Arizona Republic staff:

Beginning with the 2007 contest, the Arizona Republic changed its policies in regards to when it will pay for contest entry fees and related costs to participate in state and regional journalism awards contests. Most staff members will need to pay their own costs to enter contests such as those sponsored by the Arizona Press Club. An exception, as it applies to the press club, will be for those people selected by the Republic to enter the Virg Hill Journalist of the Year, Photographer of the Year and Designer of the Year categories.

 

However, Republic executive editor Randy Lovely also announced that the Republic will donate $2,000 to the Arizona Press Club this year (a reduction from the 2007 and 2008 amounts of $3,000). The press club's board of directors decided to use that donation to underwrite the initial membership fee of $20 for the first 100 Republic staff members who notify us of their desire to enter our awards contest. If you decide to take advantage of this offer, you still will need to pay the fee for each individual entry.

 

To receive credit for the membership fee, here’s what you do:

 

---Send an e-mail to contest chairman Le Templar that explains your intent to enter the 2009 Arizona Press Club awards contest as an Arizona Republic employee. Notices MUST BE SENT BY EMAIL to Le Templar

The deadline is Jan. 20. Le will respond via email to confirm receipt of your notice.

 

---As explained in the contest rules, a separate membership fee is required for each name listed in a byline and submitted for press club recognition. So please include everyone in your email request if you intend to enter an item that would honor two or more people.

 

---Membership fees will be credited on a first-come, first-served basis. If more than 100 people express their intent to enter, a waiting list will be created for those who came in last. The press club will take names from the waiting list in chronological order if anyone among the first 100 people doesn’t deliver an entry submission to the Arizona Press Club P.O. box by the Jan. 20 deadline.

 

---If you are notified that you have been placed on the waiting list, you must send your entries, and you MUST include the $20 membership fee with your total entry payment, by the Jan. 20 deadline to guarantee inclusion in the awards contest. Anyone on the waiting list who pays and later receives the membership credit will be reimbursed their $20 from the press club.

 

---Remember, the press club credit applies only to the $20 membership fees. You must still pay the individual fees for each entry you submit.

 

Questions? Concerns? Ideas? You can email me at Le Templar. Good luck and the press club looks forward to receiving your 2009 entries.

  

Le Templar

Vice President, Contest Chair

Arizona Press Club