items that can make up that entry. (For example, the limit for an entry in the Osborne category is 5 items). Organizations can submit up to three entries in this category and each of those entries can have five items in it -- five articles, videos, audio files, etc.

In addition, individuals, both freelancers and employees, may self-enter in a category that also is entered by the organization. Those self entries do not count against the organization's three-entry limit. 

Question: If I have works from prior to 2025 but they were reprinted in 2025, can I submit those?Answer: No. Your content must have been created and published in 2025 for the 2026 Poynter Journalism Prizes. The exception is the Batten Medal category, which can include work from 2024 and 2025.

Question: What should I do if I submitted my entry to the wrong category?
Answer: If you submit an entry to the wrong category by mistake, please contact poynterprizes@poynter.org as soon as possible to ensure your entry is submitted to the proper competition.

Question: Why am I not able to checkout; it says I haven't completed my submission?
Answer: If you are submitting an entry, please make sure you have completed all three forms. The three forms are a "Contact Information" form, followed by an "Entry Information" form and then your actual "Entry Submission" form. If you do not complete all three pieces of your entry, you will not be able to submit your entry/checkout. If you are still unable to checkout, you should contact poynterprizes@poynter.org for assistance.

Question: Can I pay for my entry by check? 
Answer: No. Only credit cards are accepted for payment.

Question: Are international (non-US-based) news organizations eligible to enter The 2026 Poynter Journalism Prizes?
Answer: The awards are not currently open to news organizations based outside the United States.

Question: Is there a category for student journalists?
Answer: There is not a student category at this time. Student journalists are welcome to enter the contest if they wish to compete on an equal footing with non-student entrants.

Question: How does the contest judge work?
Answer: Each category is assigned a jury of several qualified members who review entries and select three finalists. Those finalists are forwarded to the Poynter Journalism Prizes Selection Board, a group of judges who will choose the winners. Jurors and judges will recuse themselves from judging work from their own organization or by anyone with whom they have a relationship that would not allow them to be impartial.