EDITORS:

NOT FOR PUBLICATION:

This is the call for entries for the 2016 North Carolina AP News Excellence contest.

The statewide contest is designed to recognize North Carolina AP members for outstanding performance in journalism. Entries must have been produced in calendar year 2016.

For complete instructions and categories, please visit:

http://discover.ap.org/contests/north-carolina

The deadline to enter is Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.

The winners will be announced Thursday, March 9, at the North Carolina Press Association Winter Institute in Raleigh.

The AP, Raleigh