Award Categories

Best DJ: 5 minute max
Showcase your talents talking in and out of breaks of music or other programming. Highlight your interview skills and hosting capabilities. Best DJ can be a team (two or more people) so long as the focus of the entry is on hosts’ interactions.

Best Newscast: 5 minute max (unedited)
Hard-hitting reporting, community coverage, and a kicker. How do you report the news?

Best News Feature Story: 5 minute max (unedited)
Coverage of a particular issue or current events with a news hook.

Best Sportscast: 5 minute max (unedited)
Sports-centered updates that may include game broadcast or athlete interview audio.

Best Sportstalk Program: 30 minute max (unedited)
From the sidelines to the upper deck, we want the best in sports coverage and analysis. (does not include podcasts; must be aired on your radio station)

Best Sports Play-By-Play: 10 minute capsule coverage from one game (can be edited)
Your team broke a record or overcame the odds and listeners hung on your every word.

Best Podcast: 30 minute maximum (unedited)
Up to a 30-minute snippet or a complete episode of your podcast series covering any topic. (available only online; not aired on your radio station)

Best Talk Show (non-sports): (new in 2022-2023!) 30 minute maximum (unedited)
Up to 30 minutes of you or a team of students discussing news, pop culture, or anything else that comes to mind. (does not include podcasts; must be aired on your radio station)

Best Promo: Station promo of a 30- or 60-second format
Share the imaging produced to promote your station.

Best Public Affairs Program: 30 minute max (unedited)
Programming with a focus on politics and public policy for your community and beyond. (does not include podcasts; must be aired on your radio station)

Best PSA: Public Service Announcement of a 30- or 60-second format
Powerful and effective messaging in a short amount of time.

Best Specialty Music Program: 30 minute max (can be edited)
You live and breathe your passion and share it across the airwaves. Share examples of how you bring a genre and its culture to your listeners.

Best Use of Social Media: one account per entry
Live coverage of an event, a new promotional strategy, or something completely different. Show us how you use social media to entertain and attract listeners.

Best Website: one URL per entry
Interactive, innovative, and targeted for your audience. Show us how your website stands out from the rest.

Best Radio Drama – Original or Adaptation: 30 minute maximum (unedited)
A classic tale or one that’s only just been told, produced and packaged to deliver a complete story.

Best Radio Station Advisor: Based on three (3) supporting letters, tell us why your advisor deserves recognition and how they have made an impact on students and the station.
NOTE: The winner in this category is not eligible again for a period of three (3) years.

Broadcaster of the Year: Students who submit at least one entry in each of these three groups will be eligible:

• Best DJ, Best Talk Show, or Best Specialty Music Program
• Best Newscast, Best News Feature, or Best Public Affairs Program
• Best Sportscast, Best Sportstalk Program, or Best Sports Play-By-Play

Best High School Radio Station:
Every entry counts! This award celebrates the station with the highest performance across all categories.

Questions? Please send an email to Zach DeWitz.