APSE judging thread

Wonder how many times he's been called "Kelsey."

 

Just want to preserve this in case someone sobers up.

 

Kelsey... plenty.

And while we're on the name thing, I'll add another tid bit. I worked at Toys R Us in college. I think they are required to hire any applicant with the same spelling of their mascot's name.

Now, off to Long Beach. I have the damn TRU song in my head now. It's going to be a long flight for whoever sits next to me.

 

On APSE's website, we'll be posting daily stories about the actions at the APSE judging convention.

By LYNN HOPPES
Orlando Sentinel


Story posted on Feb. 25, 2007

It's Sunday morning and APSE judging is about to begin in Long Beach, Calif. We're staying at the Coast Hotel near the Queen Mary and all the piers. It's technically Long Beach, but it's really across the water from all the fun of the city. As APSE President Jim Jenks says, "It's like we're in Alcatraz and we can see all the people having fun across the water."

But, that's not why we're here. We're here to judge and judge and judge.

On Saturday, we had several meetings just to get everything in order and talk about the future of APSE.

Some topics bubbling up that you'll hear more about later:

■ 1. We're considering adjusting the contest to change the categories of sections. Right now, there are four categories: under 40,000, 40,000-100,000, 100,000 to 250,000 and 250,000 and above. What we've found is that there are way more newspapers in the first two categories. Like about 300 newspapers in the first two categories. So don't be surprised if the categories get adjusted before too long.

■ 2. We're mulling the idea of website journalists who are associate members of APSE to take part in the writing contest. There is much debate over this topic. The first area likely will be in breaking news as most newspapers break news on their website and not in the newspaper. So it might be on a level playing field. But this is just getting started in discussions, and there will be plenty of that. It does spark the debate of whether we should be allowed to turn in library copy of stories instead of the cut-out newspaper version.

■ 3. St. Louis Convention is sizing up pretty well with an opening reception, poker night, baseball game between the Cardinals and the Phillies and an awards banquet. Room rates are about $140 a night. At the convention, will be a Mall of Ideas area where business can show off their wares for sports editors. This is an area of growth potential for APSE. The conventions after this are Minneapolis in 2008 and Pittsburgh in 2009.

■ 4. We're working on a way for people who are looking for jobs to post their resumes on the APSE website. They will pay a nominal fee and allow their resume to be viewed just like the way the job postings are viewed. This will spur traffic and provide additional revenue.

■ 5. Speaking of traffic on the web, the April newsletter – which is the contests results newsletter – will be web only but there will be added value. Since last fall when we moved content to a daily basic on the website, the traffic has gone through the roof and we want the website to be a daily fixture in sports editor's schedules. So for April, we will have the usual stuff on the results but we're going to include ALL winning stories, more than just the cover to the sections awards and commentary from the sports editors of those sections and avenues for people to ask questions to writers and editors about their work. It'll be a huge task, but we think it will be worth it.

 

Finally, a change in judging categories. I still think it should be done by staff size and not circulation.
How can a 15,000 circ paper with 2-3 people compete against a 35,000 with 6 or more?
Good to see APSE realize it is much tougher to place for a small paper when you are competing against a larger pool.

 

For what it's worth -- and yes, I have a dog in this hunt, being a Web guy -- I always felt, from way back into my print days, that requiring a clip in the writing contest was unnecessary, and that allowing a printout would make things easier and more convenient for everybody.

 

Seriously, Lynn do you sleep?

 

Yeah, I'm sure our bosses would be soooo pleased to find our names on a list.

"So, Jambo, I hear you're looking for a different job. Is that true?"

"You read that I am, I paid 50 bucks to list my name, so I guess I am!"

"Well, I can make that happen for you, partner, faster than you think."

 

Nice to see there'll be updates coming from the judging, but here's the important question: When can we expect results to start leaking out? Tonight? Tomorrow? Throw a dog a bone.

 

... or better yet is there a general schedule?

 

If memory serves, some of the larger-circulation section categories leaked out late on the first day of judging last year (there are fewer papers, therefore less to judge, so they get out first). Things then started trickling out slowly over the next couple days. But don't expect any writing results until sometime on Wednesday when things start wrapping up. If I remember correctly, they tend to come out last.

I'm far from an expert, though. I've never participated in judging, so I have no idea how the process works. This is generally what I recall from past years. And, of course, this assumes that somebody at the judging is willing to be a mole for the rest of us.