(From the NNA’s e-bulletin)

The National Newspaper Awards has introduced its first full-fledged multi-media category for 2008. It’s called “Multi-Media Feature” and it’s for excellence in online journalism on a single subject. This may include, but is not limited to, audio and visual elements in the form of photography, sound clips, video, animation, Flash, databases and text. Emphasis is on innovative ways of storytelling. A letter fully outlining origin and purpose of the online feature, as well as the work involved in creating it must accompany the submission. One submission per newspaper.

Special Projects entries and Local Reporting, Breaking News and Explanatory Work categories will also now allow audio and video submissions as part of the entry.

All other changes and details will be available at the new NNA website. Currently, the site is an archive of the 2007 awards.

The NNA gala will be held on May 22, 2009, at the Centre Sheraton Hotel in downtown Montreal. This will be the 60th anniversary of the awards gala and presentations. Deadline for entries is January 7.