In welcome news that will no doubt have more than a few people doubled over with laughter, America’s Society of Professional Journalists has announced that it will now recognise ethical reporting on the games industry with a series of awards.

The Bill Kunkel Awards will cover Excellence in News Reporting, Excellence in Feature Video/Streaming, Excellence in Feature Writing, and Excellence in Photography/ Illustration/ Infographic.

Nominations for the inaugural round are open now until February 14. Anyone can nominate an entry at no cost (anonymously if preferred), but the judging will be done by professional journalists.

The judging criteria includes accuracy, balance, clarity, verve, and adherence to the SPJ's Code of Ethics.

Bill Kunkel “helped invent video game journalism”, according to The New York Times. He co-published the first gaming column in 1978 and co-founded the first gaming magazine, Electronic Games, in 1981. Kunkel died of a heart attack in September of 2011.