We need judges!! 

Ever wonder how the SPJ contest runs and what happens after you submit your entries? Our entries in San Diego actually go to judges in other parts of the country while we get entries from our judging partners in other cities. This year, we need your help judging the entries from our judging partners in other cities. 

Sign up to help us judge and get $10 off your 2026 awards ceremony ticket. Contact Elizabeth by March 18 at spjsandiego@gmail.com. 

It’s not too late to submit award entries! The final deadline has been extended to March 16 at 9 p.m. PST.

Submit your entries using the BetterBNC Media Awards platform. 

Below are directions for preparing and submitting entries. If you have questions, please contact sdspjcontest@gmail.com

The Early Bird entry deadline for the 2026 San Diego Area Journalism Contest is coming up, Monday, March 2, 2026, at 9 p.m. PST. 

Starting Tuesday, March 3 entry fees will increase. The final deadline is Monday, March 9, 2026, at 9 p.m. PST.

Between March 3 and the final deadline of March 9, professionals pay an additional $15 per entry, and students pay an additional $5 per entry, making them $30 for SPJ members, $50 for nonmembers and $10 for students. (NOTE: Top awards have a different entry fee amount.)

Submit your entries using the BetterBNC Media Awards platform.

Students: This year’s scholarship contest will be run separately from the San Diego and Tijuana area competition. Please stay tuned for additional information to be posted later.

Below are directions for preparing and submitting entries. If you have questions, please contact sdspjcontest@gmail.com.

Good luck!

We, at the Society of Professional Journalists San Diego Pro Chapter, learned last Friday that the San Diego Police Department officially decided to discontinue its media credentialing program — something officials were discussing with media representatives that included SPJ for the past couple months. We know that news has been distressing to many reporters and photographers who relied on the pass to ensure they are able to access disaster areas and other locations to deliver critical news to the citizens of San Diego. 

But we want to be extremely clear: Nothing about this decision changes journalists’ legal right to access news events. The law is clear. Officials are required to grant news media access to disaster zones and protests so they can deliver the news. This was never a right conferred by SDPD’s press pass. It is a fundamental part of California law. 

We encourage all reporters and photographers to carry business cards and identification that clearly identifies them as a journalist. SDPD has pledged to honor such identification cards. We expect all other law enforcement and fire agencies in San Diego County to do the same, since historically they deferred to the SDPD press pass. If any agency fails to do so, please reach out to us immediately at spjsandiego@gmail.com. We will work with the relevant agency to make sure they know and follow all pertinent laws regarding media access to news events.