BASIC INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1 — The Association Code needed to register is MPA24 (CASE SENSITIVE). Register on the contest website using your email address. You will receive a confirmation email, which you will need to complete registration. Use the link above to register.
Step 2 — Login here (or use the link above). You will see a page showing any entries you have already submitted. Complete rules for College, General (Newspaper), News Media and News Media Individual contests are available above (click links). Some browsers, such as Safari, will open the rules in a new window; others will require you to download the PDF file to your computer.
Step 3 — Click on the “Add New Entry” link.
Step 4 — On this page, select your newspaper name. A lot of information will autofill. If that information is incorrect, please email bnc@michiganpress.org. Your Division will be selected for you based on MPA Assignment. Fill in the preparer’s name.
Step 5 — Select the contest class. These are drop-down menus for your convenience. This field will clear each time you save an entry, so you must select a class for each new entry. When you select the class, special instructions will appear below it.
Step 6 — If necessary, provide an explanation of your entry. The explanation/cutline box is limited to 3,000 characters. It’s a good idea to write your explanation in another program, such as Word, and copy/paste into the explanation box. If a URL is required, fill in the URL box; there is no need to type “http://.”
Step 7 — Include the name of the entry. If uploading full-page PDF files, it will be helpful if the entry name matches the headline on the page so the judges can find it easily. If the judges cannot tell what is to be judged, the entry will be discarded without refund. Remember what you put in here is what appears on the certificate.
Step 8 — Include the name of the person or people who should be credited for any award. This is generally the writer, reporter, photographer, graphic artist, cartoonist, etc. It is not necessarily the name of the person submitting the entry nor the person picking up the award at the awards ceremony. Remember what you put here is what appears on the certificate.
Step 9 — Add your file or files. You can drag and drop files or use the “Add files” button to navigate your files. Generally, files should be in PDF format except photos, which should be in high-resolution JPG format. Other files and URLs may be acceptable as noted in the special instructions. Upload as many files as are necessary to complete your entry but refer to the special instructions for any limitations.
Step 10 — When you have completed your submission, click the “Save” button. If you click the “Back to list” button, you will lose the entry you just completed. After clicking “Save,” you will be directed back to the list of your entries.
Step 11 — To submit another entry, click “Add New Entry.” As long as you have not logged out of the system, your newspaper name will still be in place and you can simply start at Step 6 again. You may log out and log back in later to continue adding entries. You will need to select your newspaper name each time you log in.
Step 12 — If you are done submitting entries, please review the list. You may not change an entry, but you may delete an entry and resubmit it.
NOTE: Please try to keep file sizes under 5mb to aid judges in accessing entry content. For larger files such as Special Sections, options include Dropbox, Google Drive, or any service that lets you “share” files via URL. Please make sure the file is public or a password is provided and that it can be printed. If a file cannot be easily accessed, it could be skipped over for judging. IF APPLICABLE: To add digital-only content or audio/video entries, copy and paste the content’s web address into the provided website URL field. To host your content online, either upload it to a free streaming content website (e.g. YouTube) or talk to your IT person about adding it to your website. Make sure the content will be accessible online throughout the contest and awards process. Here are some examples of free streaming content websites where you can upload audio and video content: Audio: www.kiwi6.com, www.tindeck.com; Video: www.youtube.com.
IMPORTANT: Ensure that items are not behind a paywall or a password-protected area. If they are, you must provide username/password info in the Comments section of your entry. Judges may disqualify your entry if work samples are inaccessible.