Broadcast Members | AP Nebraska

Any questions about the contest should be referred to Broadcast Editor Margery Gibbs in Omaha at 800-642-9920 or Administrative Assistant Arlene Murphy in Sioux Falls, SD, at 800-952-9911.

*Note: This is a change from past years. The contest is being administrated out of the Sioux Falls AP bureau this year.

Download NAPBA Contest Rules (PDF)

Radio Contest Rules

Radio Division I consists of all Omaha and Lincoln radio stations.

Radio Division II consists of all other stations.

In radio, the categories are:

SPOT NEWS : Coverage of a dramatic or breaking event.
GENERAL NEWS : Reporting of news events for which planning can occur. The category is designed to honor good coverage of what otherwise would have been routine reporting.
FEATURE : For kickers, lifestyle reporting and “soft” news.
AGRICULTURE : News coverage of agriculture or ag-related story.
LONG NEWSCAST : The best in a station’s standard newscast format three minutes or more in overall length. Criteria include teamwork, writing, editing and production. Must come from one of the four designated news days for 2008: Tuesday, April 22; Friday, June 20; Wednesday, Sept. 10 and Thursday, November 13.
SHORT NEWSCAST : The best in a station’s standard newscast format that does not exceed three minutes in overall length. Criteria include teamwork, writing, editing and production. Must come from one of the four designated news days for 2008: Tuesday, April 22, Friday, June 20, Wednesday, Sept. 10, and Thursday, November 13.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS : Designed for all documentary and series topics. Emphasis is on service to the audience, news value and topic suitability.
NATURAL SOUND : The best integration of outside elements in a broadcast. Example: a flowing stream in a flood story.
SPORTS FEATURE : A feature on a particular sport, athlete or sports program.
SPORTSCAST : The best in a station’s standard sports format. Play-by-play and sports shows outside the station’s regular sportscast coverage (such as pre-game shows) will not be accepted.
WEB SITE: Criteria include graphics, design, ease of use, information, usefulness and whether it's up to date.

Entry fee: $7 per entry. Each station may submit three entries per category.

Deadline Friday, February 13, 2009.
Download NAPBA Contest Rules (PDF)

See packaging instructions at the end of the rules.
Television Contest Rules

Television Division I includes Omaha and Lincoln stations

Television Division II includes all other stations.

In television, the categories are:

SPOT NEWS : Coverage of a dramatic or breaking event.
GENERAL NEWS : Reporting of news events for which planning can occur. The category is designed to honor good coverage of what otherwise would have been routine reporting.
FEATURE : For kickers, lifestyle reporting and “soft” news.
AGRICULTURE : News coverage of agriculture or an ag-related story.
NEWSCAST : The best in a station’s standard newscast format. Criteria include teamwork, writing, editing and production. Must come from one of the four designated news days for 2008: Tuesday, April 22; Friday, June 20; Wednesday, Sept. 10 and Thursday, November 13.
INVESTIGATIVE : A story or stories, which were originated, reported and followed through by the resources of the reporter or newsroom.
MINI-DOCUMENTARY or SERIES: An in-depth look at an issue in either one piece up to 30 minutes or a series of reports. This category is designed for all documentary and series topics, including agriculture.
SPORTS STORY : Any story with sports as a theme. Play-by-play will not be accepted.
SPORTSCAST : The best in a station’s standard sports format. Play-by-play and sports shows outside the station’s regular sportscast coverage (such as pre-game shows) will not be accepted.
SPORTS SPECIAL : Any sports program that is not part of a regularly scheduled newscast/sportscast.
VIDEOGRAPHY : Best photography in a broadcast.
WEATHERCAST : For best produced weather segment based on content, delivery, graphics and clarity.
WEB SITE: Criteria include graphics, design, ease of use, information, usefulness, and whether it's up to date.

Entry fees are $12 per entry. Each station may submit three entries per category, except in best newscast, where there may be only two entries.

Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2009

See separate packaging instructions that follow:

**************

Packaging Instructions for Entries

2009 NAPBA Contest

Please follow this checklist when packaging your entries for the NAPBA Contest. Remember the categories are judged by AP members in another state, so it’s important that the judges are able to separate entries by category.

1. Record each entry on a separate cassette or CD. For example: Use two tapes or two CDs for two feature entries. Please do not combine entries on the same cassette or CD because the entries may need to be split among different judges.

2. Label each cassette or CD clearly with (a.) station call letters, (b.) city, (c.) entry title, (d.) contest category, (e) size Division I or II. Remember that cassettes and CDs could become separated from the entry forms, and we need to be able to identify them.

3. Fill out a separate entry form for each entry, using the form found at the end of these rules. Make as many photocopies of the forms as you need. Do not combine entries on a single form because your entries may be divided among several judges.

4. Please leave the entry forms flat and put them all together in your package so we can easily sort and make copies. Please do not staple the pages together or wrap the forms around the tapes or CDs with rubber bands (it slows down the process on our end.)

5. IMPORTANT – Ship all your entries to AP in a single box. If some entries are mailed separately they could become lost.

Entries need to be shipped to the AP in Sioux Falls, SD, this year. If you have questions about the shipping of your entry package, please call Administrative Assistant Arlene Murphy at 800-952-9911.

Download NAPBA Contest Rules (PDF)

Deadline Friday, February 13, 2009.

Ship to:

NAPBA Contest
The Associated Press
330 North Main Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Make checks payable to: NAPBA Contest

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