2016 National Championship

May 30 – June 3, 2016

The 56th annual Hearst National Journalism Awards Championship was the culmination of the 2015-2016 monthly competitions. 28 finalists with top scores from the 1,261
competition entries gathered in San Francisco to demonstrate their skills in on-the-spot assignments and compete for additional scholarship awards of up to $5,000. The writing, photojournalism, radio broadcast, television broadcast and multimedia finalists, along with program judges, journalism deans, and special guests convened the first week of June for this special event.

The eight writing finalists interviewed Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. They wrote a news story based on the interview and a personality/profile article. In addition, they were
assigned to write an on-the-spot article about the city’s homelessness crisis.

The six photo finalists were given two assignments: A picture story showing San Francisco’s demographic transformation and a single news image.

The five radio and five television finalists’ assignment was to tell a story about the city’s homelessness crisis. The four multimedia finalists’ assignment was to focus on if and how San Francisco is using its best innovations to help the disenfranchised.

The judges reviewed the finalists’ pieces Thursday, June 2nd, and the winners were announced that evening at the final awards ceremony.