Frequently Asked Questions
GETTING STARTED:
My organization has limited resources; how should we approach the Loeb submission process?
We suggest breaking this process into steps that you can complete at an easy pace:
- Step 1 - Register an account on the Official Submissions Hub by using your email or our integrations with Google, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
- Step 2 - Make a list of URLs for journalism that you want to enter. Be sure to include the names and emails of the journalists associated with each piece.
- Step 3 - Evaluate the list and see if the work can be grouped by topic, event, series, etc.? Or does each piece feel like it stands on its own?
- Step 4 - Compare the list of work with all our competition categories to see where they would fit best. Remember, you can enter different pieces into more than one category. And you can enter the exact same pieces into up to two categories.
- Step 4 - Give your work a title either as a group or each stand-alone piece.
- Step 5 - Write a statement about your group (as a whole) or each stand-alone piece. This will be the first thing the judges will read to give them information about the work they will begin to evaluate.
- Step 6 - Combine everything into a text document to cut & paste from for each group or stand-alone piece: URLs to your work (Elements), names & emails (Authors & Contributors), competition category, title of the work (Submission Title), and statement about the work (Cover Letter).
- Step 7 - Login to the Official Submissions Hub and select Start Submission.
- Step 8 - Complete each tab of the entry form by typing or pasting in information that you've already gathered. The submission form will autosave, so if you need to stop in the middle of the process, you can start again right where you left off.
- Step 9 - Take a few minutes to review everything once you've completed all the required fields in each tab.
- Step 10 - Pay the entry fee for the submission by adding to the cart and completing checkout. Your work will be officially entered for the Loeb Awards!
Need a little extra help, send us an email with your contact information, and we'll guide your through the submission process.
GETTING STARTED:
What information is needed on the competition entry form? How does the entry form look?
- Start Tab
- Category Selection*
- Submission Title*
- Outlet/Organization Tab
- Name(s)*
- Twitter Handle
- Authors & Contributors Tab
- First Name(s)*
- Last Name(s)*
- Phone
- Twitter Handle
- Cover Letter Tab
- Cover Letter*
- Elements Tab
- URL(s)*
- Publication Date(s)*
- Paywall Indication*
- Paywall Username
- Paywall Password
- Transcript Upload [Audio or Video categories only]
- Supplemental Material Tab
- URL(s)
- Publication Dates
- Context
- Paywall Indication
- Paywall Username
- Paywall Password
- Duplicate Acknowledgement Tab
- Duplicate Indication*
- Duplicate Category
- Duplicate Submission Procedure Acknowledgement
* Required fields.
AWARDS COORDINATORS:
I'm coordinating all the submissions for an organization; can I pay for them in bulk?
Once you've fill out the submission forms for each of your organization's entries, just add as many as you'd like to your cart and pay the entry fee for all of those submissions at the same time.
COVER LETTER:
Am I required to submit a cover letter to the judges?
Possible things to touch on in the cover letter are as follows (but not limited to) and only as applicable:
- Context to the element(s) provided as a whole package.
- How the work in this submission is distinguished from competing reporting on the subject.
- Did this submission break key aspects of this coverage.
- Background on the genesis for the journalism in this submission or the event(s) that triggered the coverage.
- Any unique circumstances or challenges in completing this work.
- The expertise or depth of knowledge of the journalist(s) involved in the work contained in this submission.
Reminders:
- Any claims of change-making or significant impact referenced in the cover letter must be accompanied by URLs supporting those claims.
- Any significant challenge to the honesty, accuracy or fairness of an entry in any category, as well as responses to the challenge, should be included in the Cover Letter. Published letters of complaint, corrections or retractions are examples of items relevant to the judging process.
COVER LETTER:
Can I include hyperlinks or URLs in my cover letter?
The judges do not have a preference of hyperlinks or URLs. You may include whichever option is easiest.
DUPLICATE SUBMISSIONS:
My submission fits the criteria for multiple categories. Can I enter the same submission into more than one category?
You will be asked to identify the submission as a duplicate on the submission form (to help with our internal tracking).
ELEMENTS:
What is an element?
The categories in the competition group accept submissions with elements in all journalistic forms (including those produced for mobile distribution) and in any combination of forms
ELEMENTS:
Can I submit podcasts in any competition category?
Video and audio (broadcast, streaming, etc.) can also be submitted as elements in any category.
ELEMENTS:
How many elements can I include in each submission?
