Revised award categories were introduced in 2022 for the Ossie Awards. These reflect changing industry practice and teaching focus. The categories and category criteria for this year’s awards are:

• John Newfong Award for Reporting on Indigenous Affairs  – (Individual, Undergraduate or Postgraduate, Any Medium) ($200 prize).

The John Newfong Award is named in honour of the first Aboriginal person to be employed in mainstream print media in Australia, at The Australian. Entries should focus on indigenous issues, as well as contribute to public understanding of indigenous issues. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• Best Text-based Story by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student – 750 words or less ($200 prize)

This category is for a text-based story – published or publishable in print or online – of no more than 750 words. Submitted stories can be hard or soft news. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only. Stories must be predominantly text-based.

• Best Text-based Story by an Undergraduate Student  – over 750 words ($200 prize)

This category is for a text-based story – published or publishable in print or online – of more than 750 words. Submitted stories can be hard or soft news or features. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only. Stories must be predominantly text-based.

• The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas Award for Best Text-based Story by a Postgraduate Student – over 750 words ($200 prize)

This category is for a text-based story – published or publishable in print or online – of more than 750 words. Submitted stories can be hard or soft news or features. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only. Stories must be predominantly text-based.

• Best Audio (Short-form) by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student ($200 prize)

This category is for an audio news report or short documentary or current affairs report – which may have been broadcast or published online – and is designed to be published or broadcast within a larger program or as part of a web publication. (There is no durational limit but short-form works would generally be under 10 minutes.) This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• Best Audio (Long-form) by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student (individual or group) ($200 prize)

This category is for audio content produced as a standalone feature or as a podcast series. For podcast series, entrants should submit audio of 1-2 episodes only to represent the series, supported with a short paragraph synopsis for each episode in the series.

• Best Video (Short-form) by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student ($200 prize)

This category is for a video news report or short documentary or current affairs report – which may have been broadcast or published online – and is designed to be published or broadcast within a larger program or as part of a web publication. There is no durational limit but short-form works would be generally under 5 minutes. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• Best Video (Long-form) by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student ($200 prize)

This category is for a news, documentary or current affairs video feature. There is no durational limit but long-form works would be generally over 5 minutes. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• Best Data Journalism by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student (individual or group) (Adobe Creative Cloud 12-month Subscription)

This category recognises excellence in data journalism and data visualisation. This category is open to all media forms, and to individual (1-2 students) and group entries.

• Best Visual Journalism by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student (all media, individual or group) ($200 prize)

This category recognises excellence in visual storytelling of news and current affairs, from mobile journalism to social media, in short and long form. This category is open to all media forms, and to individual (1-2 students) and group entries.

• Best Publication (Individual or Group, Undergraduate or Postgraduate (A 100 GBP book voucher from Intellect Books)

This category is open to both individual and group entries, and to publications in any medium – print, broadcast or online. It is open to both one-off publications and regularly published or broadcast work. Where regular editions or broadcasts are included, no more than three editions should be submitted for judging.

• Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma – Asia Pacific Award (Individual, Undergraduate or Postgraduate, Any Medium) ($200 prize)

The Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma – Asia Pacific award is for reporting on the impact of violence, crime, disaster and other traumatic events on individuals, families and communities. Entries should focus on the experience of victims and survivors as well as contribute to public understanding of trauma-related issues. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• Reuters Award for Best Photojournalism (Single Image) by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student ($200 prize)

This category is for a single still photograph where it is used to support text-based reporting. Entries should be accompanied by any text incorporated in the published or submitted work – this text will not form part of the judging process, but will be used to provide guidance and context for judges. Video cannot be submitted for judging in this category. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• Reuters Award for Best photojournalism (Photo Essay) by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student ($200 prize)

This category is for a series of still photographs where the images are the primary means of storytelling. The images should represent a story or event and cannot be a series on a theme. Entries should be accompanied by any text incorporated in the published or submitted work – this text will not form part of the judging process, but will be used to provide guidance and context for judges. Video cannot be submitted for judging in this category. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• The Private Media Award for Diversity awarded to a Student from an Underrepresented Group ($200 prize)

• Investigative journalism (all media) – (Group, Undergraduate or Postgraduate)($200 prize)

This category is open to investigative reporting in any medium, produced by a team of students. It should reflect implementation of principles and techniques of investigative journalism rather than simply being a longer piece of journalism. There is no specific word or time limit, but it should reflect reporting on one topic over no more than one semester.

