Rules for Entry

Updated Oct. 9, 2025.

General

• All entries must have been published or broadcast for the first time during the 2025 calendar year. By entering this contest, you are confirming that the entries represent the stories as originally published or aired.
• URLs are preferred over PDFs for entries. If a link is behind a paywall, you must provide a password-free link or a password for use in judging.
• Entries published in languages other than English are allowed. Applicants must upload an accurate translation, along with a letter from the outlet certifying the translation’s accuracy and a name and contact for the translator.
• Cover letters (maximum one page, 12-pt font, in PDF format) are also required for entries submitted to the Student category, for select entries to the TV/video and Audio reporting categories (see “more information in the FAQ entry: When is a cover letter required?), and for any entries that have been translated from their original language.
• All entries must be submitted online through the contest website, found here. 
• Payment must be submitted online by credit card in the amount of the total entry fee and must be received by the deadline for an entry to be considered.
• Judges and AHCJ staff may disqualify any entry that does not adhere to the rules and may move entries among categories or to the appropriate size division without notifying entrants.
• If a category attracts fewer than 10 entries, AHCJ reserves the right to not award a prize. In such a case, entry fees will be refunded.
• AHCJ may maintain copies of all entries. Entries may be used in newsletters, journals, compilations or other educational efforts. They also may appear on AHCJ’s website.
• New for 2025: We’ve added two new TV/video categories — Television and Video Reporting (short form — all sizes) and Television and Video (long form or series — all sizes). We’ve also made changes to the Audio Reporting category to distinguish between short form and long form or series. (More details in the FAQ entry: Can you tell me more about the categories?).

Eligibility rules

• AHCJ board members, employees and members of the contest committee are not eligible to enter and may not serve as judges.  
• Contest judges are allowed to enter but cannot  serve as judges in any categories they entered. 
• Work that was edited by an AHCJ board or contest committee member may be entered, but the board or committee member may not be involved in selecting or preparing entries , and they may not share in any prizes. 
• Student category: Entries must have been produced by students in high school, undergraduate, or graduate programs for a class, a student-led publication, or a university-based outlet. The work must have been produced while the entrant was enrolled as a student. If the work later was  published in a professional outlet, the version submitted in this category must be the one  produced for the class, student-led publication, or university-based outlet. (If you want the version published professionally considered, submit it in the appropriate non-Student category.) Students who have worked in a full-time professional journalism capacity, including paid freelancing, for one or more years, are not eligible to enter the Student category. 
• The Trade category is not for publications or websites aimed at general interest audiences. Trade outlets are defined as publications catering exclusively or primarily to specific groups, such as health care professionals, advocacy groups or organizations. Joint collaborations between trade and other types of publications cannot be entered in the Trade category.  

Rules on number and types of submissions 

• Number of entrants:
  • A maximum of three individuals may be named on the entry. 
  • Entries with more than three main contributors should be submitted with the name of the outlet or collaborating outlets.  
• Number of stories per entry:
  • Generally, only one main story per entry is allowed. 
  • For a series, up to five articles may be submitted. It must be clear that the stories are about the same topic, institution or person. A cover letter is highly recommended. (Audio or TV/video series submitted into categories other than the TV/video and Audio categories should not exceed 60 minutes.) In the Trade category, only individual stories should be submitted. Entire newsletters or publications are not eligible. 
  • TV/video and Audio Reporting: Find information about the number of stories per entry and other guidelines below.
• Rules for entering in multiple categories:
  • A specific story or series cannot be entered in different categories; it can only be submitted once to a chosen category. 
  • The exception: Entrants in the Beat Reporting category may submit individual pieces from that portfolio to other categories.
  • Individual entrants/outlets may submit more than one entry to a category, but each entry will be counted as a separate submission and require an additional contest fee. 
• Collaborations between outlets:
  • If organizations collaborated on a story or project, they should coordinate their entry so that only one version is submitted. 
  • Please see outlet-size rules below to determine whether a collaborative entry should be submitted in the Large or Small size division. 

