WE WANT YOUR "GREAT IDEAS" and monthly INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR ENTRIES

We are now accepting submissions for APME's 2011 "Great Ideas" book and our expanded monthly APME Innovator of the Year contest. This form fits for all and every Innovator of the Year entry is automatically entered in Great Ideas.

What's a Great Idea? It can be a new concept for print or online, or a major improvement to something we do every day. This is a chance for your newspaper to show off great work and to help fellow editors by providing ideas that might work in their markets. APME is again focusing on watchdog stories - big and small - because of the difference they can make in the community.

Our "Great Ideas" Web site allows you to quickly submit entries (150-word limit) and upload a picture (.jpg, .pdf) that accompanies the Great Idea. When the Great Ideas page opens, click on the "Submit Your Great Idea!" link and input the entry. The process is simple, quick and painless.

What is an Innovator of the Year entry? It is an innovation in print, online, management, structure or other area that demonstrates a bold, creative effort to improve a news or information product and increase audience. It's a Great Idea and perhaps more.

The APME Innovator of the Year program is expanding in 2011 to recognize one newspaper per month through monthly judging of the entries submitted here. The annual APME Innovator of the Year will still be held at the APME conference in the fall and feature three finalists. Each paper/individual entering this monthly Innovator of the Year contest will be invited to enter the annual contest on a separate platform.

If you have questions about Great Ideas, contact Kurt Franck, executive editor of The (Toledo) Blade, or Terry Orme, managing editor at The Salt Lake Tribune. Kurt: 419-724-6163, kfranck@theblade.com Terry: 801-257-8727, orme@sltrib.com.

If you have questions about the monthy APME Innovator of the Year contest, contact Bob Heisse, executive editor of the Centre Daily Times in State College, PA, at 814 231-4640 or bheisse@centredaily.com.

Submit Your Great Idea! or Innovator Entry