The RIA Novosti Group has introduced seven original awards for Russian and foreign PR specialists and press services as part of the Press Service of the Year 2012 Award, elevating the competition to the international level for the first time. The competition is organized by Press Sluzhba magazine.

RIA Novosti invites press secretaries, press office workers and PR specialists to compete in the following categories:

1. Information openness (RIA Novosti)
Press offices, PR departments and PR specialists of Russian and foreign companies are welcome to participate. The jury will select the winner based on how open they are, how well they treat media, and how well they cooperate with journalists.

2. Best bank press office (business news agency Prime)
The award is given to the bank press office with the greatest impact and demand among reporters, whose news releases, campaigns, commentaries and responses to media requests produce the best results.

3. Transparency of the judicial system (RAPSI legal news agency)
Press offices and press secretaries of Russian courts and law firms are welcome to apply. The award recognizes the greatest contribution to the development of an open and transparent judicial system in Russia.

4. Best press office of a sports organization (R-Sport sports news agency);
A special award for press offices and PR specialists of sports clubs and organizations.

5. Best environmental PR project (RIA Ecology)
This award goes to creators of PR projects aimed at promoting conservation and evaluating and analyzing the environmental situation. Submitted projects will be judged by their originality and significance as well as the response from users and experts.

6. Information openness in real estate (RIA Realty)
This award is for PR specialists working on the property market. Candidates will be judged on how effectively they interact with the media and how objectively they cover the market as well as their own agencies or companies.

7. Best press attaché of a foreign representative office in Russia (InoSMI)

Employees of diplomatic and consular missions of foreign countries are welcome to participate in this category. The jury will select the winner based on how effectively they work with the Russian media.

The Press Service of the Year competition is a major event in Russia’s PR industry. This annual event covers all segments of the industry and aims to promote professional growth among industry representatives. Participation is free. Application forms for the RIA Novosti awards will be accepted until February 28. Forms can be filled out in Russian or English at the competition website www.psgoda.ru. If you have any questions about the Press Service of the Year Awards, please contact us by email at psgoda@gmail.com or p.reutova@rian.ru.

The jury includes both Russian and international experts. RIA Novosti staff will take part in the voting and in the awards ceremony held on April 5 at RIA Novosti’s multimedia press center in Moscow. This year only one winner will be selected in each category.