• Mindframe Award (Individual, Any Medium, Undergraduate) ($200 prize)

The Mindframe category is for a story by an undergraduate student that covers a mental health or suicide related issue responsibly, accurately and sensitively and also demonstrate an understanding of the potential to increase community awareness, decrease stigma, promote hope and encourage people to seek help. It is an individual category, so entries should be the work of one or two students only.

• Mindframe Award (Individual, Any Medium, Postgraduate) ($200 prize)

The Mindframe category is for a story by a postgraduate student that covers a mental health or suicide related issue responsibly, accurately and sensitively and also demonstrate an understanding of the potential to increase community awareness, decrease stigma, promote hope and encourage people to seek help. It is an individual category, so entries should be the work of one or two students only.

• Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub Award for best Climate Change Reporting ($200 prize)

This category is for a text-based story — published or publishable in print or online — that reports on climate science or climate impacts relating to Australia. Stories must be predominantly text-based. Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

• Our Watch Award (Individual, Any Medium, Undergraduate) ($200 prize)

The Our Watch category is for a story by an undergraduate student that displays excellence in the coverage of violence against women. It should reflect best-practice in the reporting of violence against women, as covered in the National Media Guidelines. It is an individual category, so entries should be the work of one or two students only.

• Our Watch Award (Individual, Any Medium, Postgraduate) ($200 prize)

The Our Watch category is for a story by a postgraduate student that displays excellence in the coverage of violence against women. It should reflect best-practice in the reporting of violence against women, as covered in the National Media Guidelines. It is an individual category, so entries should be the work of one or two students only.

• The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas Award for Scoop of the Year by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student ($200 prize)

This category recognises journalistic enterprise in proactive reporting that produces a scoop. A ‘scoop’ can be defined as a work of journalism not reported elsewhere which contains information that has the capacity to change public understanding or knowledge of an issue or event. This is an individual category, so entries must be the work of one or two students only.

• The Australian Press Council Undergraduate Award for an essay on the topic of media ethics ($200 prize)

Submissions must be in the form of an essay rather than a piece of journalism. The essay must relate to the topic of journalism ethics, and should present a case or argument, using supporting examples where appropriate. It must be fully referenced, using standard academic referencing techniques and styles. Essays can be submitted in text or audio form. Where the essay is submitted as audio, it should be accompanied by a complete reference list in a Word document or pdf. Maximum length: text 3000 words or audio 15 minutes.

• The Australian Press Council Postgraduate Award for an essay on the topic of media ethics ($200 prize)

Submissions must be in the form of an essay rather than a piece of journalism. The essay must relate to the topic of journalism ethics, and should present a case or argument, using supporting examples where appropriate. It must be fully referenced, using standard academic referencing techniques and styles. Essays can be submitted in text or audio form. Where the essay is submitted as audio, it should be accompanied by a complete reference list in a Word document or pdf. Maximum length: text 5000 words or audio 20 minutes.

• The Australian Press Council Award for Journalism Student of the Year ($750 prize).

This is for a student who has performed well in all academic subjects and who has also produced outstanding journalism as part of their coursework. Entrants must be able to demonstrate high achievement across their academic subjects and outstanding achievement in journalism produced as part of their coursework.

• Outstanding Contribution Award (awarded at the discretion of the JERAA Executive)

This award is reserved for outstanding work submitted in any of the other categories, and will be made at the discretion of the JERAA Executive and on the advice of category judges. All category winners will be considered for this award, but it may not be awarded every year.