2025 MRE Journalism Contest
TEXT MEDIA
Text published in traditional print or online.
Division 1 – Newsrooms with more than 20 reporters.
Division 2 – Newsrooms with fewer than 20 reporters.
Breaking News Reporting | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best work exemplifying breaking coverage of a major news event on deadline.
- Individual or team entry; single report or series; maximum four articles
Enterprise / Feature Reporting | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best work on a single topic containing numerous voices, creativity, sources of information/data or focused reporting that provides deeper context into a subject, in contrast to a typical news story.
- Individual or team entry; single report or series; maximum four articles
Investigative Reporting | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best work demonstrating in-depth, analytical skills, with information gathered over time, originality, use of public records, if they apply, and outcomes of the investigation.
- Individual or team entry; single report or series; maximum four articles
Commentary / Opinion | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best work by a columnist who writes about topics covering the military, national security, or homeland defense on a regular basis.
- Individual entry; five columns
AUDIO/VIDEO/VISUAL MEDIA
Content broadcast via television or radio or published online in audio, video, or visual platforms.
Division 1 – Coverage by a national or international outlet or network, including partnerships between local stations and networks, where the network has significant editorial input into a story or series.
Division 2 – Coverage by a local station, designed primarily for local or regional audience.
TV / Video News | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best news coverage on a single topic related to the military, veterans, or war.
- Individual or team entry; single report or series.
- Maximum edited length 15 minutes. Edits should be clearly marked.
TV / Video Documentary | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best documentary or docuseries designed around a single topic related to the military.
- Individual or team entry; single episode or series.
- Maximum edited length 30 minutes and edits should be clearly marked.
Radio News | Division 1 / Division 2
- Best radio news coverage on a single topic of interest related to the military, veterans, or war.
- Individual or team entry; single piece or series.
- Maximum edited length 15 minutes. Edits should be clearly marked.
- Best audio, radio, or podcast coverage on a topic related to the military, veterans, or war.
- Individual or team entry; single episode, series of episodes, or season.
- Maximum edited length 30 minutes and can include clearly audible edits.
- Best audio, radio, or podcast coverage on a topic related to the military, veterans, or war.
- Individual or team entry; single episode, series of episodes, or season.
- Maximum edited length 30 minutes and edits should be clearly marked.
- Best photography on a single topic related to the military, defense or veterans news or war coverage.
- Individual entry; single image or series of images; maximum five images.
STUDENT MEDIA PROJECT
- Best student package or project that expertly uses print or digital storytelling to inform its audience regarding a specific story or topic related to military, veterans, or war.
- Judges will consider the quality of the journalism, design, creative and appropriate uses of media, and the ways in which print, digital and mobile platforms are maximized to engage and inform audiences.
- Refer to media-specific categories for additional details.