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