Category Definitions & Specific Rules
For general rules, please see Eligibility
& Rules. The fee for individual entries in each category is $85 each, unless
otherwise stated.
Written Categories
Arts & Entertainment: Any article on
the arts or entertainment.
Best Short Feature: Any non-fiction article of
2,000 words or less. Opinion columns are not eligible. Entries will be judged exclusively on the strength and
quality of the writing. Any article entered in Best Short Feature category may not be entered in any other
written category
Business: Any article on business.
Columns: Any set of three (3) columns by the
same writer in the same publication.
Editorial Package: Any collection of articles
on a related theme in a single issue that reflects collaboration by editors and writers. Restricted to a
maximum of three (3) editorial package entries per magazine. ($150 entry fee for each)
Essays: Any article in which a writer's
perspective is paramount, offering an argument or a reflection. The regular columns of columnists are not
eligible.
Fiction: Any work of fiction first
published by the magazine. Entries in Fiction are not eligible for entry in any other written
category.
Health & Medicine: Any article on health
or medicine.
How-to: Any article that is instructional in
nature. Articles submitted in any of the Service categories may not be entered in the How-to
category.
Humour: Any humorous piece.
Investigative Reporting: Any article based on
original fact-finding and enterprising newsgathering.
One-of-a-kind: Any non-fiction magazine
article not entered in any other category. The intent is to open the competition to writing that is not
easily classified.
Personal Journalism: Any article that focuses
on the personal experiences of the writer.
Poetry: Any work of poetry first published by
the magazine (a series of up to three poems by the same author from a single issue is permitted).
Politics & Public Interest: Articles that
concern politicians, politics or public issues with the potential to influence national or local public
policy. Articles entered in this category may NOT also be entered in the category Society.
Profiles: Any article that focuses on one
person or a group. Articles entered in the Profiles category may not be entered in any other written
category.
Science, Technology & the Environment: Any
article on science, technology or environmental issues. Articles entered in this category may NOT also be
entered in the category Society.
Service-Health & Family: Any informational
article covering health, medicine, psychology, relationships and education. Articles submitted in this
category may NOT also be entered in category Health & Medicine or in the category How-to, nor in any of
the other service categories.
Service-Lifestyle: Any informational article
that deals with interests including, but not limited to, travel, recreation, environment, décor, maintenance,
hobbies, food and fashion. Food articles may include recipes but may not consist entirely of recipes.
Articles submitted in this category may NOT also be entered in category How-to, nor in any of the other
service categories.
Service-Personal Finance & Business: Any
informational article covering personal finance, business and careers. Articles submitted in this category
may NOT also be entered in category Business or in the category How-to, nor in any of the other service
categories.
Society: Articles directly concerned with
social issues. Articles submitted in categories Politics & Public Interest or Science, Technology
& the Environment may not be entered in this category.
Sports & Recreation: Any article on sports
or recreation.
Travel: Any article that relies on a sense of
place for its impact.
* Please note that for Written categories you must submit
one original tear sheet, six sets of stapled photocopies and a PDF of the article. For other rules, please
see Rules & Eligibility.
Integrated Categories
Best Single Issue: This prize is awarded to the magazine
that has published the best single issue of the year in terms of the overall quality and originality of the
content and its relevance to the intended readers. Editors must include four (4) copies of a cover letter
(max 300 words) to summarize the issues goals. ($150 entry fee for each)
Magazine Covers: Any single magazine cover.
Single Service Article Package: A single service article that displays superior packaging of
visual and written components and that reflects collaboration by the editorial team (which could include
editor(s), writer(s), photographer(s), illustrator(s), stylist(s) and others). Packaging elements could
include (but are not limited to) annotations, illustrations, photography, sidebars and captions. This
category is intended for single articles that are driven more by instructional content than by storytelling.
Any article entered in Single Service Article Package may NOT also be entered in Words & Pictures. This
category does NOT include related articles packaged together.
Words & Pictures: Any article that relies for its
impact on the successful integration of text and visuals as inseparable elements. Entries in Words &
Pictures may NOT also be entered in Single Service Article Package.
* Please note that for Integrated categories you must submit four (4)
original sets of tear sheets for each entry and a PDF of each entry (For Best Single Issue, you may submit a
PDF of just the cover). For other rules, please see Rules & Eligibility.
Visual Categories
Art Direction for a Single Magazine Article
Art Direction for an Entire Issue: Restricted to one issue
per magazine.
Fashion & Beauty: Any fashion or beauty layout using
photography or illustration.
Homes & Gardens: Any photograph or series of
photographs, for a single article, that celebrates interiors or exteriors. This includes architecture,
décor and gardens.
