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The Process & Meaning Of SND Awards
YOU HAVE TO be at the judging to begin to understand the complex process. The general judging uses five judging groups in large rooms working with 300 long tables for entries, color cups to keep the judging secret until the last minute and color chips representing each judge.
Judges study each entry and decide if it is "in" or "out" by placing his or her chip in the proper cup. They follow a process that works well to get the judging done over three long days.
Translators are available for international judges and entries so the judging is as fair as possible for non-English publications.
CUPPING:
Some categories have too many entries to have all entries out on the display tables at the same time. If this is the case a preliminary cut is done by having judges carry cups and place them on pages they'd like to see make the first cut. It only takes one cup to stay in the competition at this point. Depending on the number of entries in the category this process may be repeated several times.
Once cupping (if necessary) is completed and all entries can be laid out at one time, the actual voting begins. Each judge has a single chip color to cast his or her vote. The judge must vote "yes" or "no" for every entry (the sole exception, conflicts, is described below).
Placed in front of each entry are two cups, one red, the other blue. To vote "no," the judge drops a chip into the red cup. To vote "yes," the judge drops a chip into the blue cup. The cups have slits cut in their tops so once the chip is dropped in the cup other judges cannot see how a judge voted until the final vote is revealed at the end of the judging round.
CONFLICTS:
The sole exception to this is when a judge has a conflict. In this instance he or she places a yellow cup on the entry rather than voting with a chip.
A conflict occurs when a judge comes across an entry from his or her publication, a publication he or she has done recent consulting work for (recent is defined as an 18-month period immediately prior to judging) or a publication with which he or she directly competes. In this case the judge places a yellow cup on the entry signifying to the Team Captain that a conflict exists.
When a yellow cup appears on an entry, the Team Captain is responsible for notifying a "generalist" judge to vote on the entry. A number of qualified "generalists" judges are available on the judging floor to perform this duty.
It takes three or more "yes" votes to get into the show. Once in the show a winner may not be eliminated from the awards list. Entries receiving two or less votes are out of the show.
THE FIRST ROUND:
Entries receiving two or less votes are out of the competition
Entries receiving three votes will receive an Award of Excellence.
Entries receiving four or more votes in the first round will go directly into medal round discussions.
THE MEDAL ROUND:
Any entry receiving five votes (unanimous vote of the judging panel) earns a Gold Medal.
Any entry receiving four votes during the medal round is awarded a Silver Medal.
Any entry not receiving four votes in the medal round will receive an Award of Excellence.
In very rare occasions during the medal round, it is possible for a judge to request that an Award of Excellence winner be moved up for Silver Medal consideration. However, this normally does not happen.
At the end of the judging, judges will re-examine all Silver and Gold medal winners as edited for The Best of Newspaper Design™ book. Medal winners can be renegotiated up or down the award scale at that time.
Awards Given Each Year
FOUR TEAMS of judges review about 10,000 entries in the annual judging to decide the best of the best. The highest award is The World' s Best-Design Newspapers™, which is decided by a team of five judges over four days of judging.
Four teams of five judges each decide the remaining winners over three days of judging from the remaining categories in the competition.
THE AWARD SYSTEM
World Best-Designed Newspapers™ — Entries are evaluated on writing, visual storytelling, use of resources, execution, photography, headlines and "voice" as well as the newspaper's overall design. Judges consider the publication' s circulation when they decide the final publications that will be considered for this award. They select the very best publications from those entered in the competition.
Award of Excellence -- This is granted for work that is truly excellent. This award goes beyond mere technical or aesthetic competency. But to receive an award these entries need not be "perfect." It is appropriate to honor entries for such things as being daring and innovative if the entry is outstanding but less than 100 percent in every respect. Judges are asked to be very selective in giving this award.
Silver Medal -- This award is granted for work that goes beyond excellence. The technical proficiency of the Silver Medal should stretch the limits of the medium. These entries should shine. If the entry does not stretch the limits of the medium this medal is not presented. Again, judges are asked to be very selective with standards much higher than those used for an Award of Excellence.
Gold Medal -- This award is granted for work that defines the state of the art. Such an entry must stretch the limits of creativity. It should be impossible to find anything deficient in a gold-winning entry. It should be perfect or near perfect. Very few of these awards are given. This is the highest award given for general judging.
TWO ADDITIONAL AWARDS POSSIBLE
In addition to the Award of Excellence and the two medals (explained above), two special honors are possible: the Judges' Special Recognition and the Best of Show. These honors are given only when special circumstances warrant the awards.
Judges' Special Recognition -- This honor is awarded by a team of judges or by all judges for work that is outstanding in a particular respect not necessarily singled out by the Award of Excellence, Silver or Gold award structure.
This recognition has been granted for such things as use of photography, use of informational graphics and the use of typography throughout a body of work. This body of work may be a particular publication, section or sections by an individual or staff. The special recognition does not supplant any Award of Excellence, Silver or Gold award and should be seen as an adjunct.
Best of Show -- As the name implies, this is the best of the Gold Medal winners. Any discussion for this award takes place at the conclusion of the judging. Judges have an opportunity to view all Silver and Gold winners as edited for the book at the end of the judging.
The award may be for one or more categories but only one Best of Show may be given in a competition. Some years judges have given no Best of Show awards. Voting is by secret ballot and must be unanimous for the award to be given.
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