- Competition Recognizes Exemplary Coverage Affecting the Black Community Worldwide During 2011 -

(BLACK PR WIRE)--WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has put out a "Call For Entries," seeking nominations for its annual national media award competition, the 2012 NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards.

The competition recognizes exemplary coverage of people or issues surrounding the African Diaspora and is open to all professional print, photo, television, and online journalists, as well as public relations, marketing, and advertising professionals. Work must be originally broadcast or published between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. All entries must be received by January 9, 2012.

"NABJ recognizes journalism that best covered the black experience or discussed global issues which impacted the black community during 2011, and this past year was a strong one for news of concern to Black people nationally and across the world," said NABJ President Gregory Lee, Senior Sports Editor of the Boston Globe. "From the continued economic crisis to the execution of death row inmate Troy Davis, and the revolutions across Africa, I'm expecting a record number of entries."

A committee of accomplished NABJ members nationwide will select the winning entries.

Finalists in 69 categories are selected in the spring, and winners will be announced at the Salute to Excellence Awards Gala, Saturday, June 23, 2012 at the NABJ Convention & Career Fair, held in New Orleans, LA, June 20-24, 2012.

The entry fee per submission is $75 for members and $100 for non-members. The entry fee must accompany each submission. Log onto www.nabj.org to complete an entry form.

In addition to the Salute to Excellence Awards, NABJ is also accepting nominations for its 2012 Special Honors and Hall of Fame, NABJ's most coveted awards honoring the groundbreaking accomplishments of black journalists. Nominations for these honors are free of charge. Additional information can be found here.

For questions regarding the NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards competition and gala, contact NABJ's Program Manager, Irving Washington at iwashington@nabj.org.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.