More than 1300 entries are submitted in the prestigious Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism each year. The awards are the culmination of a year-long process with 34 awards presented every November, including the coveted Gold Walkley.
2010 WALKLEY AWARDS ARE NOW OPEN! CLICK HERE TO ENTER
Entries close Wednesday, September 1 at 5pm sharp... don't be late, we won't wait!
View 2009 Walkley winners
The awards process begins each year with the formation of panels comprising more than 100 distinguished judges.
Entries open annually in July, open to stories published or broadcast in the 12 months before. See a full list and description of the award categories. By the time entries close in early September, so begins the massive coordination of entries to judges and the meeting of judging panels to determine finalists.
Each judging panel is asked to make three nominations for the finalists in each category. The successful finalists are announced nationally in October. Read the judging criteria.
Finalists then go on for judging by the members of the Walkley Advisory Board. The board, which annually helps chart the future direction of the awards, selects the winners of each category as well as the Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year, the Walkley Award for Journalism Leadership and the winner of the pinnacle of journalist achievement that year, the Gold Walkley.
See the members of the Walkley Advisory Board, present and past.
Award winners are chosen on the basis of journalistic excellence. This varies according to individual categories but, in general, criteria includes newsworthiness, research, writing, production, incisiveness, impact, public benefit, ethics, originality, innovation and creative flair. Judges take regard of the resources available and effort expended in the preparation of the work.
View specialist criteria for each of the categories.
The Walkleys have a rich and colourful history, peopled by a who's who of Australian culture and society. A stroll through the Awards archives traces the historical evolution of the craft and profession of journalism.
