Nomination Requirements and Forms

Nominations for the 2012 Payne Awards for Ethics in Journalism, for work published or decisions made in 2011, are due no later than Monday, February 27.  

Complete a nomination today.

Nominations for the Payne Awards are limited to material published, broadcast, or posted, or decisions made by journalists or news organizations based in the United States.

When completing the nomination form, please provide the following information:

• Name and Title of nominee
• Organization or Publication Name
• Contact information of the nominee, including Address, Phone, Fax and E-mail
• Contact information for the person making the nomination.
• The date of publication or the date of the nominated decision
• Articles, tapes, web pages, or other materials
• A letter supporting the nomination. The letter should explain the ethical significance of the nominated work and, where possible, the decision-making process of the nominees.

When an entry is nominated for not publishing, or for exceptional behavior in another ethical dilemma, the supporting materials should explain the circumstances, and with clarity, the reasoning.

Established in 1999 at the School of Journalism and Communication by Seattle broadcasting legend Ancil Payne (1921-2004), the Payne Awards for Ethics in Journalism celebrate the long tradition of journalists and news organizations serving the public interest by honoring them for exceptionally principled behavior. The Payne Awards may be given for courageous reporting or decisions that are often invisible to readers, listeners or viewers.

 Ancil Payne, a leader in Northwest broadcasting and lifelong contributor to the arts, politics, and education, was CEO of KING broadcasting and helped establish its reputation for and commitment to ethical journalism. In creating the award, Payne envisioned a program that would reward journalists acting with integrity and character, restore public trust in the media, and inspire people to do good work.

Journalists and outlets can nominate themselves or be nominated by a third party.  Up to two awards will be given annually.

Nominations are due no later than Monday, February 27, 2012 for decisions made or work published in 2011.  Submit a nomination today.

More information on the Payne Awards can be found by contacting:

Payne Awards for Ethics in Journalism
School of Journalism and Communication
1275 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1275
payneawards@jcomm.uoregon.edu