• New for 2025: TV/video and Audio Reporting:
  • Audio Reporting (short form – all sizes): Recognizes outstanding single-story audio reporting on a health news event, topic or issue, not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Radio and/or podcast pieces are eligible. Judges will consider the creative and skillful use of audio storytelling techniques. Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter explaining challenges particular to the medium or other award-worthy factors. 
  • Audio Reporting (long form or series – all sizes): Recognizes outstanding reporting on a health news event, topic or issue, presented in a long-form audio segment, episode or series. Applicants may submit 1 to 5 audio pieces, assembled in one audio file not to exceed 60 minutes. If the entry includes 2 or more pieces, they must address the same topic or news story. Radio and/or podcast pieces are eligible. Judges will consider the creative and skillful use of audio storytelling techniques. Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter explaining challenges particular to the medium or other award-worthy factors. 
  • Television and Video Reporting (short form – all sizes): Recognizes outstanding single-story video reporting on a health news event, topic or issue. Television, documentary and digital video pieces are eligible. Judges will consider the creative and skillful use of visual storytelling techniques, as used in a single story, not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter to describe what makes the entry award-worthy and challenges overcome particular to the medium or other factors.
  • Television and Video Reporting (long form or series – all sizes): Recognizes outstanding television and video reporting on a health news event, topic or issue, presented in a long-form video segment, episode or series. Television, documentary and digital video pieces are eligible. Judges will consider the creative and skillful use of visual storytelling techniques, as used in a story (or stories) to explain complex health topics. Applicants are invited to submit 1 to 5 video pieces, assembled in one video file, not to exceed 60 minutes in length. If the entry includes 2 or more pieces, they must address the same topic or news story, as discussed in the official rules. Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter to describe what makes the entry award-worthy and challenges overcome particular to the medium or other factors. 
• TV/video and Audio reporting requirements:
  • Audio entries should be uploaded in .MP3 or .WAV format and TV/video entries should be uploaded in .MOV or .MP4 formats. Audio and TV/video files may also be uploaded and shared via a link, such as Vimeo, Dropbox or Frame.io. 
  • Submit by uploading a single video or audio file containing the entire submission. The combined length of all pieces cannot exceed 60 minutes for long form / series, or 10 minutes for short form. AHCJ reserves the right to truncate files at the 60-minute or 10-min mark before sending them to judges for review.
  • TV/video and Audio pieces may only be edited for time. For example, you may submit a select portion of a longer story, so as not to exceed the 60-minute limit or 10-minute limit. You are also allowed to edit out breaks (commercials, underwriting, station identification or newscasts) in a longer story.
  • If you made edits to your entry, please explain in a cover letter any such edits you have made, and why.  (EXAMPLE: Explain that you are submitting a 10-minute portion of a 20-minute podcast)
  • Please insert a brief silence (3 seconds) between audio pieces in the audio file, as a placeholder to indicate where audio was edited for time or to remove breaks. For TV/video entries, please include a slate or dip to black between video pieces.
  • No other kinds of edits may be made. Submitted TV/video or audio entries should be otherwise “as heard” on the original broadcast or podcast episode release.
  • Voice-overs or narratives are permitted only if they were part of the original piece.
  • In addition to uploading a video or audio file, entrants may provide links to web pages housing the original TV, radio stories or podcast episodes that include online text, photos or graphics; but judging for this category will primarily focus on the submitted TV/video or audio entry.

Size divisions 

The definitions for Large and Small depend on the number of editorial staff and the type of outlet that published or broadcast the entry. To determine the number of editorial staff, please consider the number of full-time equivalents, or FTEs, of the outlet where the story was published (and all collaborating outlets, if applicable.) 

Definition of editorial FTEs: For the purposes of this contest, a news outlet’s editorial staff includes any and all editorial and content-producing roles, including but not limited to: reporters, editors, producers, hosts, anchors, photojournalists, board or camera operators, show or podcast staffers, social media and community engagement staff, and newsroom or programming managers and supervisors.

If an outlet relies on part-time or contract employees, those employees should be included in the FTE count. (A half-time or quarter-time employee would count as 0.5 or 0.25 FTEs, respectively).

Large division

• Entries published in outlets specializing in health or science, with more than 30 editorial FTEs.
  • OR — Any entry produced in collaboration with, or with editorial input from, an outlet that specializes in health or science, in which the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets exceeds 30.
• Entries published by print or digital outlets (including newspapers, magazines and online-only outlets) with more than 100 editorial FTEs.
  • If an entry published by a print/digital outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs exceeds 100, the submission belongs in the Large category.
• Entries produced by broadcast outlets (radio, TV, podcasts, videos) with more than 50 editorial FTEs.
• If an entry published by a broadcast outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs exceeds 50, the submission belongs in the Large category.
• Any collaboration between Large and Small outlets.
  • Any piece produced by a freelancer, or person employed by a Small outlet, that received editorial input from or was produced in collaboration with a Large category outlet needs to enter in the Large category even if the entered work appears in an outlet that would otherwise qualify as Small.
• Entrants may choose to default any entry into the Large category.

Small division

• Entries published in outlets specializing in health or science, with 30 or fewer editorial FTEs.
  • OR — Any entry produced in collaboration with, or with editorial input from, an outlet that specializes in health or science, in which the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets is 30 or fewer.
• Entries published by print or digital outlets (including newspapers, magazines and online-only outlets) with 100 or fewer editorial FTEs.
  • If an entry published by a print/digital outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs is 100 or fewer, the submission belongs in the Small category.
• Entries produced by broadcast outlets (radio, TV, podcasts, videos) with 50 or fewer editorial FTEs.
• If an entry published by a broadcast outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs is still 50 or fewer, the submission belongs in the Small category.