Divisions and categories

The Society for News Design

DIVISIONS

CATEGORIES

Divisions are based on average monthly page views for your organization the year, as determined by Comscore, Sitecatalyst or another accredited reporting agency. All entries from your organization should be entered in the same division. For any questions as to which division your entry belongs, please email Ryan Sparrow at rjsparrow@bsu.edu.

A. More than 50,000,000 page views/month
B. Up to 49,999,999 page views/month
C. Student sites

1. WORLD’S BEST-DESIGNED NEWS SITES/APPS
Entries are evaluated for overall presentation and usability. Entries in this category get judged three times during the year: first in February, then twice randomly afterward. Winners will be announced at the annual SND Workshop and Exhibition, held Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2011 in St. Louis.

2. SECTION/TOPIC PRESENTATION
This category recognizes excellence in the presentation of local, national, international topics or themes (such as election coverage), including news, business, sports and entertainment coverage. Submit the primary URL with active links. Entries are judged on overall design navigability of the sub-site, and effective use of multimedia components within the section.
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B.
C.

3. BREAKING NEWS PRESENTATION
This category recognizes excellence in the presentation of news, including local, national, international topics, including business and sports news coverage, in reaction to a breaking story. The URL must be the first complete package published nearest to the event. Submit a single primary URL with active links for coverage of a breaking event, with up to five (5) secondary links for additional components that may have been added to the story. Each entry must cover a single subject, but multiple pages/elements are allowed.
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B.
C.

4. EXTENDED COVERAGE
This category recognizes excellence in the presentation of news, including local, national, international topics, including business and sports news coverage, in reaction to a breaking story. The URL must be the first complete package published nearest to the event. Submit a single primary URL with active links for coverage of a breaking event, with up to five (5) secondary links for additional components that may have been added to the story. Each entry must cover a single subject, but multiple pages/elements are allowed.
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B.
C.

5. INNOVATION
This category recognizes new and creative forms of digital storytelling and excellence in efforts to experiment with the craft. This can encompass creative use of social media, community journalism and/or crowd-sourcing.
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B.
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6. PHOTO PROJECTS
This category recognizes excellence in the presentation of projects based on original still-photos. It may include ambient sound, and character interviews and reporter-driven narratives. Entries are judged on photo quality, editing, interface usability and the partnership in storytelling between photographs and narrative sources. Submit the primary URL.
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7. USE OF MULTIMEDIA
This category recognizes excellence in the use of multimedia in specific project work. Entries are judged on interface usability and use of various multimedia as a storytelling tool. Submit a minimum of three (3) and maximum of five (5) URLs to constitute a single entry.
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B.
C.

8. INTERACTIVE INFORMATION GRAPHICS
This category recognizes excellence in the presentation of graphics, including tables, diagrams and maps. Entries may be tied to a singular event or part of preplanned coverage. Entries are judged on information content, interactivity, innovation and usability.
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9. VIDEO PROJECTS
This category recognizes excellence in the use of video as a storytelling tool. Entries may be tied to a singular event or part of preplanned coverage. Entries are judged on information content, interactivity, innovation and usability.
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B.
C.

10. WEB SITE REDESIGN
This category recognizes excellence in the overall redesign of a Web site. Redesigns must have been launched between Jan.1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2010. Submit links or screen-shots to at least 3 pre-redesign pages.
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11. MOBILE DESIGN
This category recognizes excellence in the overall design of a news-based site for mobile or tablet. Entries are judged on functionality, navigational ease and optimization, inventiveness in storytelling and aesthetic distinction. There is no division breakdown in this category.

12. NEWS-BASED APP
This category recognizes excellence in the design of a free news-based app offered by a news organization. Entries are judged on functionality, inventiveness in storytelling and aesthetic distinction. There is no division breakdown in this category.

10 Student workshop: Syracuse, NY February 10, 2012 Description: Adonis Durado, Richard Johnson and Jonathon Berlin present on design, graphics and professional growth. More details...

15 Deadline for Best of Digital Design entries February 15, 2012 Description: This competition is open to all websites and apps dedicated to the presentation of news. It is not necessary that these sites are part of a newspaper or magazine organization. All submissions must have been posted to the web or available for download between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. More details...