The following categories have a maximum of five (5) elements per submission:
Beat Reporting, Breaking News, Commentary, Explanatory, Feature, International, Investigative, Local, Personal Finance & Consumer Reporting, and Visual Storytelling
The following categories have a maximum of three (3) elements per submission:
Audio and Video
ELEMENTS:
Are all elements in my submission required to have a common theme?
Most submissions we receive seem to have an underlying theme - by topic/subject or by the primary author. However, we do receive submissions containing a collection of the individual's or organization's best work with no underlying theme.
ELEMENTS:
Is there an advantage to including the maximum number of elements in my submission versus only one or two elements?
The submission should be a representation of your best work. If your submission is best showcased by multiple elements, then you may include up to the maximum number of elements. However, you are not required to submit more than one element.
ELEMENTS:
Is my submission judged as a whole or is each element judged individually?
The elements will not be judged individually.
ELEMENTS:
I would like to submit a series I wrote, but the number of articles in my series exceeds the maximum allowed elements. What should I do?
- Mention or hyperlink missing elements (or to the full series) in your cover letter to the judges. Judges view hyperlinks at their discretion.
- If your missing elements are part of a project/series straddling calendar years, you may include the missing elements as Published Supplemental Material - under the following conditions:
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Submission must contain eligible (calendar year 2021) elements that are part of a lengthy project or an ongoing series that straddle calendar years.
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Up to three (3) URLs to published supplemental material outside of the calendar year (per Loeb Awards cycle) may be included with the submission.
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Only include published supplemental material if the eligible elements in the submission are reliant on the addition of published supplemental material as part of a series or project.
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Published supplemental material included in a submission is reviewed at the judges' discretion.
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Reminder: A submission is strongest when the eligible elements focus on the most compelling segments.
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ELEMENTS:
Our article includes sidebars. Does each sidebar count as an element?
Sidebars will only be read and included in the material to be judged if it is designated as an element on the online submission form. Alternatively, you can mention or hyperlink a sidebar in your cover letter to the judges. Judges view hyperlinks at their discretion.
FEES:
What is the entry fee? Do all submissions require an entry fee?
There is a $100 submission fee per entry in each competition category. There is no submission fee required for Lifetime Achievement Award or Minard Editor Award nominations.
FEES:
Where does my entry fee go? What does it support?
The second way the foundation receives operating money is from the sale of ticket (individuals) and table (usually news outlets) to the annual awards event in New York City.
The G. and R. Loeb Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The Loeb Awards were established in 1957 by the late Gerald Loeb, a founding partner of E.F. Hutton. UCLA Anderson has been the steward of the G. and R. Loeb Foundation since 1973.
FOUNDATION:
Is the Loeb Foundation a nonprofit? Is my entry fee tax deductible?
The Loeb Awards were established in 1957 by the late Gerald Loeb, a founding partner of E.F. Hutton. UCLA Anderson has been the steward of the G. and R. Loeb Foundation since 1973.
INTERNATIONAL OUTLETS:
Our outlet is headquartered internationally, but we have a US based bureau. Can we still submit an entry to the Loeb Awards?
As long as the elements of the submission were published or broadcast in the United States no matter where your outlet has operations.
JOURNALIST SAFETY:
Our journalists are reporting on extremely sensitive topics or based in high-conflict locations. Do we still have to list their names on the entry form?
NATIONAL OUTLETS:
We are a US-based outlet and collaborate with international outlets. Can we still submit an entry to the Loeb Awards?
As long as the elements of the submission were published or broadcast in the United States no matter if you collaborated with an internationally based outlet.
PDF:
Do I need to include a PDF with each submission?
There is no option to upload a PDF unless supplying a transcript for submissions in the Audio or Video categories.
SUBMITTERS:
I'm a working journalist, can I submit my own work into the competition?
Yes! All journalists can submit their work whether they are freelance or employed by an outlet...
A longstanding Loeb Awards rule is allowing ANY journalist to self-submit entries into all competition categories. Over the past 65 years, journalists who have self-submitted have become Loeb finalists and winners!
SUBMITTERS:
Do the judges see the name and information of the individual that is submitting an entry?
Judges do not see the name of the individual that fills out the submission form or pays for the entry.
TRANSCRIPTS:
Do I need to include a transcript with submissions in the Audio or Video categories?
A single file upload field is provided on the submission form for these categories.
MORE QUESTIONS:
I still have more questions, what should I do?
We're here to help Monday-Friday from 10am to 5pm Pacific Time...