The Mirror Awards honor the reporters, editors and teams of writers who hold a mirror to their own industry for the public's benefit. Honorees are recognized for news judgment and command of craft in reporting, analysis and commentary on developments in the media industry and its role in our economy, culture and democracy.

The Mirror Awards are open to anyone who conducts reporting, commentary or criticism of the media industries—television, newspaper, magazine, radio, advertising, public relations, the Internet and other forms of content—in a format intended for mass audience.

Eligible Work

Eligible work will consist of print, broadcast and online editorial content—including material published in:

• Consumer and trade magazines
• Local and national newspapers
• Local, national or syndicated radio and television features and programs
• Online local, national or syndicated radio or television features and programs
• Online publications, blogs and web sites

The subject matter of entries should focus on the business, people, processes and regulation involved in the development or distribution of news and entertainment content.

Television or film reviews, scripts or recordings of performances are not eligible.

The work must have been published or broadcast between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2007.

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Awards Categories

The Mirror Awards will be given for work that is noteworthy for revealing the business side of the media industry in the following categories: individual, editors or teams of writers and achievement.

INDIVIDUAL

Best Single Article, Print media. A carefully researched, in-depth print or online article of any length. The article may include sidebars and graphics, if relevant. Regular features/columns, opinion pieces or film/television reviews should not be entered.

Best Single Article, Video or Audio. A carefully researched, in-depth television or radio piece, either broadcast or delivered online. While text sidebars and graphics may be included, pieces should rely predominantly on the video or audio component for the majority of story telling. As above, regular features/columns, opinion pieces or film/television reviews should not be entered.

(NEW) Best Investigative piece: Entries can be one article or broadcast or a series of articles that cross platforms. Entries will be judged on both the quality and importance of the story covered, and the techniques of investigative journalism.

Best Profile
Any carefully researched and sourced piece dealing with a single person or organization that is noteworthy in the media industries. Excerpts from "three dot columns"/social notebook features or excerpts from books (unless the book was originally published in serial form in a periodical) should not be entered.

Best Commentary
Two to four pieces that demonstrate the writer's overall knowledge of the issues, analytic skills and unique voice. Submissions may address a single subject or may cover a variety of subjects and may be originally published in any format: print, web site, blog or broadcast. This is the category for opinion, humor, columnists, etc.

EDITORS OR TEAMS OF WRITERS

(NEW) Overall Excellence in Coverage of the Media: Recognizes superior news judgment, reporting and presentation over the contest period. This is the category best suited for full publications and online content aggregators, regularly published multi-media web sites and broadcast programs. Each entry should consist of three full issues of the publication, web site, or broadcast program, bundled together or copied onto disk. This award recognizes programs or publications that contribute to the public’s understanding of the media in a uniquely effective way.

ACHIEVEMENT

Fred Dressler Lifetime Achievement Award: Open to any individual in an organization by nomination by the awards committee only. This is an occasional award given to a reporter, editor or publisher who has made distinct, consistent, long-term and unique contributions to the public's understanding of the media.

i-3 Award for Impact, Innovation and Influence: By nomination by the awards committee only. Given each year to an individual, group, corporation or innovation that has made a profound impact on the media landscape in that calendar year or that has captured the public's imagination about the potential or importance of the media in a unique way.

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Evaluation Criteria

Entries will be evaluated based on three criteria:

• Excellence of craft
  What is the overall quality of the writing and newsgathering that go into the piece? This includes careful attention to sourcing.
• Framing of the issue
  Does the author use the story to provide a broader perspective on the media and its role in society?
• Appropriateness for the intended audience
  Does the author use language and examples that will make sense to his or her audience? It is expected, for example, that articles published for a trade audience will be somewhat more technical in tone than those for consumer magazines.

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