Sunday, August 30, 2009

APTRA Awards Entry Fee Analysis

The APTRA board is in the process of looking at the annual journalism contest to find ways to make it more affordable and competitive. Let's face it. Fewer stations are willing to pony up the 100 bucks it costs per entry, especially when some of the former state AP contests cost as little as $25 to enter. And in this economy, with journalists losing jobs or being forced to take work furloughs, how many of us can afford to spend that much of our own money?

I volunteered to look into the issue and am only now reporting back what I have found. First, some background. APTRA has a total of 49 award categories( 24 television, 18 radio, 7 web) and two divisions, meaning a total of 99 different categories. Yet, the 2009 awards received only about 300 entries. I'm not a mathematician, nor do I play one on radio or TV, but you can divide 300 entries by 99 categories. Suffice as to say: not good.

So, what to do about it? We can consider lowering the entry fee and taking the chance that we will raise less money to help support scholarships. But consider this. In Arizona, the old AP Broadcast Awards entry fee was $25 and stations each entered dozens of stories. In northern California, it also costs $25 to enter the Society of Professional Journalists awards. Colorado did not have AP broadcast awards, but the Colorado Broadcasting Association is the state's most popular. It offers a sliding scale with smaller stations paying $15 to enter, stations in larger markets pay $25 per entry. Idaho did not have an AP awards, but the Idaho Press Club also offers a smaller sliding scale of $14 and $16 per entry and is very popular.

Then there's the Emmy's. The Heartland Chapter, which includes Colorado, has a sliding scale depending on the market size of the TV station. Entry fees are $50, $60, and $75. The Northwest Chapter (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Montana) has a sliding fee of $50, $75, and $90, again depending on market size. The Pacific Southwest Chapter (San Diego, Central Coast, SE CA, and Las Vegas) does not offer a sliding scale, but as many other chapters do, has different costs depending on the category. For instance, individual craft costs $60, programming and advanced media costs $80, and newscasts and team coverage $125 per entrant.

Knowing what other journalism contests charge in the states we serve can help APTRA improve its annual contest. That is why I propose the following entry fee structure be ratified at the next APTRA board meeting.

1. Entry fees for station-related awards remain at $100 per entry for large market. Entry fees for small market station related awards be reduced to $80 per entry.
2. Entry fees for individual related awards be reduced to $75 for large market and $50 for small market.

While I think we should lower entry fees even more, it would be irrational to cut them further without first seeing if such reductions produce more entries from stations and states that are not participating in the APTRA awards.

However no cost reduction will matter if we don't do a better job publicizing the APTRA Awards in the western states we serve. I also think we should look at whether we need all 99 categories we have and whether some should be eliminated or combined. But I'll save that for later time.

Please post your comments to the recommendations and tell me what you think.

Paul Atkinson
APTRA Board Member
KJZZ-FM Phoenix

Sunday, August 16, 2009

AP Members Working Together

Hi to all APTRA Members. My name is John Shaffer, I am the Nevada Radio Representative on the APTRA Board. I am also the Program Director, News Director and Morning Anchor at News Talk 720 KDWN in Las Vegas. I'm also guessing I am not alone at wearing many hats in the workplace. We are all doing more with less these days. But, being members of APTRA, we can all do more, working with our fellow members.

I am fortunate to live in a city that garners a lot of national attention, both good and bad. As a result my newsroom is often called by radio stations throughout the country and around the world to provide live and recorded stories for them. I was on the air with the BBC when it snowed in Vegas. On live with Phil Hendrie when OJ's sentence was handed down in his hotel robbery case. My point of all of this is, as APTRA members we have each other to lean on when needed. We have a network of stations throughout the west that can work together to provide "localized" reports for each other. I've called on Reno stations for help during the earthquakes in northern Nevada. It really makes my station sound larger than life for the listeners to think we have correspondents all over the state/country. After all, isn't that what we are as members of the Associated Press, A cooperative? The AP does a great job of covering stories where they have bureaus, but they can't do it all. The more we can help each other, the more we can help the bureaus. And the more we can provide a quality news product to our listeners. When it comes time for the Mark Twain Awards, we are competitors. For the other 364 days a year we are all teammates on the APTRA team.

Anytime something is happening in Vegas, and we can help you out, feel free to give my newsroom a call. (702) 257-NEWS (6397)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Swine Flu and You

Hello, I'm Timothy Kiley, Assistant News Director at KESQ in Palm Springs. I am also one of the APTRA Board Members. Ross has asked us to add to this blog when something is on our mind.

One of the most important jobs we have as Journalists is to be a watchdog of the government. I have recently had an experience that I think is worth sharing.

When the swine flu first came out, the media covered it non stop. The pork industry got angry and started to complain... “please call it H1N1”. It became a pandemic, but the numbers were low, and few were dying. The public started to complain... “enough with the swine flu already”. Now the swine flu stories have fallen off the map. A pandemic disease was certainly not as urgent as the latest Michael Jackson update... “Breaking news: Michael Jackson is still dead.” Now while no one was watching swine flu numbers are through the roof and deaths are on the rise, but some in the government don’t want you to know.

In my daily routine I noticed an article in a local paper that announced the second swine flu death in San Bernardino County. I called the County Department of Health to confirm the information. I was given the run around for several hours and finally got the Director on the phone. He confirmed the death, but no more. I asked if they had a name or city that the person was from. He laughed and said “we can’t release that, we will cause a panic.” I asked if there was a news release. He said that they couldn’t possibly write a news release for every swine flu death. There have been two!

This is an example of how two groups of people think differently. Journalists believe that knowledge will keep you safe and aware. Some in the government believes that hiding information and the “no comment” mentality is best for the public. What do you think?