NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Now Open

Sunshine Week March 15-21, 2026

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

Join NSNC and Reap the Benefits!

NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Now Open

Contest submissions now open! We are accepting entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists  for our 2026 Annual Columnist Contest (for work published in 2025). We will accept entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists published in 2025.  Everyone is welcome to submit. You don’t have to be an NSNC member.

Sunshine Week March 15-21, 2026

We’re counting down to #SunshineWeek 2026, March 15-21. Together, we champion #OpenRecords and #OpenGovernment nationwide March 15-21. #FOIA #transparency. Free resources: sunshineweek.org

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization [501(c)3] devoted to the education and training of new and experienced columnists everywhere. Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/NSNCEdFnd

Join NSNC and Reap the Benefits!

We are excited for What’s in-store for NSNC members this year. We are gearing up to launch the NSNC Annual Columnist Contest on January 15, so you’ll want to be sure your membership is up-to-date. Also, if you have ideas, suggestions, etc., please share them with our President Meredith Cummings at meredithcummings@gmail.com or Executive Director Ginny McCabe at nsncdirector@gmail.com. Thank you for your support of NSNC!

Update: Second Serial Plagiarist Accused

Polygraph Letter Copier Jefferson Used

By Ben Pollock President National Society of Newspaper Columnists Updates on the topic follow the article, including: “Suspected Plagiarist Resigns” George Waters Longtime NSNC member George Waters, having read recently about a newspaperman stealing columns from a number of humor writers, “Googled” some of own better lines and found he was paid the compliment of…

Online News Association Opens 2012 Contest

Online News Association

On Monday (May 21), the Online News Association, journalists.org, opened its annual contest, according to its executive director, Jane McDonnell. ONA has a category for commentary, with three subcategories: Small, Media and Large websites, as well as a Student contest. The size differences, and all of the rules, are on a separate rules page. Rather…

The Gifts of Will Rogers

Editor’s note: Mike Masterson published this column on May 5, the day he received the 2012 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He read this column during his thank-you at the awards banquet of its 36th annual conference, in Macon, Ga. By Mike Masterson Copyright © 2012 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette The late…

Columns of 2012 Contest Winners

fuzzy screen shot of print column 05 12

Following are PDFs or links to the winning columns of the six 2012 first-place winners in the annual contest of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Each entrant was required to submit three columns originally published in 2011. Category A. General Interest (print) over 50,000 circulation — Gendy Alimurung, LA Weekly. The headlines in this…

2012 NSNC Column Contest Winners; Now with Judges’ Comments

Trophies image

MACON, Ga., May 7, 2012 — Winners of the annual writing contest of the 2012 National Society of Newspaper Columnists were announced Saturday, May 5, at the NSNC’s 36th annual conference, held this year in Macon. Columnists early this year were invited to submit three works originally published in print or online newspapers, magazines* or…

Columnists Find Doubletalk a Payne

MACON, Ga. — Georgia-based entertainer Durwood “Mr. Doubletalk” Fincher punk’d participants at the 36th annual conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists on the event’s first day, Friday, May 4, 2012. Posing as his character Dr. Robert Payne, a vaguely credentialed academic/Washington consultant, Fincher stationed himself and a videographer in a room near the…