Submissions are due by 11:59PM on July 15
The Downstate Silver Dome Awards will be awarded on the evening of September 30th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield
The Chicago Silver Dome Awards will be awarded at the Chicago Silver Dome Awards Gala the evening of November 12th at 167 Green Street in Chicago
The Silver Dome Awards for Sales/Management will be awarded at the IBA2026 Luncheon on October 1st at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield
HOW TO SUBMIT ENTRIES
As we did last year, entries will be made using the Rock Our Awards platform.
You must enter audio or video files to a file sharing site such as Vimeo for video and Kiwi6 or Soundlcoud for audio. The URL link to that audio or video file is then used for online entry.
Please make sure your entries are marked with download permissions and the link does not expire before the dates of the respected Silver Dome Awards events (September 30th for Downstate and November 12th for Chicago)
Download the entry directions to complete process.
Note Step 8: MAKE SURE YOU SUBMIT ALL ENTRIES BEFORE MAKING PAYMENT
AWARDS ELIGIBILITY RULES
- Competition open only to IBA-member stations in good membership standing as of contest entry deadline of July 15th
- To check dues status please email iba@ilba.org
- All entries must be original material and having aired between the dates of April 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
- Entries must have originated at the station by station employees; no outside assistance of content or work from ad agencies accepted.
CHICAGO MARKET
MEDIUM MARKET
SMALL MARKET RADIO
AWARD CATEGORIES
All time limits will be strictly adhered to. If an entry goes beyond the maximum length allowed, the judges will be instructed to stop watching when the time limit runs out.
2026 IBA TV STATION OF THE YEAR (AWARDED TO BOTH A DOWNSTATE AND CHICAGO MARKET TV STATION)
IBA Station of the Year is “bragging rights” for one year! Compile the best work from your station that exhibits why your station is the “IBA 2026 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.
Time Limit: 5 minutes MAX
T-1 BEST SINGLE STATION PROMOTION
Enter a single or series of announcements promoting the station. Criteria for judging are creativity and production values.
Time Limit: 3 minutes
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.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
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 no post-production additions allowed.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
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 no post-production additions allowed.
Time Limit: 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. May be edited, but no post-production additions allowed.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
T-7 BEST LOCAL NEWS STORY
Coverage of a news story impactful to its community.
Time Limit: 5 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. Entry may contain supporting documents.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
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.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
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.
Time Limit: 10 minutes
T-11 BEST CONTINUING COVERAGE
Coverage of current events over an extended number of reports. Entries should include a 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.
Time Limit: 10 minutes
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.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
T-14 BEST LOCALLY PRODUCED SINGLE CLIENT CAMPAIGN
Narrative/examples to accompany entry is a requirement.
INDIVIDUAL TV CATEGORIES
NOTE: Category must have at least 3 different individuals from the designated market size for the category to be judged. Those categories receiving less than 3 different entries by the contest deadline will not be judged with a refund provided those who entered the category.
TV-01 BEST TV REPORTER
Entry must relate to coverage of one event or story. Criteria are delivery, presentation of facts, and impact of story.
Time Limit: 3 minutes
TV-02 BEST TV SPORTSCASTER
Same-day coverage of a sport event/story. Criteria are significance, presentation of facts, delivery, creativity, and effective use of video.
Time Limit: 3 minutes
TV-03 BEST TV ANCHOR
Enter your best work. Criteria are delivery, presentation of facts, and how anchor identifies with audience.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
TV-04 BEST WEATHERCASTER
Enter your best weathercast. Criteria are presentation, thoroughness, and interest.
Time Limit: 5 minutes *NOTE: entry time limit is one weathercast from the day of your choice.
TV-05 BEST VIDEOGRAPHER
How well does your video tell the story? Criteria are production, sound, and creativity to tell the story.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
ADDITIONAL SALES/MANAGEMENT TV CATEGORIES
Winners of these categories will be announced and awarded at the IBA2026 Luncheon on October 1, 2026
T-15 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-16 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-17 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.
All time limits will be strictly adhered to. If an entry goes beyond the maximum length allowed, the judges will be instructed to stop listening when the time limit runs out.
IBA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (AWARDED IN SMALL, MEDIUM, AND CHICAGO MARKETS)
IBA Station of the Year is “bragging rights” for one year! Compile the best work from your station into an audio and/or video entry that exhibits why your station is the “IBA 2026 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.
Time Limit: 5 minutes
R-1 BEST LOCALLY PRODUCED SINGLE COMMERCIAL
Produced on behalf of local advertiser.
Time Limit: 30 or 60 seconds
R-2 BEST STATION PROMOTION
Station or single event promotion.
Time Limit: 60 seconds
R-3 BEST FEATURE
Best described as a “reporter’s coverage of story with profound impact on community.”
Time Limit: 2 minutes
R-4 BEST LOCAL MORNING SHOW
Composite of content that convinces judges this is the best of the best for your size market.
Time Limit: 2 minutes
R-5 BEST USE OF NON-BROADCAST MEDIA
Entry highlights use of non-broadcast media such as podcast, social media, web-based story, or promotions outside regular broadcast.
Time Limit: 3 minutes
R-6 BEST CONTINUING COVERAGE
Coverage of current events over an extended number of reports. Entries should include a composite of your best news coverage of a continuing current event such as an election, local protests, weather, or storm damage, or other. Entry may include a maximum 200-word explanation of coverage. Criteria: presentation of facts, thoroughness, story advancement, significance, and delivery.
Time Limit: 10 minutes
R-7 BEST STATION IMAGING
Creative liners that promote the station and creatively use sound effects and language that promotes the station.
Time Limit: 2 minutes
R-8 BEST HUMOROUS NEWS STORY
News story that makes light of a newsworthy act (Example- A person hit a car in the Wal-Mart parking lot and left this note: “Hope you have insurance.”)
Time Limit: 90 seconds
R-9 BEST RADIO PLAY-BY-PLAY BROADCAST
Time Limit: 2 minutes
R-10 BEST LOCALLY PRODUCED SINGLE CLIENT CAMPAIGN
Narrative/examples to accompany entry is required.
Time Limit: 90 seconds
R-11 BEST LOCALLY ORIGINATED COMMUNITY SERVICE CAMPAIGN
Narrative/examples to accompany entry is required.
Time Limit: 90 seconds
INDIVIDUAL RADIO CATEGORIES*
*NOTE: Category must have at least 3 different individuals from the designated market size for the category to be judged. Those categories receiving less than 3 different entries by the contest deadline will not be judged and a refund provided those who entered the category.
RA-01 BEST LOCAL NEWS REPORTER
Entry must relate to coverage of one event or story. Criteria are delivery, presentation of facts, and impact of story.
Time Limit: 3 minutes
RA-02 BEST LOCAL RADIO SPORTSCASTER
Same-day coverage of a sport event/story. Criteria are significance, presentation of facts, delivery, creativity
Time Limit: 3 minutes
RA-03 BEST LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY
Submit 2 minutes of your best on-air work.
Time Limit: 3 minutes
ADDITIONAL SALES/MANAGEMENT RADIO CATEGORIES*
*NOTE: Winners of these categories will be announced and awarded at the IBA2026 Luncheon on October 1, 2026
R-12 BEST RADIO SALES PRESENTATION
Provide a creative sales presentation that exemplifies the power of radio and how your station can gain results for client. Entries should include a narrative along with audio (commercial) example.
R-13 BEST RADIO 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, recording of produced commercial, and results data.
R-14 BEST LOCAL RADIO 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.
