IBA TV STATION OF THE YEAR (AWARDED TO BOTH A DOWNSTATE AND CHICAGO MARKET TV STATION)

(5 minutes) IBA Station of the Year is “bragging rights” for one year! Compile the best work from your station into a 5-minute maximum video entry that exhibits why your station is the “IBA 2025 Station of the Year” for your market size. Entry should contain elements from a station’s importance in the community for community service, local news and/or sports coverage, promotions, and other elements that might earn your station this prestigious award.

T-1 BEST SINGLE STATION PROMOTION

Enter a single or series of announcements promoting the station. Criteria for judging are creativity and production values. Three minutes total time limit.

T-2 BEST USE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

Single entry or composite of no more than 3 projects reflected in one video, no more than :60 seconds in length. Criteria for judging are: 1) Design, 2) Execution. Accompany entry with written creative brief, 100 words of less.

T-3 BEST LIGHT FEATURE

Single or series of stories or commentaries on a subject of state or local concern. Entry should show reporter/reporters ability to cover an unusual story or unusual angle of a news story. Maximum entry length of 5 minutes total.

T-4 BEST LOCALLY PRODUCED TV PROGRAM, SERIES, OR DOCUMENTARY

Entry may be a single story or a series of stores on any one topic. Thoroughness of research and reporting are just as important as writing and presentation. May be edited but not exceed 5 minutes; no post-production additions allowed.

T-5 BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

Entry may be a single story or series of stories about a previously unexplored and significant original story. Entry should demonstrate extraordinary research, ground-breaking reporting and results obtained by airing the story. May be edited but must not exceed 5 minutes.

T-6 BEST NEWS HARD STORY

Same-day or on-going coverage of a significant event affecting community, investigative report or series. Entry should demonstrate the reporter’s ability to cover an unusual story or an unusual angle of a news story. Time limit: 5 minutes and may be edited.

T-7 BEST TV NEWSCAST

Un-edited half-hour complete news/sports/weather from any regularly scheduled news from any daypart. Entry should contain the entire newscast with commercials removed. Time limit: 30 minutes.

T-8 BEST COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITY

A station’s contribution to the community, through participation in a community project via a series of spots or an on-air campaign or “live” participation in (or live remote coverage of) activity. Entry should document activity by way of an on-air promotional announcements, remote broadcast or event, documented coverage by other media reporting on your station’s responsibility for the activity. Video/Audio production should not exceed 5-minutes in length. Entry may contain supporting documents.

T-9 BEST MULTICULTURAL REACH

Stations today are adopting a “super-serving all ethnicities” approach to diverse viewership. Submit your station entry on a broadcast team that worked together to relate to and entertain.

T-10 BEST USE OF INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Submit your station’s best efforts to utilize new media to supplement on-air broadcasts. New media usage includes website promotions, text messaging, podcasting, listener-supplied video, or anything digital used outside your regular broadcast. A written narrative may accompany an entry. Criteria used to judge include creative use of media, how well it supplements on-air story, creativity of delivery and interest of story. Please limit entries to 10-minutes.

T-11 BEST CONTINUING COVERAGE

Coverage of current events over an extended number of reports. Entries should include a 10-minute composite of your best news coverage of a continuing current event such as an election, local protests, weather, or storm damage, etc. Entry may include a maximum 200-word explanation of coverage. Criteria: presentation of facts, thoroughness, story advancement, significance, and delivery.

T-12 BEST SHORT FORM DIGITAL

Best elements used for short-form storytelling on social media, website, or another digital platform. Criteria include creativity, innovation, and presentation of facts.

T-13 BEST VIDEO EDITING

Best use of editing in short-form stories or long form television programing, including technical excellence and creativity.

INDIVIDUAL TV CATEGORIES

TV-01 BEST TV REPORTER

(3 minutes) Entry must relate to coverage of one event or story. Criteria are delivery, presentation of facts, and impact of story.

TV-02 BEST TV SPORTSCASTER

(3 minutes) Same-day coverage of a sport event/story. Criteria are significance, presentation of facts, delivery, creativity, and effective use of video.

TV-03 BEST TV ANCHOR

(Up to 5 minutes) Enter your best work. Criteria are delivery, presentation of facts, and how anchor identifies with audience.

TV-04 BEST WEATHERCASTER

(Up to 10 minutes) Enter your best weathercast. Criteria are presentation, thoroughness, and interest. NOTE: entry time limit is one weathercast from the day of your choice.

TV-05 BEST VIDEOGRAPHER

(5 minutes) How well does your video tell the story? Criteria are production, sound, and creativity to tell the story.

NEW FOR 2025!
DOWNSTATE-ONLY ADDITIONAL TV CATEGORIES

T-14 BEST SALES PRESENTATION

Provide a creative sales presentation that exemplifies the power of TV and how your station can gain results for client. Entries should include a narrative along with visual (commercial) example.

T-15 BEST SALES IDEA

An original idea generated for a client and how it benefited the client. Written entry should include how the rep derived the campaign based on the client’s objective and how it successfully achieved that goal. Entries should include a sales narrative, actual script, and video of produced commercial, and results data.

T-16 BEST GENERAL MANAGER

Written entries should include examples of how they deal with problems/challenges that face their stations. Entries should be no longer than 200 words and include at least 2 examples of leadership.