2008 Awards packages will be mailed out December 1st.

Awards Forms Download 

First and foremost, remember that the work you are already doing is what you’re going to use for your awards entries.

Don’t wait until late Fall to start collecting your best work. Do it now and throughout the year, so when we put out a Call for Entries, you are already prepared. With that in mind, get your Reporters, On-Air Personalities, News Directors, Program Directors and Sports Guys excited! Get them geared up so that all their work is their best work. It will pay off during next year’s Awards.

Make your essay count. Use correct grammar and formatting. Don’t use all caps. Even if using all caps is the way you write copy, it can be difficult to read when it’s in essay form. Please double space with 10, 12 or 14 point font. Make sure your essays and audio/video entries are cohesive. Let them reflect each other. Also, let 3-5 other people read the essay before submitting it. Your eyes can read over things because you’ve worked on it for so long, so other people’s perspectives can help you find mistakes you might have otherwise missed.

Be mindful of the length of your essay. Depending on which category you’re entering, you will be required to submit a 250-word or less or a 500-word or less essay. Keep these guidelines in mind:  250 words constitute about 1 ½ pages, double spaced, or 1 page, single spaced, in length; 500 words constitute 3 pages, double spaced, or 1 ½ pages, single spaced, in length.

Use your Station’s stationary, if possible. If not, try to include your station’s logo at the top of the page. The logo shouldn’t take up half of the page, but rather, use it as a stationary of sorts. Prepare your essay as if it were a presentation—because that’s what it is!

Make sure your entry “works.”  We have received entries that either didn’t have audio or just didn’t work. We understand that it can be a time-crunching thing, but please be sure to double-check, then triple-check, your entry CD, DVD or VHS to make sure it works correctly.  Have 1-3 other people watch or listen to your entry to make sure it works on different CD players or DVD/VHS players.

Always, always, always use an introduction. You want the judges to know who you are and for what you are competing. It may get monotonous, but it will pay off. Your entry will look or sound like the professional piece it should be.

Remember, it’s an introduction, so don’t waste too much time on it on your tape/CD/DVD. And remember to not include long clips of music or tape that could be unnecessary. We have received entries that let a song take up half of the allotted time for an entry. This is wasteful! Just intro the piece and then follow up with your best work.

Don’t overuse your sound bites or news stories. If you use a particular story as part of your Station of the Year entry and use it in Best Newscast, Best Promotion, Best Spot News or Best Breaking News Coverage, it’s not “news” anymore. Mix it up! Show that you cover a wide variety of stories, events and news. A broader range of coverage will prove that you are the best when it comes to reporting news stories.

Use blank CD’s, DVD’s or VHS tapes. If several things are on the CD/DVD/VHS, it can be confusing as to which “thing” is your entry. Clean tapes/CD’s/DVD’s/VHS’s work best!

Label your entry. Use labels when at all possible. By this, we mean, if you are submitting your entry on a CD or DVD, use an appropriate label for a CD or DVD. Labels are also available for VHS tapes. Use these for a most professional look.

When labeling your entry, use your logo, not ours. The entry is about you and your work, so let your complete entry, from essay to the audio (Radio) or audio/visual (TV) to the labeling of your entry show a consistent pattern of professionalism. Showcase your station in every way with your entry.

Clearly describe your entry on the entry forms. Please use clear print when completing your entry forms when you submit them, along with your entries, to the WVBA. Always include a contact person with that person’s telephone number and email address so that if we have any questions, we can contact you with ease.

Good luck!