Journalism Society Calls for Award Nominations

New York City, November 2, 2011 The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) is seeking nominations for two endowed journalism awards:   The Arlenes: Books and Articles That Make a Difference and The Donald Robinson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism. "We hope to expand the pool of eligible work for recognition," said Alexandra Owens, ASJA's executive director. "Independent writing is the lifeblood of a free society, and in today's media environment it's more challenging than ever. These awards recognize the best work of freelance writers who dedicate themselves to truly making a difference with their work." The Arlenes are made possible by the Arlene Eisenberg Memorial Fund, which was established by ASJA member Howard Eisenberg, Arlene's husband. Ms. Eisenberg wrote What to Expect When You're Expecting, as well as other books affecting (and improving) the lives of parents worldwide. The awards are for freelance articles and/or trade books making a documented difference in society by inspiring readers to take action to make a positive change in the world around them. The Arlene Article Award is presented annually for articles published within the last two years. This year the award will be given to articles published in 2010 or 2011. The Donald Robinson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism is funded by a bequest from Donald Robinson, third president of ASJA. This monetary award goes to a freelance-written article representing exceptional achievement in investigative journalism or exposé writing. Entries for 2012 award must have been published in 2011. ASJA encourages freelance writers -- members and non-members alike -- to submit their work for consideration if they feel it meets the criteria for one of the awards. There is no fee to submit work, and both awards come with a monetary prize of a minimum of $500.  For complete details and submission instructions, visit http://www.asja.org/awards. Submission deadline is January 13, 2012.