Illustration: Any full-page, spread, cover or photo
illustration; colour or black and white; single or series.
Photojournalism & Photo Essay: Any photograph or series
of photographs from a single issue, shot on location, which records events or situations not controlled by
the photographer. This category includes photo essays, travel and landscape photographs that accompany
a single article.
Portrait Photography: Any photograph or series of
photographs for a single article on one or more people.
Spot Illustration: Any illustration less than a page;
colour or black and white, single or series.
Still-life Photography: Any photograph or series of
photographs of an object or objects, for a single article. This category includes food and product.
* Please note that for Visual categories you must submit two (2)
original tear sheets of each entry and a PDF of the entry (for Art Direction for an Entire Issue you may
submit a PDF of just the cover). For other rules, please see Rules & Eligibility.
Online Categories
Best Community Feature: The use of community tools, such as discussion forums and social
networking utilities, to serve the Web site’s editorial mandate.
Best Cross-Platform Package: Storytelling using multimedia techniques, such as interactive
graphics, Flash, photography, audio and video, taking into account the quality of the journalism, visual
design and the artful blending of multiple media.
Best Visual Design: The Web site’s overall design, including visual appeal;
readability of content; ease/clarity of navigation; organization of content; consistency; reflection of
subject/community; successful visual integration of advertising elements; and a clear distinction between
paid content/advertising and editorial content.
Best Repurposed or Adapted Content: A feature or section of a Web site that uses
repurposed or adapted content from its print magazine. A PDF of the original magazine content must be
included with the submission.
Best Web-Only Content: Original content created solely for the Web site, taking into
account relevance and quality; depth of information; and inclusion of community-building elements, such as
blogs, discussion forums and social networking utilities.
Web Site of the Year: A Web site that successfully fulfills
its editorial mission, effectively serves its audience, maximizes use of the Web and represents the highest
journalistic standards. The sites will be judged on excellence of content, interactivity, rich media, design,
navigation and community tools. Entries may consist of one main URL and up to three additional sub-URLs in
the same domain (to highlight specific features). Editorial material must be clearly delineated from
sponsored content, advertising and product sales as prescribed in ASME's Best Practices for Digital Media.
* Please note that a Web site's editorial mandate (max 300 words) is
required with all Online-category submissions. With Online entries there is no hard-copy material to send in.
For eligibility rules specific to Online categories, please see Rules & Eligibility.
The Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement
This award recognizes an individual's innovation and creativity through
contributions to the Canadian magazine industry. There is no fee for submissions in this
category. Applications consist of a letter indicating the candidates name, title and career achievements,
with supporting letters from at least two (2) other individuals. The deadline for submissions in this
category ONLY is March 1, 2010. Read more about this
category.
Best New Magazine Writer
This award will go
to a writer whose early work in magazines shows the highest degree of craft and promise. The award is open to
students and magazine writers with a maximum of three years’ experience in professional journalism. Eligible
work must be non-fiction and a minimum of 1,000 words in length; articles published in university/college
magazines are also eligible. Candidates must not have published an article longer than 1,000 words in any
magazine prior to 2007. The entry fee is $25. Each submission must be accompanied by a one-page letter of
reference from the handling editor of the piece. Read
more about this category.
Best New Visual Creator
This award will go
to an illustrator or photographer whose early work in magazines shows the highest degree of craft and
promise. The award is open to students and magazine photographers/illustrators with a maximum of three years’
experience in professional journalism. Eligible work must be a minimum of one full page in size;
illustrations/photographs published in university/college magazines are also eligible. Candidates must not
have published a full-page work in any magazine prior to 2007. The entry fee is
$25. Each submission must be
accompanied by a one-page letter of reference from the handling art director of the work. Read more about this
category.
Magazine of the Year
This award will go to the magazine that most consistently engages, surprises
and serves the needs of its readers. Entrants must send in five (5) sets of any three (3) issues from the
year 2009. The entry fee is $150. Editors must include five copies of a cover letter of no
more than one (1) page with an application. The letter will a) outline briefly the mandate of the magazine
and b) summarize briefly the magazine's achievements during the year. These might include examples of
compelling packaging, mix, writing and reporting, among other things. Read more about this category.
The submission deadline is Friday January 15, 2010 at 5pm Eastern Time and submissions
must be RECEIVED IN THEIR ENTIRETY to be eligible. Submissions postmarked by January 15,
2010 but received on Monday, January 18 will be subject to the late fee of $25 per entry.
Applications received after 5pm on Monday, January 18 will NOT be accepted.
