All professional and student journalists, freelancers and communications professionals residing in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas can submit entries or have entries submitted on their behalf by organizations that published or broadcast their work. Authors who reside in the contest states may submit work published or broadcast outside those states.
A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting is the only category specifically for entries with an *Arkansas connection.
ALL ENTRIES MUST HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED OR BROADCAST IN CALENDAR YEAR 2024.
Entries may be submitted in more than one category, but a separate entry fee is required for each category.
Any significant challenges or corrections to an entry must be noted with the entry. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of entry.
Entries in all languages are accepted, however entries in a language other than English should also provide an English translation if possible.
Cover letters and supporting material are required only in conjunction with nominations for the following awards: Student Special Project, Student Journalist of the Year, Public Service, Community Journalism, FOI, Outstanding New Journalist, Diamond Journalist of the Year and A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting. Entrants in other categories may submit cover letters or supporting material at their discretion but should keep them brief.
Please ensure entry URLs remain valid through July 30, 2025, to accommodate judging and awards presentation. Please provide login information if entry is behind a paywall.
Contest administrators reserve the right to combine entries in the same category from different platforms or circulation groups if an insufficient number of entries make the category non-competitive.
You DON’T have to be a member of the Society of Professional Journalists to enter, but members get a discount on entry fees. SPJ members must provide their membership number in order to qualify for the discount. You can join SPJ by submitting an application here. We suggest submitting entries after your SPJ membership has been confirmed.
*An “Arkansas connection” means one or more of the following: (1) The winning reporter is based in Arkansas; (2) The newspaper or media outlet is based in Arkansas; or (3) The work covers Arkansas. In other words, a reporter who writes for the New York Times but is based in Little Rock would qualify under criteria 1. A reporter who lives in Oregon but writes for the Sentinel-Record would qualify based on criteria 2. A work that investigates the Fayetteville City Council published in the Washington Post would qualify based on criteria 3.
ENTRY FEES
General Competition (Divisions 1-7)
SPJ members: $15 per entry.
To claim the member fee, you must supply your SPJ member number (in the entry platform’s comments box). A team entry may claim the fee if at least one team member is an SPJ member. That person’s name and SPJ member number must be listed in the comments box.
Nonmembers: $25 per entry.
Student SPJ members: $10 per entry. Provide your member number.
Student nonmembers: $15 per entry.
Craft Achievement & Diamond Awards (Divisions 8 & 9)
SPJ members: $25 per entry.
Nonmembers: $35 per entry.
A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting (Division 10)
Limited to entries with an Arkansas connection. $15,000 in prize money to be awarded. Learn more here.
SPJ Members and Nonmembers: $40
No fees will be refunded.
HOW TO ENTER
The Diamond Journalism Awards uses the Better BNC contest management platform for entries and judging.
If you’re new to using the Better BNC entry platform, go here for instructions.
You can find all the categories here.
Go here to submit payment for entries.
Society of Professional Journalists | Arkansas Pro Chapter 