More Advice for Journalism Contests

Tis the season for journalism awards contests, and if you're entering one. good luck! But before you put your tape in the mail, consider these suggestions and warnings from experienced contest judges Deborah Potter of NewsLab and Karen Brown of WGEM in Quincy, Illinois. Check our previous tips, and send us yours by .

Mind the rules. You can't win an award if your entry doesn't fit the contest. Really. Know what the contest sponsors are looking for before you waste your money entering a story that won't even be considered, no matter how good it may be. Make sure your entry paperwork matches what's on the tape, and put the stories in the correct order. And by all means, use a clean tape to get the best quality dub and check it before you send it. Remember that judges are screening dozens of entries. It's in your best interest not to confuse or annoy them with poor audio or random blips of unrelated video between stories.

Don't exaggerate. Hyped up copy can doom an otherwise good entry. Team coverage following severe thunderstorms showed good footage of downed trees and damage but the copy that accompanied this footage was overly dramatic:"This morning, people are attempting to put their lives back together." Sorry, but no one died and losing a few trees or being without electricity doesn't warrant this kind of over-the-top narration. In a story about campus crime, the reporter intoned, "Students probably will never feel safe again." If you have to exaggerate to tell the story, you're not really telling the story.

Avoid lecturing. One entry for best weathercast included a meteorologist telling viewers, "Now, you're going to have to promise me that you'll wear a hat and gloves if you go outside." The judge stopped the tape right there. No one wants to be admonished or lectured by an anchor, reporter or forecaster.

Play it straight. Music, processed video, multiple effects--if you need these techniques your story may not be as strong as you think it is. Same goes for anchors who seem compelled to tell how they feel or how viewers should feel. "Tell me what happened," says Karen Brown. "Don't pause for effect. Don't lower your voice in an attempt at appearing somber. Don't talk more slowly like you're an undertaker talking to the bereaved family. And don't look pained as if you might start crying yourself. I saw this in a number of instances and not one of the anchors who exhibited these qualities looked sincere. It looked like really bad acting. A normal, even delivery should suffice. No need to force the tragedy on us."