Students, graduates, or those without formal training among those eligible to enter; submissions must be made before deadline on 18 January, 2023; award will “encourage new talent” to shine, says Sky Sports News’ Mark Alford…
The SJA, in association with Sky Sports, is pleased to announce the introduction of a new award for those at the start of their journey in sports journalism.
Those eligible for the award may include students, graduates, or those without formal training.
The winner will be invited to join Sky Sports at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards in March 2023, undertake a work placement with Sky Sports, and get the opportunity to meet with an SJA committee member to discuss their work and career development.
The SJA Academy Award is named after the SJA Academy, a free-to-join membership level of the SJA for anyone interested in a career in sports journalism. Entrants do not have to be members but are encouraged to join.
Please see below for eligibility criteria and how to enter.
Mark Alford, Director of Sky Sports News, said: “Sky Sports wants everyone to see sports journalism as a potential career for them.
“That’s why we are delighted to support this new award, to encourage new talent and fresh perspectives.
“Different storytellers from different backgrounds make newsrooms more vibrant and more inclusive. Ultimately, those newsrooms deliver better journalism and more engaging stories.
“Whether your work is in student journalism, blogging, social video or other forms of storytelling, we encourage you to enter and we look forward to celebrating with the winner and nominees.”
SJA Chair Ashley Broadley said: “The SJA is committed to developing an industry that better reflects the world around us.
“Some people can’t always take traditional pathways to enter the journalism industry. The new SJA Academy Award is an opportunity to recognise promising early-career journalists from all walks of life.
“We look forward to learning about their work, honouring their achievements, and being part of the next steps in their careers.”
Who is eligible?
Entry is open to anyone with less than one year of full-time experience in professional journalism, or those for whom journalism has never made up their primary source of income. This may include students, graduates, or those without formal training.
We particularly welcome applications from those who feel their voices and communities are under-represented in the sports journalism industry.
Please contact james@s2fevents.co.uk if you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application.
What to submit:
Entrants may submit up to three pieces of their work produced between 1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022, as well as no more than 200 words per submission explaining each piece.
Entries may be from across print, digital, broadcast or any other medium the candidate feels best reflects their work and potential as a sports journalist.
We ask that broadcast entries are no longer than 10 minutes each. If you wish for us to consider a clip from a larger piece, please note on your entry form the start and end times of the section that you would like the panel to review.
Submissions may consist of published or unpublished work. Candidates may also submit work expressly created for the purpose of this application, should they wish.
Shortlisted entrants may be asked to complete an additional assignment or task.
Judging criteria:
A diverse panel of judges will consider a number of criteria including quality of storytelling, news sense, accuracy, reporting, and originality.
Deadline: 18 January 2023
Prize: The winner will be invited to join Sky Sports at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards in March 2023, undertake a work placement with Sky Sports, and get the opportunity to meet with an SJA committee member to discuss their work and career development.
*Terms and conditions apply