2009-2010 Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Radio Contest Rules
Spanish entries welcome in all categories.
YOU MUST BE AN AP MEMBER TO ENTER!
Entries must be on audio CD and aired during 2009 or posted online
during 2009. All entries must be the on-air version or the online
version. An entry can't be a re-creation.
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SUBMITTING ENTRIES:
-- Please fill out the TAPB entry form, listing how many entries are
in each category, amount of fees paid, etc. Entry form at: www.tapb.org
The entry form is required.
-- Stations must send separate entries if submitting for more than
one station. For example, if KXXX is your English-language station, and
KYYY is your Spanish language station, separate entries must be
submitted (not all grouped under KXXX).
The entries can be included in same box, but must be in separate
packets.
-- DEADLINE TO HAVE YOUR ENTRIES POSTMARKED or delivered in person to
the Dallas AP office is Monday, Feb. 1, 2010.
Entry fees are required to be paid at the same time you send in your
entries.
Please enclose a corporate check or personal checks. Sometimes a
station will request a corporate check, but the check is not available
by the Feb. 1 deadline. In such instances, you must provide a letter
from the station outlining that fact. No credit cards accepted.
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All contest entry fees must be received by TAPB by the start of
judging weekend: noon (central time) on Friday, March 5, 2010. Entries
not paid for by that date & time will not be judged.
-- Entries for newscast and sportscast must have aired on any of the
five 2009 contest days (please include date and time of cast on the
audio CD)
-- Tuesday, March 17
-- Wednesday, June 10.
-- Friday, Sept. 25.
-- Saturday, Nov. 21.
-- Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Radio stations may enter each category THREE times, unless otherwise
noted.
...
-- NOTE: Each AM and each FM station will be allowed three entries
per category.
No AM-FM combo will be allowed to enter the same CD -twice- in the
same category (For example, John Smith's CD in general assignment
category can be either the AM or the FM entry, but you can't send two of
the same CD and have one be the AM entry and the other the FM entry).
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-- TAPB Stimulus Package: It means for every 10 entries, you get one
additional entry free! For example, enter 10 CDs, your 11th is free.
Enter 25 CDs, you get two additional entries free, for total of 27.
Offer good for all divisions.
COST/DIVISIONS:
-- Division A: Large market -- $35 per audio CD entry. (DALLAS-FORT
WORTH, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO & AUSTIN ONLY).
-- Division B: Smaller Markets -- $25 per audio CD entry. (including
EL PASO, EDINBURG, ABILENE and smaller).
An entry in one category also may be submitted in another applicable
category, provided the fee is paid each time (exception: see rules above
related to AM-FM entries).
1. Make checks payable to the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters and
include with entries.
-- TAPB retains the right to keep all entries and fees and disqualify
those that do not adhere to the rules as outlined. Entrants will NOT be
notified of disqualifications and fees will not be refunded.
2. Enclose a cover letter itemizing the entries by category entered
(not by name of the reporter).
For example:
Category .1. Newscast: (3 entries included)
-- John Smith, Morning Newscast. Aired 3-28-09.
-- Mary Jones, Noon Newscast. Aired 3-28-09.
-- Tom Johnson, 5 p.m. Newscast. Aired 3-28-09.
...
Designate ONE PERSON to be in charge of your entries. All of a
station's entries must be submitted TOGETHER. TAPB will not accept
separate entries sent by individuals BEFORE or AFTER the station's
complete entry packet is received, or outside the station group entry.
...........................................................
Make sure each non-returnable audio CD is labeled with:
-- your station call letters, location, category name & category
number, division (such as Radio Division A, Category 1: Newscast), entry
title (name of story) and names of pertinent individuals.
Please include no more than -three names- of station personnel per
entry, to be put on plaques or certificates. Otherwise the winners will
automatically be listed as: STAFF EFFORT.
A separate audio CD is required for each entry.
