Carmage Walls Commentary Prize: Contest rules

Posted

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: May 31, 2024 (end of day)

This contest is open to members of America's Newspapers.  Not sure whether your newspaper is a member? Email cdurham@newspapers.org

The Carmage Walls Commentary Prize will be presented in November during the America's Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference.  This award recognizes outstanding commentary on local issues.  It encourages thoughtful, courageous and constructive editorial page leadership on issues specifically relevant to each newspaper's primary readership.

Judges will give added emphasis to the courage that it took to write these columns or editorials.  Submit entries that best demonstrate courageous writing!

The prize is named for the late Benjamin Carmage Walls whose newspaper career spanned seven decades.  Walls primarily owned community newspapers and advocated strong, courageous and positive editorial page leadership. Southern Newspapers Inc. — led by Lissa Walls Cribb, his daughter — generously contributes the prize money for this award.

Awards will be presented in each of two circulation categories — over 35,000 circulation and under 35,000 circulation.

In each circulation group:

  • The first-place winner will receive a plaque and a cash award of $2,250. 
  • Second-place winners will receive a plaque and $1,000.
  • Third-place will receive a plaque and $500.
  • Additional finalists also may be recognized by the judges at their discretion.

What's different between the EDITORIALS and COLUMNS contest?

  • With EDITORIALS: Each entry can include no more than three editorials, which must be on the same subject.
  • With COLUMNS: Each entry can include no more than three columns, which can be on the same subject or different subjects.

Writers may submit multiple entries into this contest.

Learn more