Call for Entries

Call for Entries

The 2012 Michael A. O'Pake Memorial Award for Media Public Service

The Michael A. O'Pake Memorial Award for Media Public Service is given annually by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) to the media outlet in Pennsylvania that serves the public with excellence in the coverage and reporting of issues involving child abuse and neglect during the previous year.

Purpose

We seek to honor media reporting that expands community understanding and awareness and helps improve community involvement in dealing with child abuse and neglect. We also hope to encourage more, and better, coverage of child abuse and neglect and related issues.

Background

The award is named for the late Sen. Michael A. O'Pake, who represented Berks County in the Pennsylvania Senate from 1972 until his death in 2010 and was regarded as a champion of protecting children from abuse and neglect. Sen. O'Pake is especially remembered for helping to spearhead passage of the Child Protective Services Law in 1974.

Media Eligible to Enter

-- Daily and weekly newspapers in Pennsylvania (print or online)
-- Magazines in Pennsylvania (print or online, published at least
quarterly)
-- Television news programs aired by stations based in Pennsylvania
(broadcast or cable)
-- Radio news programs aired by stations based in Pennsylvania
Stories that appeared or were aired as a series or as an individual news story in calendar year 2011 are eligible.

Basis of Judging

1. Significance Was the subject matter significant or important to the
community served?

2. Clarity and accuracy of reportingDid it offer a clear and accurate
explanation and contribute to a better grasp or understanding?

3. Depth of reporting Did it thoroughly explore the subject matter, provide
context and background, and expand knowledge or educate?

4. Impact of reporting Did it cause or trigger positive action or change?

5. Professional presentationWas the reporting responsible and fair?
Procedure and Deadline for Entries: The entries will be reviewed and evaluated by a panel of three volunteer judges. The panel of judges will consist of a non-PFSA judge with a social services background, a non-PFSA judge with a media background, and a judge who is a PFSA board member or executive staff member. The judges are selected and approved by the PFSA board.

Scoring: Each judge will score each entry on the basis of 50 possible points, up to 10 points for each of the five categories listed above. The three judges' scores for each entry will be tallied as an overall total. The entry with the highest overall score will be considered the winner. In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by the PFSA Communications Committee, with the concurrence of the PFSA board.

Newspaper and magazine entries may be submitted in hard copy or PDF formats. Video and audio entries may be submitted in commonly playable electronic formats.

Entries will be accepted by mail, email, or special delivery starting Jan. 1. Acceptance of entries will end at the close of business on Jan. 31.

Entries may be mailed or delivered to the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance at 2001 North Front Street, Building #1, Suite 210, Harrisburg PA 17102. Entries may be emailed in electronic format to PFSA Executive Director Angela Liddle at aliddle@pa-fsa.org.

The winner of the award will be notified the week of March 5 and a representative will be invited to receive the award at a special ceremony April 3 in Harrisburg.

For more information, please call PFSA at 800-448-4906 (toll free from within Pennsylvania).

About PFSA: PFSA provides training on recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse and neglect through schools, early childhood education centers, religious institutions, and social service agencies. PFSA is the Pennsylvania sponsor of The Front Porch Project®, a community-based training initiative that educates the general public about how to protect children from abuse. PFSA also works with more than 50 affiliate agencies across Pennsylvania to provide information, educational materials, and programs that teach and support good parenting practices.

Pennsylvania Family Support AllianceProtecting children from abuseTraining for professionalsSupport for familiesEducation for communitiesVisit the PFSA website at www.pa-fsa.org

ContactAngela M. Liddle, Executive DirectorPennsylvania Family Support Alliance 800-448-4906 in PA or (717) 238-0937Cell (717) 979-3726aliddle@pa-fsa.org

/PRNewswire -- Dec. 12, 2011/

SOURCE Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance

Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance

Web Site: http://www.pa-fsa.org

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