Send non-returnable entries to:
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TAPB CONTEST
Associated Press
4851 LBJ Freeway, Suite 300
Dallas, TX 75244
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QUESTIONS: Call TAPB radio board members Emily Donahue at
512-471-6786 or Chace Murphy at 979-695-3238.
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Each year the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters ("TAPB") recognizes
excellence and achievement in journalism with awards in various
categories.
Your promotion must state the "Texas Associated Press Broadcasters"
(NOT Associated Press) as the award's source.
-- Promotional use of the word "Best" will apply only to first-place
winners.
Any use of a reference to a TAPB award that in any way misleads the
public about a TAPB award, including but not limited to distorted or
exaggerated claims, is strictly prohibited.
Violations of either the spirit or intent of this prohibition may
result in the disqualification of the offending entity from TAPB
contests for a one-year period.
TAPB board reserves all rights to determine the truthfulness of any
promotion that uses a reference to TAPB awards. The TAPB will be the
sole determiner of whether or not a violation of this prohibition has
occurred.
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Winners will be announced and awards presented at an evening banquet
on Saturday, April 24, 2010, during the TAPB convention at the
Headliners Club in Austin.
The annual TAPB business meeting will be held that Saturday
afternoon, April 24, at the Headliners Club.
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STUDENTS are welcome to enter all categories if they are paid
employees of the station. All entries must be made through the station.
The TAPB still has a SCHOLARSHIP competition, but students are
allowed to enter the regular competition as well. Scholarship rules will
move on the wire later.
NON-TEXAS STATIONS: You may enter if you get the Texas AP wire, your
primary coverage area includes Texas, and the category you enter
involves coverage of Texas news, or news of main Texas interest.
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TAPB/HEADLINERS FOUNDATION AWARDS: www.headlinersfoundation.org
The TAPB continues its partnership with the Headliners Foundation of
Texas in presenting the TAPB/Headliners Awards for Excellence in
Journalism. These awards will be made to the division winners in the
annual TAPB contest in the following RADIO categories:
-- Radio Reporter (category 4)
-- Radio Spot News Coverage/Station (category 11)
-- Radio Online/Special Content (category 21)
Judges are selected by the Headliners Foundation from media outlets
outside Texas.
Each division winner or team of winners will receive $500 cash prize.
Headliners Foundation Awards will be presented during the April 24,
2010, TAPB banquet at the Headliners Club in Austin. Overall winners
will also be invited to attend the Foundation's own awards event next
fall.
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IMPORTANT: All written materials must be attached to the entry, by
rubber band or envelope.
^RADIO CATEGORIES:
1. Newscast (5 entries per station): _ Must have aired on a 2009
contest day:
-- Tuesday, March 17
-- Wednesday, June 10.
-- Friday, Sept. 25.
-- Saturday, Nov. 21.
-- Wednesday, Dec. 16.
(Please include date and time of newscasts on audio CD)
2. Sportscast (3 entries per station): _ Time limit 5 minutes. Must
have aired on a 2009 contest day:
-- Tuesday, March 17
-- Wednesday, June 10.
-- Friday, Sept. 25.
-- Saturday, Nov. 21.
-- Wednesday, Dec. 16.
(Please include date and time of newscasts on audio CD)
3. News Anchor or Anchor Team (3 entries per station): _ Time limit 5
minutes. Must feature compiled reports from individual anchor or anchor
team. Entry should include examples of ability to ad-lib around breaking
news, as well as to handle regular news reports, features, etc. This is
a compilation of work that does not have to be submitted from work
performed on a contest day.
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4. Reporter (5 entries per station): _ Entry should include three to
five reports written, edited and produced by a full-time reporter in the
news department. Time limit is 5 minutes.
NOTE: FIRST PLACE WINNER IN THIS CATEGORY IS ELIGIBLE TO ADVANCE TO
TAPB/HEADLINERS FOUNDATION COMPETITION (as outlined above)
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5. Investigative Report (3 entries per station): _ May include a
single story or series of stories, which show initiative and in-depth
research. A written presentation is required and may include: what
prompted the story, a chronology of the investigation, copies of records
and documents obtained for the report, the effect of the story on the
local community and a summary of follow-up stories. Judges will consider
the written presentation and impact of the story on the local community
along with the production values and quality of the story telling.
