The 8th Annual
Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize

CALL FOR ENTRIES
2009

[View or print the Application Form and the Broadcast Certification Form (PDF).]

WBUR and Boston University are pleased to announce this call for entries for the eighth annual Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize. The Prize is an award of $5,000 given to a rising journalist in public radio. It honors a news story or segment of significance and quality, and celebrates the new generation of journalists in public radio. By sponsoring this award, WBUR hopes to inspire younger journalists to stretch the boundaries of the medium and encourage journalists-in-training to choose public radio as a career path. We are guided by the vision and example of Daniel Schorr, who has given American journalism a lifetime of commitment through his insight, intelligence and integrity.

The recipient of last year’s Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize was Guy Raz, then Defense Correspondent for National Public Radio, who was honored in 2008 for his three-part series “Rescuing the Wounded: Iraq to Germany.” Raz’s work focused on the vast improvements in medical care technology, in and near the battlefield since World War I, and the collective impact of such improvements on U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq. The series aired on NPR’s “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” in October, 2007. Laura Sullivan, a national correspondent for NPR, won the Schorr prize in 2007. Her three-part series “Solitary Confinement in U.S. Prisons” looked at troubling aspects of the practice of penitentiary confinement and featured interviews with inmates who had not spoken to individuals other than prison staff for a number of years.

WBUR has established these general guidelines for the Prize:

• The journalist awarded the Prize must be 35 years of age or younger as of June 30, 2009.

• A journalist seeking the Prize may offer only one submission for consideration.

• Group applications are not permitted; a single journalist must be principally responsible for the work submitted.

• Works must have been broadcast in the U.S. between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009 on any CPB-qualified radio station.

• Each entry must be accompanied by a completed Application Form and a Broadcast Certification Form (BCF). The BCF confirms the date of broadcast and certifies that the work is substantially that of the nominee. It must be signed by a General Manager, Program Director, News Director or Editor of a CPB-qualified radio station, network or program.

• All entries must be received on or before Friday, September 18, 2009.

Applicants are welcome to share a modest amount of the news coverage generated by the work if the work is felt to have greatly impacted a listening audience—e.g., news photos from a station’s website or program guide.

A panel of distinguished journalists will evaluate all Schorr Prize entries. This year’s judges are:

• Iris Adler, Documentary Producer, New England Cable News
• Graham Griffith, Visiting Profesor of Journalism, University of Michigan
• Erin Hennessy, News Director, KPLU
• Jake Shapiro, Executive Director, PRX

See the following Criteria for additional information.

Criteria for The Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize

1. The work honored contributes to the radio audience’s understanding of a significant issue; shows creativity and initiative; demonstrates state-of-the-art production values; and, adheres scrupulously to the highest standards of broadcast journalism, including clarity of expression, accuracy, fairness and seriousness of purpose.

2. The eligible work focuses on any local, national or international news issue significant to the listening public.

3. A single journalist must be principally responsible for the work submitted.

4. A journalist seeking the Prize may offer only one submission.

5. The eligible work is in the form of a produced news story, news feature, documentary, a series on a single topic or an investigative report.

6. The person receiving the award must be 35 years of age or younger as of June 30, 2009.

7. The work submitted was broadcast on a CPB-qualified radio station in the U.S. between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.

8. Journalists may submit their own work. Alternatively, works may be submitted by General Managers, Program Directors, News Directors, Producers or Editors of CPB-qualified radio stations; personnel supervising news programming at NPR, PRI or other networks providing programming to the public radio system; or independent producers providing programming to the public radio system.

9. Four (4) copies of each of the following must be submitted for an application to be considered complete: 1) the work itself, submitted on cassette or CD and individually packaged in a CD envelope, a jewel box, cassette box, or similar; 2) a completed Application Form; 3) a signed Broadcast Certification Form.

10. All works submitted must be received by WBUR at the address given below on or before Friday, September 18, 2009.

11. No journalist employed by WBUR is eligible to win the prize.

12. A panel of outstanding experts in the field will judge the works.

13. No officer or employee of WBUR is eligible to participate in the panel.

14. The winner will be notified by Friday, October 23, 2009.

15. The recipient will be honored at a special event to be held in Boston on November 19, 2009.

SUMMARY

Complete applications for the 2009 Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize must include four (4) copies of each of the following items:

1. Application Form
2. Broadcast Certification Form with appropriate signature
3. the eligible work, submitted on cassette or CD

Please collate the above three items into four discrete packages and mail together to:

WBUR
Attn: Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize
890 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

Applications must be received on or before Friday, September 18, 2009. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

View or print the Application Form and the Broadcast Certification Form (PDF).