• What: APSE contest judging

• When: March 4-8. The dates are later this year because of the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

• Where: World Gate Hotel, 3011 Main Gate Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34747. Phone: (407) 396-1400. It is the same hotel we used in 2004.

• Mandatory dates: Daily — Thursday, Feb. 24, and Tuesday, Dec. 27. Sunday — May 22 and Aug. 14.

• Contest committee chair: Jim Jenks, The Philadelphia Inquirer, (215) 510-0864.

• Rules update: After further review, the contest rules stand, but not as previously written. At last year's winter meetings, there was concern about the definition of the rule regarding inclusion of special sections on optional-day entries. After a discussion at the APSE Convention in Orlando in June, the rules have been reviewed and will offer definition and clarification to the Section Contest Rules concerning entry of special sections on optional dates.

• The 2004 contest rules read: Optional day entries may include only: self-contained sports sections, sports related Page A1 material and standalone special sections that are live next-day coverage of a news event. Stand-alone special preview sections are not allowed for optional-day entries.

• The 2005 contest rules will read: Optional day entries may include: self-contained sports sections, sports related Page A1 material and special sections that may include live (or yesterday) content and regularly-scheduled preview content. Stand-alone special preview (season and major event) sections are not allowed are not allowed for optional-day entries.

• Examples you can include: Weekly NFL previews, daily Olympic coverage, weekly prep football previews, daily coverage of a golf major, weekly baseball package.

• Examples you can not: Season football previews, Super Bowl preview, preview of a golf major, World Series or playoff preview.

If there is a questionable entry, it will be discussed with the sports editor of the section, the judges involved, and the convention chair will make the final decision.

 Back to index