6. Documentary (3 entries per station): _ Please submit complete
program. Any paperwork that helps to explain the scope of the project
should be included. Must be a study of a single subject or related
subjects, with the documentary presented outside a regularly scheduled
news program. The entry will be judged on writing, production and
presentation.
7. Special Series (3 entries per station): _ Please submit complete
series. The category involves a multi-part story with a single subject.
The entry will be judged on writing, production and presentation.
8. Specialty or Beat Reporting (3 entries per station): _ Entries
must include body of work, minimum of 3 stories on the same subject
matter or beat. Each story must be on a different topic. Max entry time
of 10 minutes. (Series entries not accepted in this category.)
9. Sports Play-by-Play (3 entries per station): _ PBP originated by a
local station. Time limit is 15 minutes. The entry must come from a
single event and must be unedited, except for commercial removal.
10. Spot News by a Reporter (3 entries per station): _ Report from
the scene of an UNEXPECTED, BREAKING NEWS EVENT! Must include sound from
the scene, but does not have to be live sound. Judging will include
reporter's handling of story, ad-lib ability and delivery.
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11. Spot News by a Station (3 entries per station) _ May be several
stories aired in tandem relating to a SINGLE, UNPLANNED NEWS EVENT.
NOTE: FIRST PLACE WINNER IN THIS CATEGORY IS ELIGIBLE TO ADVANCE TO
TAPB/HEADLINERS FOUNDATION COMPETITION (as outlined above)
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12. Use of Actuality-Production (3 entries per station): _ Entries
will be judged on quality of actuality, use of natural sound, creative
editing, writing and production technique.
13. General Assignment (3 entries per station): _ Any general
assignment story, sports, medical, business, etc.
14. Commentary-Editorial (3 entries per station) _ Commentary by
station personnel regarding significant community issues. Originated by
a local station. NOTE: This category will have just one winner, with
combined judging of Divisions A and B.
15. Sports Story or Sports Series (3 entries per station):_ Single
story or multi-part series pertaining to sports.
16. Continuing Coverage (3 entries per station):_ Ongoing coverage of
a single story, more along the lines of hard news or breaking news. This
is NOT a category for series involving human interest, lifestyle or
entertainment.
17. Radio Website _ (ONE STATION ENTRY FOR THIS CATEGORY)
-- Please provide the link to your Web page. Any additional
supporting materials are welcome and will be considered by the judges.
-- Judges will look at your Web page at undisclosed times.
NOTE: Radio Website judging is broken into Divisions A and B.
18. Feature (Serious) (3 entries per station): _ Must be a single
story. The entry will be judged on creativity, writing, production and
presentation.
19. Feature (Light) (3 entries per station): _ Must be a single light
or humorous story. The entry will be judged on creativity, writing,
production and presentation.
20. Interview. (3 entries per station). Entry may be a maximum of 10
minutes and must be an unedited (consecutive minutes) sample of the
interview.
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21. Online/Special Content. (3 entries per station). Any specific
spot news/topic/feature/unique content on your Web site. Please provide
that particular link to your Web site and any supporting materials.
-- Entry should represent a robust multimedia approach to
storytelling and/or utility in covering a major news event,
investigative project or feature subject. Entry should demonstrate a
creative and effective use of a range of appropriate multimedia tools
such as text, graphics, audio, video, still photography, and
interactivity that combine to produce a smart, high-impact package.
NOTE: FIRST PLACE WINNER IN THIS CATEGORY IS ELIGIBLE TO ADVANCE TO
TAPB/HEADLINERS FOUNDATION COMPETITION (as outlined above)
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Remember...entries must be postmarked by Monday, Feb. 1, 2010
www.tapb.org
