We've all met those journalists who refuse to enter contests. They have a point.
Contests can be very arbitrary.
That's what we do every day. Every time our name appears at the top of an article, we are entering what should be considered the most important contest of all. Namely, we are competing for the time and attention of our readers. And if we're appalled by the way contest judges choose the winner, consider that the demeanor of readers is even less forgiving. One slipup, and we're in the recycling bin.