Conditions of Entry

Entries must have been published or broadcast in the award year – between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023.

Each entry must be accompanied by a PDF or link that shows the published or broadcast work. Hard copy entries will not be considered.

Each entry must be accompanied by an explanation (up to 200 words) of the story’s context, its target audience, and relevant background information.

Entrants may submit only one entry per category.

Entrants may only submit an individual entry once – the same story cannot be entered into multiple categories.

If a piece is submitted in more than one category, it will not be eligible in any of them. The exception is where a piece forms part of a portfolio entered into Journalist of the Year, Photographer of the Year, Young Journalist of the year or Media Outlet of the Year.

Check the criteria for each category: entries which do not fit the criteria will not be considered.

Photography

Photo entries must include a JPG of the entry and a PDF of the page from the publication in which the photo appeared.

Entrants may enter up to 3 photographs in each category, but the same photograph may not be entered in more than one category.

Photographic entries may be colour or black and white.

Who can enter

Entrants may reside anywhere in Australia, but entries must have a direct relevance to Victoria and surrounding areas (Victoria, Sunraysia, Riverina, Albury and south-east of South Australia and Tasmania).

Entry to the Awards is a benefit of RPCV membership – no entry fee applies to financial members of the RPCV.

An entry fee of $33 is applicable to all non-financial members of the RPCV. A one-off fee of $33 will cover multiple entries by an individual into the RPCV Awards. This fee includes a 12-month club membership.

General

A young journalist must be aged 25 years or younger within the award year. Young journalist entries must be verified by their editor/employer.

If fewer than 3 entries are received in a category, the club has the discretion to vary the prize money or submit the entry(s) to another category.

Judges can nominate entrants for Journalist of the Year or Photographer of the Year at their discretion.

Stories commissioned and approved by an organisation to which the content relates are ineligible to enter.

The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Prizes

Category winners receive $250 and a trophy.

Winners of the Journalist of the Year and Photographer of the Year each receive $500 and a trophy.

The winner of the Young Journalist of the Year will receive $500 and a trophy.

The winner of the Media Outlet of the Year will receive a trophy.

Closing date

Entries close Thursday, August 31 2023 at 5pm AEST. Late entries will not be considered.