APME is accepting nominations for 12th Annual Robert G. McGruder Awards for Diversity Leadership

APME is accepting nominations for 12th Annual Robert G. McGruder Awards for Diversity Leadership

Two awards are given annually: one for newspapers with a circulation up to 75,000; one for newspapers with more than 75,000 circulation.

The awards go to individuals, news organizations or related journalistic organizations or teams of journalists who embody the spirit of McGruder, a former executive editor of the Detroit Free Press, former managing editor of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, graduate of Kent State University and relentless diversity champion. McGruder died of cancer in April 2002.

This year, the awards are being sponsored by the Free Press, The Plain Dealer, Kent State University and the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute.

Jurors will be looking for nominees who have made a significant contribution during a given year or over a number of years toward furthering diversity in news content and in recruiting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce. Announcement of the winners will be made at the annual APME conference Oct. 28-30 in Indianapolis. The recognized honorees each receive $2,500 and a leadership trophy.

Who is eligible? Individuals, newsrooms or teams of journalists from U.S. news organizations or related journalism organizations are eligible.The awards recognize achievement for the past 12 months or contributions over a number of years.

What are the criteria? The Diversity Leadership Awards honor an individual, a news organization or related journalism organization or a team of journalists for significant leadership in diversity through:

• Recruitment: by providing opportunities for diverse journalists to learn about news careers and to enter the news industry in internships and full-time jobs.

• Development: by offering opportunities for diverse journalists to grow in their current roles and to receive mentoring and training to advance to positions of greater authority, responsibility or expertise.

• Retention: by ensuring that journalists want to remain in the news industry by providing an inclusive work environment that offers opportunities to contribute and advance.

• Content: by reflecting a diverse community accurately and in a way that demonstrates community and industry leadership. The definition of diversity in content includes ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religious background, political bent and physical ability.

 

• Leadership: by inspiring a commitment to diversity and providing tools, knowledge and information that further the efforts in recruitment, development, retention and content.

Nominations can be made by individuals, newspapers, professional organizations, schools of journalism and others.

Rules for entries: Send a nomination outlining specific information about the achievements and how the nominee benefited the community, the industry and diverse journalists. The recommendation should include the name of the person making the nomination and contact information. You may supplement an entry with electronic clips.

 

Deadline: Material must be received by close of business Monday, Aug. 5, 2013.

 

Send material to:

Sally Jacobsen, email: SJacobsen@ap.org

The Associated Press

450 West 33rd Street

New York, N.Y. 10001