ROBERT L. VANN MEDIA AWARDS

The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation is calling for its 35th annual Robert L. Vann Media Awards.

The awards will recognize journalism excellence in coverage of African American and African diaspora communities, individuals and issues via print, broadcast, multimedia, visual presentation, and digital media categories in Western Pennsylvania, Western and Central Ohio and parts of West Virginia. Also, the student contest honors excellence in journalism at colleges and universities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

All contest entries must have been published or broadcast in 2023. 

The entry deadline for both the professional and student contests is 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2024. 

Finalists for the professional contest will be announced in the spring and winners will be named at an awards dinner/ceremony scheduled for June 13, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh’s O’Hara Center.

Winners in the college contest will be announced in the spring.

The professional contest will be judged by seasoned journalists and media educators outside the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. PBMF reserves the right to recategorize entries.

Qualifying entries may be from traditional print newspapers or digital media news organizations that consistently publish new written content daily, or five or more times a week. Entries may be a single story or series. Entrants should be the writer(s) or reporter(s) most responsible for the written entry.

Qualifying entries may be from traditional newspapers or digital media news organizations that publish new written content four or fewer times a week. Entries may be a single story or series. Entries should be the writer(s) or reporter(s) most responsible for the written entry.

Qualifying entries may be from traditional print magazines or the digital versions of magazines, including those produced by digital media and news organizations with long-form magazine-style entries. Entries may be a single story or series. Entrants should be the writer(s) or reporters(s) most responsible for the written entry. Articles that appear in a newspaper magazine or supplement should be submitted in the daily or non-daily written categories, not the magazine category.

Qualifying entries may be from traditional television or digital video media or traditional print outlets producing video content that is associated with any journalistic or media organization. Entries may be a single story, single program, or series. Entrants should be members of the production team most responsible for the entry (i.e. reporters, producers, writers, editors, videographers).

Qualifying entries may be from traditional radio or podcasts or digital audio media or traditional newspapers and print outlets that produce audio content associated with any journalistic organization. Entries may be a single story, single program, or series. Award entries should be the member(s) of the production team most responsible for the entry (i.e. reporter, producers, writers, editors, sound engineers).

Qualifying entries may be from traditional daily and non-daily print, traditional broadcast, OR digital platforms of web-based news and media services. Entries may be a single story, single program, or series. Award entries should be listed from the member(s) of the production team most responsible for the entry (i.e. reporter, producers, writers, editors, sound engineers).