Awards

Submit Awards

Public Radio News Directors' Incorporated is again calling for entries from local and regional public radio stations and networks. This contest is the only national competition devoted solely to rewarding outstanding local public radio news.

PLEASE READ THE RULES CAREFULLY: Judges and/or the contest coordinator may reject entries that don't meet the guidelines.

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES: Stations are limited to four entries per category. Each entry must be as broadcast. No telescoping (editing within segments) allowed, but excerpting whole segments of long programs is permitted. Time limit for all entries is 60 minutes. Please include leads for stories on CD. Stations may enter individual stories in more than one category. An entry fee must accompany each entry.

Breaking News - One or more stories on an unscheduled breaking news event, aired within the first 24 hours.
Call-in Program - One news/public affairs program with a call-in component.
Commentary - One essay that presents a persuasive or creative viewpoint.
Continuing Coverage - A series of stories those covers an issue or event as it evolves over time.
Documentary - A stand-alone program that addresses one issue or topic.
Interview - One interview segment. May be part of a news/public affairs program.
News Feature - One feature on a news-related topic.
News/Public Affairs Program - One regularly scheduled news/public affairs program.
Newscast - One unedited newscast, produced any day of the year.
Series - A scheduled series of stories on one issue or topic.
Soft Feature - One feature on a cultural or "human interest" topic.
Spot News – Best spot on any topic less than 2 minutes in length.
Best Writing – One story that exhibits exceptional writing (include printed script w/actualities fully transcribed)
Best Use of Sound – One story that shows a creative and effective use of sound to help tell the story.
Enterprise/Investigative – a story or series of stories that demonstrates significant journalism that breaks new ground and/or approaches a story from a unique and compelling angle.

STUDENT CATEGORIES: Stations are limited to four entries per category.
Newscast - One unedited newscast produced any day of the year.
Soft Feature - One feature on a cultural or "human interest" topic.
News Feature - One feature on a news-related topic.
Spot News – Best spot on any topic less than 2 minutes in length.

Up to three of the student award winners will receive a $500 scholarship and travel/lodging and registration to PRNDI’s annual conference. The first and second place finishers in the student categories will be asked to write an essay about public radio. The PRNDI board will award the scholarships after reviewing the essays.

DEADLINE: Tapes and entry forms must be postmarked by March 2, 2009. You may send fees separately, but checks or credit card numbers must be in the contest coordinator's hands by March 13, 2009. No Exceptions. Late entries will be returned and the entries disqualified.

FEES: PRNDI member rate: $30 per entry. Non-member rate: $60 per entry. Student rate: $15 per entry. You may pay by check or credit card. Make checks payable to "PRNDI" and send them to the contest coordinator. Checks not made out to "PRNDI" will be returned. To confirm your membership status, or to become a PRNDI member, call or e-mail Christine Paige Diers at (218) 779-9684 cpaigediers@gmail.com.

ENTRIES: Entries must be on CD (CD is preferable) and labeled to identify station, division, category, entry title and length. IMPROPERLY LABELED CDs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!!! Please fill out the station entry spreadsheet (see link below) to list all of your entries. There's no need to fill out entry forms for individual entries. Entries not listed on the station spreadsheet will not be considered. Please check your station spreadsheet to make sure the number of entries matches the amount of money you're paying. If you're entering both professional and student entries, please fill out a separate spreadsheet for each group of entries.

ELIGIBILITY: Entries must have aired in calendar year 2008. They must be submitted by a local public radio station or regional public radio network.

Guidelines on what is considered local: 

The intent of the PRNDI Awards is to honor the very best in local public radio.   As outlined below, the awards are not appropriate for the work done by stations and freelancers producing for a national network, or by a station that is producing material with the intention of it being national in scope. The PRNDI Awards Committee and its judges will follow these guidelines.  If you have any questions, please contact the contest coordinator - Christine Paige Diers at (218) 779-9684 or cpaigediers@gmail.com.

1) all work on the entry must be performed exclusively by the station.  (ex. edited by an NPR editor or produced by a network show producer would disqualify the entry from PRNDI awards.)   

2) entries distributed by a national distributor (NPR, PRI, APM) will be disqualified (ex. a piece that airs on The World or a show that is distributed by NPR would not be eligible) 

3) a show or piece that is produced and aired locally and is then shared with other stations is allowed. (ex. Local product that is distributed in its original form via PRX, a state network, or independently organized distribution is allowed) 

DIVISIONS:

A (organizations with five or more full-time news staff)
B (organizations with three or four full-time news staff)
C (organizations with one or two full-time news staff)
D (students).

SEND ALL ENTRIES AND CHECKS TO THE CONTEST COORDINATOR: Christine Paige Diers; P.O. Box 838, Sturgis, SD, 57785. 
NOTE:  Please use US mail to send the entries in.  Delivery services such as FedEx and UPS do NOT deliver to post office boxes.  This is why we have a POSTMARK deadline.  Also note this is a new PRNDI address.

Download Entry Form here: /prndi/media/word documents/entryform.doc