Rules and Regulations

Essays under 2,000 words are invited on any topic relating to the link between democracy and the media in Canada. Essays should be creative, engaging and provocative and be written in a dynamic, compelling style. See winning essays for examples of past topics and writing styles.

Essays shall be written in English, and not exceed 2,000 words in length, including any editorial content in citations. Essays will be judged on both subject matter and strength of written expression. Technical and academic writing should be avoided. Creativity and originality in writing styles and expression of ideas are essential.

Any Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, regardless of age, student or professional status, may enter this essay contest except members of the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting Board of Directors, its employees, retained consultants or business associates, and members of the Selection Committee; as well as their immediate family members. Previous winners are ineligible.

Post-secondary students may also enter their essay for a secondary Student Prize. Students who wish to be considered for the additional Student Prize must self-identify at the time of entry in order to be eligible. For purposes of the Prize, a student is defined as someone who is enrolled full-time at a recognized post-secondary institution, at time of entry or at any time during the same calendar year.

Essays can be submitted by completing the online submission form. Please ensure you have saved a copy of your essay prior to using the form.

On the first page of the submission, include the essay title followed by the full name of the author.

Only include author's name on the title page. Subsequent/non-title pages shall contain no information identifying the author. Eligible essays are judged on an anonymous basis.

Each entry shall be accompanied by contact information including postal address, email address, and a telephone number. Each entry shall also include: + a 50-word bio of the author, + the word count of the essay (maximum 2,000 words) + confirmation that the entry complies with the Rules of The Dalton Camp Award.

Entrants assume sole responsibility for the accuracy and veracity of their essay. Direct quotations, borrowed ideas, and factual assertions that are not common knowledge shall be cited to the information source.

An entrant may submit one essay only.

An entry written by more than one person is not eligible.

Pseudonyms are not permitted.

No photographs or other visual images may be submitted.

All ideas in an entry shall be the original written expression of the entrant, save only for attributed quotations, and shall not infringe any third party’s intellectual property rights, violate privacy or publicity rights, or contain any libellous, defamatory, obscene or otherwise unlawful or objectionable content. An entry shall not have previously been published, or submitted elsewhere for publication prior to March 2021.

To be eligible, essays must be received before 8:00 pm EST (Eastern Time) on December 1, 2020. Entries will be acknowledged with automated reply following receipt.

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting will not enter into communication with entrants, other than to acknowledge receipt of an entry at the time of submission.

The Selection Committee will award one prize of $10,000 for the best overall essay from among all eligible entries received.

The Selection Committee will award one additional Student prize of $2,500 for the best essay submitted by an eligible entrant who at the time of entry is, or at any time during the same calendar year, was a student at a recognized post-secondary institution. Entrants meeting the post-secondary student criterion who wish to be considered for the second prize must self-identify at the time of entry in order to be eligible. Such entrants must specify the name of their post-secondary institution and may be required to provide proof of status if selected as a winner.

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting may publish the winning essay(s), as well as the name and the biographical sketch submitted by the winning entrant(s), in any medium, including electronically over the Internet, at a time of its choosing after the Award is announced. Each winner is required to grant a licence or assignment to this effect.

Persons submitting entries not selected as a winner are free to offer them for publication elsewhere, once the Award winner(s) have been announced.

Decisions of the Selection Committee are final.