The Sacramento Press Club is proud to host our 4th Annual Journalism Awards Contest, honoring the best work centered on state politics and policy in California. The application will open on January 3, 2024 and the deadline to have submitted your entry is Friday, February 2, 2024, at 5 p.m. Finalists will be announced in mid-March 2024 and winners will be announced at our fourth annual Journalism Awards Reception, location and date TBD. Sign up for our email distribution list to receive updates on contest deadlines and upcoming events.

Journalists around the state are qualified to enter the contest, provided their work centers on state politics and policy. While we are a Sacramento-based club, we encourage and hope to see entries from journalists throughout the state. Acceptable entries could, for example, explore the effects of state policy on a city or region, or examine a regional issue that’s drawing attention in the Capitol.

We will be accepting entries of work published in 2023. The entries can span journalistic mediums — text, audio, photo, video, television, and radio — except where noted otherwise. Contestants may submit the same piece to different categories, or submit different entries to the same category. Work completed in any language can be submitted, provided the entrant provides an English-language translation.

Entries cost $20 for SPC members and $25 for nonmembers. If you enter for multiple categories, you will be charged the cost of entry per category. If the entry fee poses a financial hardship, please contact SPC about covering your entry fee at sacpressclub@gmail.com.

The awards will be judged by a panel of retired and former California journalists with experience across a variety of media. If you’re interested in judging a category of the contest, please contact us at sacpressclub@gmail.com.

This year’s contest included the following categories:

This award honors the California journalist whose work has had a substantial impact on the state. The Sacramento Press Club board will accept and vote on nominations from independent news organizations or a colleague of the journalist. A nomination letter must detail, with links to published work, why the journalist should be recognized. To qualify, a journalist should have published work that reflects the best of our profession: stories that reveal egregious wrongs committed against powerless populations, that force change in public policy decisions at the state level, or that provide a powerful public service to Californians, including comprehensive coverage during emergencies. This is not a team award, nor will it be given to an institution. It is intended to recognize a singular achievement by a journalist that benefits Californians.

This category recognizes exceptional reporting on the politics and public policy surrounding business and labor issues including remote work, the very definition of an employee, Big Tech, real estate, and labor law and enforcement. Submissions can be a single story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the beat.

California’s elected officials have enormous influence over the lives of the people they represent. This category is for one specific story that either uncovers news that would not become public or explains to readers the context and import of Capitol decisions. This category recognizes journalism that takes a deeper look at the decisions made in the Capitol, the influences behind them and their effect on the broader public. Judges will be looking for exclusive reporting, a strong writing voice and how the story changed the public conversation or government decisions. A brief explanation of that impact should accompany the entry.

Newsletters have become the reliable heart monitor of the California Capitol – offering fresh takes on trends, setting up the dynamics of the day’s political action, going deep on the players and the policy, and often breaking news that sheds new light on agendas. The Capitol Newsletter award is judged on consistently high performance – on news value, sharp analysis and original reporting that at least occasionally breaks news about goings on at the Capitol. Eligible newsletters must be published at least twice a week during the legislative session. Entrants should submit three to five examples from 2023.

The opinion section provides a public forum to hash out the most (and sometimes the least) important issues facing California. This category recognizes exceptional commentary that changed minds, held the powerful to account or perhaps simply delighted its audience. Submissions can be up to three opinion pieces in any format, including editorials, columns, cartoons and videos.

This award will recognize a journalist or team of journalists who displayed exceptional courage to bring necessary coverage to the public, whether by standing up to powerful people, covering events such as wildfires that are inherently dangerous, or exposing themselves to personal harm during the coverage of extremists or others who threaten with intent to injure. A nomination letter must detail, with links to published work, why the journalist(s) should be recognized. The Sacramento Press Club board will accept and vote on nominations from independent news organizations or a colleague of the journalist.

