Deadline for the 2021 Peter Lisagor Awards EXTENDED

The Chicago Headline Club is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Peter Lisagor Awards!

Enter here by clicking on “Chicago Headline Club: The 45th Annual Peter Lisagor Awards.”

Due to issues with the Chicago Headline Club website, we have extended the deadline to Feb. 7 and will accept additional entries from Feb. 8 – 14 with a $10 late fee.

This year’s contest includes dozens of new categories designed to reflect the biggest stories and coverage priorities from the past year, including new awards for reporting on COVID-19 and diversity issues, as well as more digital categories and other changes which better reflect modern news organizations.

We have six divisions: Best All Media; General Interest Daily Newspaper, News Service or Bureau; Non-Daily Newspaper, Magazine or Newspaper Magazine Section; Broadcast: Television; Broadcast: Radio; Specialty Trade (including specialty wire services and bureaus); and Online (for independent and affiliate journalists).

Here’s a complete listing of all the award categories this year.

Work nominated for the 2021 contest must have been published or aired between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021. Entries must be the original work of journalists in Illinois or who work for news media based in the state or in northwest Indiana.

All nominations must meet standards set forth in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics. Entities that are principally advocacy organizations are not eligible. Entries should include all related corrections, clarifications or retractions.

Entries are judged by an impartial SPJ chapter outside Illinois. Winners will be announced at our 2021 Peter Lisagor Awards ceremony on Friday, May 6, 2022.

The cost to enter is $30 for Chicago Headline Club members and $50 for non-members. The deadline is Jan. 31. Non-members who join at the time of entering the contest may pay the members-only contest fee.

Membership requires both $75 dues for the national Society of Professional Journalists and $20 for Headline Club for a total of $95—with discounts available for students, retirees and multiple members in the same household.

Join now and save.

To enter:

Go to betternewspapercontest.com and click on “Open Call Login” at the top of the page.

Enter your login details. If you entered previous Lisagor Award contests, your email and password should be the same. If this is your first time entering the Lisagor Awards, click on “Create your Open Call account” and follow the prompts.

Click “Find Contests” and select “Chicago Headline Club: The 45th Annual Peter Lisagor Awards” from the list.

Have questions? Feel free to contact us.