Alabama Associated Press Broadcasters Association Radio Rules

IMPORTANT: Please note that entries and entry fees now go to contest coordinator Chandra Clark at the University of Montevallo (address below), NOT to the AP in Atlanta.

1. Only AAPBA members are eligible to compete. Competitors must have been a member in good standing during part of the competition year.
2. Only one first place award will be made in each station category. There will be no ties. The winner in each station award category will receive a plaque. Contributing individuals filling positions specifically designated by these rules will receive a certificate. Certificates go to all those, within a reasonable number, who participated in the news story or event. There shall be a winner in every category in which there are at least two entries.
If there is only one entry in a category, that entry should not automatically win. It will be left to the discretion of the judges whether the entry deserves to win or whether there will be no winner in that category.
3. Only one entry per station may be submitted in any STATION AWARD category. But no limit to number of reporters from any station entering an INDIVIDUAL AWARD category. A person may enter the TV contest or the Radio contest, but not both.
4. The award year will run from January 1 through December 31. Entries must be broadcast during the year to be eligible.
5. Entries must be on a CD or cassette tape. Where the rules refer to a tape or tapes, the use of a CD also applies. All entries should be exact dubs of the originals. If tapes and scripts are used to recreate the original air product, that entry must be clearly designated with a typewritten explanation.
6. An official entry form must be submitted with each entry. Every station must also submit a separate envelope or folder containing an extra copy of ALL entry forms from that station.
Each entry form will require the News Director's signature attesting to the authenticity of the reproduced entries and duplicated scripts. The Most Outstanding News Operation Award entry must be signed by the news director and the general manager.
7. All entries must be submitted in a single package postmarked no later than the third Friday in January. Send to:
Chandra Clark
The University of Montevallo
Station 6625
Montevallo, AL 35115
(Phone if need: 205-665-6625)
8. ENTRY FEES: Class A, covering all radio markets ... $ 100.00. Include the check with your entries. The check should be made payable to Alabama AP Broadcasters Association and sent to Chandra Clark at the above address in the box of entries.

9. The judges will be AP member broadcasters in another state who represent an AP association in that state. The AP will make arrangements for the judging. The judges will be from a state at least one state away from Alabama geographically, if at all possible.
10. An objection to an award winner must be made in writing on the day after the awards presentation for review by the AAPBA board. The AP should be notified in order for the entry in question to be held or obtained for the AP for board review. No board member working for a station involved on either side of the challenge will be allowed to vote on it.
An objection to an award winner will be decided by a majority of all board members. If a winner is disqualified in a category in which there were more than two entries, there will be no winner in that category.

STATION AWARDS
1. Most Outstanding News Operation: A station must enter Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast and three or more other categories of Station Awards in order to qualify for the Most Outstanding News Operation award.
The number of awards won by a station is not the sole criteria in Most Outstanding News Operation award judging. Judges will also take into account what the station accomplished with what it had to work with in terms of resources.
A representative entry, which should include highlights of stories entered in categories above, should be submitted to demonstrate a station's accomplishments in news. Tapes should not exceed 15 minutes.
The same person or persons should judge the best regularly scheduled newscast and Most Outstanding News Operation entries.
Certificates to station manager, news director, assistant news director.
2. Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast : A newscast illustrating general excellence in interviewing sources, writing, editing, use of sound and the reporting of events. Maximum length: 10 minutes. The first 10 minutes of a news block may be submitted in this category. The week may be any Monday-Sunday week during the calendar year. Each station entering may chose the week it wants.
Certificates to positions designated by station entry, within a reasonable number.
3. Extraordinary Coverage of a Scheduled Event: A series of reports on a story of which there was advance knowledge. This could be reports on a series of related events, including trials, elections, news conferences, etc. The collection of reports should not exceed a total of 10 minutes.
Certificates to positions designated by station entry, within a reasonable number.
4. Best Coverage of a Spot News Story: Entry will consist of a collection of reports, the majority of which should be from the scene, but may include some in-studio reports as well. Reports may be with or without actuality cuts. Judging criteria includes delivery, clarity, thoroughness, fairness, economy of words. Does it command and keep the listener's attention? Does it place the listener at the scene?
Certificates to positions designated by station entry, within a reasonable number.
5. General Sports: Any sports program. Includes sports play-by-play (excluding any broadcast not locally originated), regularly scheduled sportscasts, features, or special reports. Reports are not to exceed 10 minutes.
Certificates to positions designated by station entry, within a reasonable number.
6. Best Public Affairs or Documentary: No more than 30 minutes.
Certificates to positions designated by station entry, within a reasonable number.
7. Best Investigative Reporting: A story or series of stories of a true investigative nature. A news story of any length which was part of a regularly scheduled newscast or public affairs show. Its primary information must have been discovered by a deliberate journalistic investigation. It must be more than a simple enterprise reporting of details that were surfacing anyway.
Certificates to positions designated by station entry, within a reasonable number.
8. Best Hard-News Feature Story: A story which provides an imaginative and colorful look at a single event or individual that is part of a breaking or developing hard-news report.
9. Best Soft-News Feature Story: A story which provides an imaginative and colorful look at a single event or individual that is not part of a breaking or developing news report.
10. Best Web Journalism : The award will recognize excellence in news reporting on a station's Website. The Website must be affiliated with a station's news organization. News content must be generated primarily by the entrant station, supplemented by secondary content from sources such as wire services or networks. Entries will be judged on content, depth and quality, creativity, functionality and usability. Entrants must submit no more than four (4) examples of functioning, cashed or active URLs that demonstrate news coverage and journalistic skill. All audio/video or other technologies will be considered. No written material is required.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
1. Best Reporter: Should demonstrate the ability of the reporter to give a concise "on the air" report. Judges will look for clarity and use of language skills. Maximum: Three separate stories, at least one without audio insert and at least one "from the scene" spot news report.
2. Best Anchor: Based on delivery and use of vocal skills, pace, inflection and structure of stories. Maximum: Five minutes of representative newscast.
3. Best Commentator or Editorialist: Writing, subject and delivery will be taken into consideration.
4. Best Sports Reporter: Entries will be composed of three stories of reasonable length.
5. Best Sports Anchor: Based on delivery and vocal skills, pace, inflection and structure. Entry may include anchor work from regularly scheduled sports casts, play-by-play broadcast (except those not locally produced) and sports talk programs. Maximum of 15 minutes edited.
6. Best Specialized Reporter: Reporting from beats such as Medical, Consumer or Agriculture. Entries will be composed of three stories, with the total time for all three together not to exceed 20 minutes.
7. Best Use of Tape: The best use of natural sound in a news broadcast. An entry will be composed of one story demonstrating use of tape. Any use of library or "outside" sound should be noted.

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