Deadline: 15 March 2012
RTDNA honors outstanding achievements in the coverage of diversity with the RTDNA/UNITY Award. The award is part of the covenant the association has adopted with UNITY: Journalists of Color, to achieve diversity in the newsroom through developing news content and editorial staffs that reflect the changing face of communities. The purpose of the award is to encourage and showcase journalistic excellence in covering issues of race and ethnicity. It is presented annually to news organizations that show an ongoing commitment to covering the diversity of the communities they serve.
Enter your radio, television or online news organization in the RTDNA/UNITY Awards and showcase your ongoing commitment to covering diversity issues. This prestigious award will bring recognition to your news team and increased respect from your audience.
Online News Organizations are welcome to enter the RTDNA/UNITY Awards. This means that audio and video that appeared exclusively online is eligible to win in each of the categories. Entrants will be identified as Small Market Radio Station, Large Market Radio Station, Radio Network/Syndication Service/Program, Small Market Television Station, Large Market Television Station, Television Network/Syndication Service/Program and Online News Organization.
All entries must be submitted online. All accompanying media must be submitted in the form of links on the online application form. Media is subject to entry requirements --i.e. if the entry media provided goes over the time limit of 60 minutes, the entry will be disqualified.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW TO ENTER?
The news organization must submit an entry that demonstrates journalistic excellence in covering issues of race and ethnicity in the community it serves. That coverage may include but is not limited to, an examination of racism, race relations, problems confronting indigenous groups, issues of language, and/or explorations of social conditions common to racial or ethnic groups in the community served. The entry may be a single story or a compilation of work. A written presentation is required and should include a list of material on the entry.
- Entries may be edited and must not exceed 60 minutes (all commercials breaks must be removed).
- Entries will be pre-screened.
- Voice-overs or narratives are permitted only if they were part of the original piece.
- A written presentation is required (it can be entered into the description box) and should include a list of material on entry and an explanation of the news organization's philosophy related to the coverage of diversity issues.
- Judging will be based on the original work samples and not on the way the entry is submitted.
ENTRY DEADLINE
Entries should be complete and media uploaded no later than April 1, 2012.
ELIGIBILITY
Entries may be submitted by stations, networks, syndication services, program services and online news organizations. Entries without appropriate station, network or company authorization will not be accepted. You do not have to be a member of RTDNA to enter the competition or win an award. International entries are accepted.
ENTRY PROCESS
CATEGORIES
Awards are given in the following divisions for radio, television and online news operations.
- Radio small market station - 51+ market*
- Radio large market station - 1-50 market*
- Radio Network/Syndication Service/Program Service
- Television small market station - 51+ market*
- Television large market station - 1-50 market*
- Television Network/Syndication Service/Program Service
- Online News Operation
Market size is determined by MSA ranking for radio entries and by DMA ranking for television entries. The division for international entries in radio is determined by population of individuals 12 years of age and older, with stations serving populations of more than 1,462,100 judged in the large-market category. The division for international entries in television is determined by television households served, with stations serving more than 550,390 television households judged in the large-market category.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- The material may be shortened but may not be altered in any other way, including chronological rearrangement.
- Voice-overs or narratives are permitted only if they were part of the original piece that appeared.
- Time limits are strictly enforced.
- A written presentation is required and should include a list of uploaded material and an explanation of the news organization's philosophy regarding coverage of diversity issues.
- Non-English-language entries are encouraged but must be accompanied by a written English translation or subtitles.
Entry Fees: refer here
DISQUALIFICATION
An entry that does not follow competition rules as outlined in here will be disqualified. Entries that are longer than 60 minutes will be disqualified. Entrants will not be notified of disqualification, nor will entry fees be refunded.
JUDGING OF ENTRIES
Entries are judged by a panel of journalism professionals representing UNITY: Journalists of Color, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, National Association of Black Journalists, Asian American Journalists Association, Native American Journalists Association and RTNDA. An award will be given in each category unless, in the opinion of the judges, no award is deserved. The decision of the judges is final.
NOTIFICATION
RTDNA/UNITY Award recipients will be announced in late June 2012.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Recipients of an RTDNA/UNITY Award will receive a custom-designed award, which will be presented at the RTDNA Awards Dinner in October 2012 in New York.
RTDNA Staff Contact Information
CALENDAR
March 15, 2012 - DEADLINE
June 2012 - RTDNA/UNITY Winners Announced
October 2012 -RTDNA Awards Dinner in New York
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: katies@rtdna.org
For submissions: register here
Website: http://unityjournalists.org