Looking for some last-minute advice before you submit for the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards? Former deputy head of talkSPORT and broadcast category judge Laurie Palacio has some final thoughts for you…
There’s only a matter of hours before the window slams shut for entries to the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards.
It might not get as much coverage as the January transfer window, but it’s one of the most critical days for those working in the sports media industry.
Getting shortlisted provides a significant boost to your profile, as your name is quickly seen alongside those of some of the best-known practitioners in writing, broadcast and photography.
This year, the SJA has added several new categories to the Awards, including five specifically designed for content creators and YouTubers.
With reduced fees available for freelancers – plus the SJA’s Diversity scheme offering FREE entry for those who meet the eligibility criteria – there’s never been a better time to submit your work.
That’s certainly the view held by Laurie Palacio. As part of a special SJA webinar held last week, the managing director of Tongue Tied Management and former deputy head of talkSPORT shared his thoughts about the Awards ahead of the deadline.
Laurie started out at the national radio station in 2003 and has vast experience of the Awards process, both as an entrant and as a broadcast judge.
The entry deadline date for this year’s Awards, sponsored by Canon UK, is Wednesday 15 January 2025. All pictures and portfolios must be logged on the dedicated awards portal by 11.59pm.
Read our article here which gives a full overview of this year’s Awards. Remember, you may be eligible for reduced entry fees or even free entry – check out the Diversity criteria.
Here are some of Laurie’s thoughts from the webinar, with a focus on broadcast media…
Whether you’re in TV, film or radio, the judges always want to see a depth of work as well as coverage of different stories.
They’re not just looking for glitz and glamour, they’re also looking for the nuance in a story, and the layers of an event.
Tailoring your entries to suit the categories is really important.
It’s about storytelling. I would try to create engaging narratives for the presenter, the podcast or the radio show that I wanted to show off.
That’s ultimately what we were trying to do. For 10 minutes or 150 words, you’re trying to show off to six strangers who you’ve never met.
You don’t know who they are, but you hope that because they’re from our industry and they’re your peers, they’re going to understand why you think this is a ground-breaking piece of work.
Try to understand what the themes of the year are and show that in your entry.
Your entry should reflect what those issues are, as well as highlighting how you as a journalist covered them.
What was different? What was your clever piece of commentary? Or your creative decision? What was special about your content?
Judges also want to know about the audience impact.
Deliver that to them because they won’t know how many views or plays you got, or who read the accompanying article.
That isn’t the only thing that matters, and clearly some platforms will easily achieve thousands or even millions of views because they’re part of a massive organisation.
But laying some context onto your work will show that there was an impact.
Demonstrate what elevated something from a fairly standard piece of work into an exceptional one.
Judges want to see your entry lift off the page, so including metrics and testimonials can sometimes be a nice trick.
Be sure to boil it down. Why do these case studies or metrics help to make sense of it for the judges? They want to know what connected your work to your audience.
Getting an external opinion is a big part of smart entry crafting.
Remember, the judges are in our sports media and in our world so they understand the challenges.
But they don’t listen 24/7 – it could be a funny clip to you but if it’s an in-joke, it may not be as enjoyable for them.
A good broadcast entry often comes back to technical presentation.
Spend time on your best work. Craft it. Make sure that the levels are all the same!
Think carefully about what that category is. It comes back to reading and understanding it.
To read more about the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards and how to enter one or more of the 30+ categories, click here. The entry deadline is Wednesday 15 January 2025, at 11.59pm.
Looking for photography advice? Read award-winning sports snapper Molly Darlington’s portfolio tips!
Or writing tips? Heather Dewar, shortlisted in the News Reporter category last time out, has plenty.
The SJA is interested in your sports media industry news and views. Keen to reach an engaged audience, including over 70,000 followers across social media? We welcome your enquiries – contact us here. We also offer advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
For information on how to apply as a Full or Associate Member of the SJA, plus details of our free-to-enter SJA Academy, click here.