As we get close to the deadline for submitting entries for the 2018 WBA Awards for Excellence I want to touch on one that is unique, is available to TV and radio, and will go toward the tally that determines the major awards: Station Of The Year and News Operation Of The Year.
That’s the Special Award Category…Election Coverage.
I’m focused on this particular award because election coverage is such a big deal for all of us and 2018 provided so much material for newsrooms, talk shows, and even many music stations.
In addition to the regular coverage of candidates for state and local races, school referendums, and legalized pot, planning for election night was also a long term process.
I’ve been covering elections for more years than I care to remember and it’s truly amazing to think about how the delivery system for election results has evolved. For many of you, the night involves anchors, political science professors, analysts, reporters in the field, social media coverage, and a producer to keep everything running smoothly.
Your friends on the WBA Awards Committee have laid out many options to choose from in submitting an entry for this category. Entries may include things like daily news coverage of politicians on the stump, but also one-on-one interviews with talk show hosts and reporters, and special programming like candidate debates.
Stations can choose to submit a compilation of their coverage through the year. In the past, others have had success putting together a ‘greatest hits’ of their election night coverage.
You can review the WBA Awards for Excellence brochure sent out earlier this fall for the listings of criteria that must be followed for your election coverage entry.
Another important thing to keep in mind, and the judges are very hard on this, is the requirement that entries in the Election Coverage entry CANNOT be longer than 15 minutes. Punishment is harsh: Your entry will be automatically disqualified.
That’s the same with other entries that have a clearly stated time limit as well. If those submissions go long….they’re gone! In fact, it’s just a good idea to read all the rules in your folder to make sure you’re in compliance.
The submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
Have a great Christmas and New Year’s holiday. I look forward to seeing you all in Madison on May 4.
Robert Kennedy
WTAQ News Director