Retail crime, prisons, and the ongoing debate over regulating guns and drugs like fentanyl. Criminal justice was front and center for California policymakers in 2023. This award honors excellence in reporting on criminal justice issues and the politics that influence those debates. Submissions can be a single story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the subject.

Decisions large and small are made each day in the California Capitol that affect the lives of the state’s 40 million citizens. This category showcases a body of work that shows consistent daily excellence in beat reporting about the Capitol and/or state government. Entries must include five examples of work that demonstrate sharp and clear writing, an important scoop, coverage of breaking Capitol news or continuing coverage of a particular topic, and an ability to explain to readers why the daily workings of the Capitol matters in their lives. Entries can cover a single topic or different issues.

This category recognizes exceptional coverage of political and policy education issues, from pre-K to K12 and higher education. Submissions can be a single story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the subject.

This category recognizes exceptional reporting about policy, politics and activism related to water, wildfire, energy, climate change, pollution, endangered species and other environmental topics. Submissions can be a single outstanding story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the beat.

This category recognizes exceptional reporting that explains the causes and effects of the state’s housing crisis and spotlights those it has left behind. Submissions can be a single outstanding story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the beat.

This category recognizes exceptional journalism that holds powerful institutions and/or people accountable for their actions and, by doing so, leads to demonstrable change that benefits Californians. The submission should include a short cover letter explaining the impact or outcome of the work. Judges will consider overall impact, depth of reporting, and the use of today’s technology to reach the audience. Entries may be in any format including text, audio or video. Entries are limited to three stories.

This category recognizes exceptional reporting on a wide range of public health issues, the government response to those issues and politics surrounding them. Submissions can be a single story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the beat.

This category recognizes exceptional reporting about political and policy-driven efforts to combat social injustice and other discrimination across race, class, gender identity and more. Entries might vary from efforts by lawmakers to stop systemic discrimination and injustice to coverage of activists and community responses. Submissions can be a single story or up to three pieces that demonstrate a command of the subject.

We listen to political interviews every day on podcasts, talk shows and news-radio programs. This category celebrates excellence in audio interviews that focus on California politics or policy subjects. Submit one interview, up to 30 minutes in length, including any introduction or lead-in. Podcasts, pre-recorded radio interviews and live interviews all allowed.

This award honors excellence in audio storytelling that focuses on statewide California politics and policy issues. Journalists should enter one radio piece that demonstrates command of the format, expert news delivery, compelling writing and innovative use of sound. Enter one radio story, 5 minutes in length maximum. Please submit link to audio and audio script (including anchor intro) .

California’s elected officials have enormous influence over the lives of the people they represent. This contest recognizes superb still photography that documents such influence or the impact of decisions and politics throughout the state. If a political or policy connection is not apparent, a caption should explain it. Entries may include up to three images that are not breaking news but rather pre-planned journalism that provides emotion, insight, or context.

This award honors exceptional photographic coverage of breaking news tied to state policy or politics, from anywhere in California. Acceptable entries would include coverage of events at the Capitol as well as images revealing the impact of state government decisions throughout California. If a political or policy connection is not apparent, a caption should explain it. Entries should include up to three still photographs of images made during spot coverage that had no advance planning.

For excellence in reporting that either uncovers news that would not be public or explains the context and import behind government decisions. This category recognizes journalism that takes a deeper look at the decisions made in the Capitol, the influences behind them, and their effect on the public. Enter coverage of a political story or policy topic aired as a series or in-depth stand-alone story. Entries may include live and/or recorded elements. Submissions may not exceed more than 20 minutes total.

For excellence in reporting about the Capitol, state government or the broader impact of state government decisions. Entries may focus on a single subject or a range of topics, each aired as a stand-alone story. Submissions may include up to three short pieces to exceed no more than 10 minutes total.

This category honors excellence in television interviews that focus on California politics or policy subjects. Submit one interview in which the interviewer and interviewee are seen on camera and engaged in discussion. Entry time limit up to 30 minutes.

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