/ GRIOT DRUM AWARDS
Griot Drum Awards - Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026
Tickets for the Griot Drum Awards & Scholarship Ceremony are now available!
Join the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists for our annual Griot Drum Awards & Scholarship Ceremony on Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. This event celebrates excellence in local media, education, culture and community.
- Keynote Speaker: Nicole Carr, award-winning investigative journalist, essayist, professor, and speaker based in Atlanta, GA.
- Hosted by: Frank Wiley, award-winning journalist and anchor of 10 Tampa Bay News at Noon and 10 Tampa Bay News at 5 p.m.
This year’s program will include:
- A cocktail reception
- Dinner and networking with Tampa Bay’s media and community leaders
- Awards program honoring outstanding journalists for their coverage of local Black communities
- Scholarship presentations to the next generation of storytellers
- Special recognition of Tampa Bay’s legendary Griots: Terri Lipsey Scott, Ed Narain, Ashley Morrow
- A silent auction full of unique items and experiences
Grab your tickets or tables and make plans to join us for an awesome night of celebration! A cash bar will be available.
About the Griot Drum Professional Media Awards
Entry Deadline Extended to October 15, 2026
The contest is open to print, broadcast, and online media professionals of all ethnicities. Journalists submitting entries do not have to be a member of TBABJ, a local chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
Any individual or news organization in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties can enter materials published, broadcast, or presented online between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2025.
The deadline to submit entries is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, October 19, 2026. All entries must be submitted online.
Award winners will be presented during the program on November 12th.
Steps to Enter (Professional Awards)
There are just three steps to completing your submission:
1. Please complete the form below for each entry. Be sure to select the category name and number along with the title of your entry. If you have a link to your story or project you may submit it in the field provided on the form. Information on this form will be used to label the winning award.
2. Provide a link to the original source of publication for validation. Work published between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2025 are eligible. Also provide a link to the work uploaded to file sharing platform like Vimeo, Dropbox or YouTube without the need to login to view.
3. The last step is to pay entry fees. Submissions will not be accepted without payment of associated entry fees.
Entry Categories (Professional Awards)
TELEVISION
TV-1 General News Reporting (Single Story): Submit a story about a news event or issue impacting the local Black community.
TV-2 Light Feature Reporting (Single Story): Submit a story or series about a feature/light topic impacting the local Black community. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, personality profiles, sidebars, consumer information, historical perspectives or reviews of cultural events.
TV-3 Hard Feature (Single Story): Submit a story or series about a feature/hard topic impacting the local Black community. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, personality profiles, sidebars, consumer information, historical perspectives or reviews of cultural events.
TV-4 Investigative Reporting (Single Story): Submit a story for excellence in a single report focused on a problem in the community requiring research and investigative journalism impacting the local Black community.
TV-5 Education (Single Story): A single story focused on education impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
TV-6 Health (Single Story): A single story focused on health impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
TV-7 Sports (Single Story): A single-story focused on sports and athletic impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
P-1 General News Reporting: Submit a story about a news event or issue impacting the local Black community.
P-2 Light Feature Reporting: Submit a story or series about a feature/light topic impacting the local Black community. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, personality profiles, sidebars, consumer information, historical perspectives or reviews of cultural events.
P-3 Hard Feature: Submit a story or series about a feature/hard topic impacting the local Black community. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, personality profiles, sidebars, consumer information, historical perspectives or reviews of cultural events.
P-4 Investigative Reporting: For excellence in a single report focused on a problem in the community requiring research and investigative journalism impacting the local Black community.
P-5 Education: A single story focused on education impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
P-6 Health: A single story focused on health impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
P-7 Sports: A single-story focused on sports and athletic impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
RADIO
R-1 General News Reporting (Single Story): Submit a story or series about a news event or issue impacting the local Black community.
R-2 Light Feature Reporting: Submit a story or series about a feature/light topic impacting the local Black community. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, personality profiles, sidebars, consumer information, historical perspectives or reviews of cultural events.
R-3 Hard Feature: Submit a story or series about a feature/hard topic impacting the local Black community. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, personality profiles, sidebars, consumer information, historical perspectives or reviews of cultural events.
R-4 Education: A single story focused on education impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
R-5 Health: A single story focused on health impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
R-6 Sports: A single story focused on sports and athletic impacts and issues in the Tampa Bay Area’s Black Communities.
PHOTOGRAPHY
PH-1 Best Overall Photo: Any news or feature photo, either with a story or stand-alone image representing the local Black community.
PH-2 Best Overall Video: Any news, feature or Nat Sound package that best covers the local Black community.
DIGITAL/ONLINE ONLY
MM-1 Best Online Story (Single Story): Any online only series, story or blog that features a significant amount of material relating to issues concerning the local Black community. The entry will be judged on information, quality, immediacy, style and impact.
MM-2 Best Digital Video (Single Story): Any online only video that features a significant amount of material relating to issues concerning the local Black community. The entry will be judged on information, quality, immediacy, style and impact.
MM-3 Best Podcast (Single Story): Commentary and discussion on any topic relating to the local Black community.
Professional Awards Entry Form
Tickets - Awards & Scholarship Ceremony
Tickets for the Griot Drum Awards & Scholarship Ceremony are now available!
Join the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists for our annual Griot Drum Awards & Scholarship Ceremony on Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. This event celebrates excellence in local media, education, culture and community.
- Keynote Speaker: Nicole Carr, award-winning investigative journalist, essayist, professor, and speaker based in Atlanta, GA.
- Hosted by: Frank Wiley, award-winning journalist and anchor of 10 Tampa Bay News at Noon and 10 Tampa Bay News at 5 p.m.
This year’s program will include:
- A cocktail reception
- Dinner and networking with Tampa Bay’s media and community leaders
- Awards program honoring outstanding journalists for their coverage of local Black communities
- Scholarship presentations to the next generation of storytellers
- Special recognition of Tampa Bay’s legendary Griots: Terri Lipsey Scott, Ed Narain, Ashley Canay
- A silent auction full of unique items and experiences
Grab your tickets or tables and make plans to join us for an awesome night of celebration! A cash bar will be available.
Click here to learn about sponsorship opportunities or contact us at [email protected].
