EPPY™ FAQs

Who is eligible to enter the EPPYTM Awards?
The EPPYTM Awards are open to all media that crafts exclusive content. Only colleges and universities are eligible to enter the Best College/University Website categories.

What is the deadline to enter the 2024 EPPYTM Awards?
Entries for 2025 will begin on July 28, 2025 with the deadline for entry on Friday, September 12, 2025. Editor & Publisher reserves the exclusive right to extend the entry deadline. Entries received after the entry deadline will not be accepted.

How are the EPPYTM Awards judged?
Each year, more than 20 esteemed media experts from across the journalism, digital publishing, and academic sectors judge the EPPY™ Awards. As the landscape of news delivery continues to evolve, so do our standards. Entries are evaluated on core criteria such as design, usability, depth of content, and timeliness — with added focus on how each submission leverages today’s platforms, technology, and audience engagement tools. Special recognition is given to entries that harness interactivity, innovation, and storytelling to elevate the impact of modern digital journalism.

Each EPPYTM entry is judged on its own merits within a particular category.  Finalists must receive a score in the top one third of the average score across all categories within their division (1 million and over unique monthly visitors; under 1 million unique monthly visitors).  As a result, there may be no winners in categories not reaching this threshold.

How do I know which division to enter — over or under 1 million visitors?

EPPYTMentries are split into two divisions based on the size of your digital audience:
• Division I is for media organizations with more than 1 million monthly unique visitors
• Division II is for those with fewer than 1 million monthly unique visitors

We determine this by looking at the average monthly traffic to your main digital platform — typically your homepage and related web channels. This doesn’t include numbers from apps, podcasts, newsletters, or third-party aggregators.

We understand that audience reach can vary across platforms, so we allow publishers to self-select the division that best reflects their total digital presence. If your metrics don’t align perfectly with homepage traffic but you believe your audience size justifies a different division, you can include a short note with your entry. The judging committee will take that into consideration if needed.

Note: In cases where there are only a few entries in a category, EPPY judges may combine divisions to ensure a fair and competitive process. We’ll notify entrants if that happens.

How does one become an EPPYTM judge?  
If you are interested in becoming a 2025 EPPYTM judge, or would like to recommend a colleague, please contact E&P Publisher Mike Blinder: Mike@EditorandPublisher.com  or (406-445-0000 x1)

What’s the difference between the “Best News or Event Feature” and the “Best Investigative/Enterprise Feature” categories?
The Best News or Event Feature recognizes outstanding storytelling tied to a major news event or ongoing coverage — such as an election, natural disaster, or public crisis. It reflects timely, high-quality reporting and audience impact. The Best Investigative/Enterprise Feature, on the other hand, honors original journalism that uncovers new information not already in the public eye. These are deeply reported pieces that go beyond daily news to reveal the forces behind events — often exposing wrongdoing, prompting accountability, or reshaping public understanding.

How many companies enter the EPPYTM Awards?
In a typical year, there are more than 400 entries representing more than 200 media companies. Many submit several EPPYTM entries in various categories. And many submit one article, site, video, blog or APP into several categories.

When are winners announced?
Winners of the 2025 EPPYTM Awards competition will be posted on this site's home page at http://www.EppyAwards.com. 2025 winners will be announced befiore October 31st 2025 in the Editor & Publisher 7am EDT "Daily Exclusives" email. Also, a story will also be posted on EditorandPublisher.com. Sign up for the newsletter, here: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Who sponsors the EPPYTM Awards?
The awards are sponsored by E&P Magazine (Editor & Publisher), the authoritative, independent voice of News Publishing.. E&P has been the news publishing industry's trusted news source for over 140 years - combining comprehensive insight and global perspective.

Who should I contact for further information about the EPPYTM Awards?
For more information, contact E&P Publisher Mike Blinder at Mike@EditorandPublisher.com  or (406-445-0000 x1)