The Australian Press Council Prize

On the recommendation of the 2004 Prize judges, the Australian Press Council has decided to suspend, for the time being, the annual Essay Prize and, instead, allocate the money previously awarded for the Essay Prize to a number of journalism departments at Australian universities for prizes for students. The Council has sought expressions of interest from tertiary institutions in receiving a prize in the name of the Council for coursework or a dedicated assignment in the area of journalism ethics. The Council will divide its pool of prizemoney among the interested institutions.

Any decision on a future Essay Prize will be announced in the Press Council News.

The Australian Press Council Prize began in 1989. In its first four years, the Prize was awarded for the best thesis by a tertiary student on a subject related to the objects of the Press Council.

From 1994 to 1999, the Prize was awarded for the best essay submitted on a set topic. In those years, the Council awarded a Prize in both tertiary (university) and secondary (High School) sections. Eligibility to enter is determined by a student's educational status at 30 June of the year of entry.

In 1999-2000, the Council continued with the Prize being awarded for an essay on a set topic but the entries were restricted to Tertiary students alone. Until 2004, the essay prize was conducted on the same basis.

The 2004 APC Prize has been determined. Details on the winner and other awardees were published in the November 2004 News and are posted on the website, as is the winning essay.

The Prize was instituted in order to encourage interest in the Council's objects among tertiary students and the Council sees the awarding of prizes through journalism departments as the best way to achieve this aim at the current time.

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