Categories
To enter the 2020 awards, please download the entry forms here. This link gives you access to all of the entry forms as well as conditions of entry and judging criteria for each category. Please ensure you read each entry form carefully as no two are the same!
News Team of the Year - hubs or station under or over 1.5M TSA
This award will go to the team which provides its target audience with the best news service around. Judges will be listening to the way news is written and presented, the choice of stories and audio, the angles pursued and the breadth of information. You’ll also need to demonstrate excellent story telling, and the development and use of original content on digital platforms.
Entries should include at least one news bulletin but overall should be a compilation of reports and packages.
Please ensure you specify the relevant band of your hub or station (Under 1.5M TSA or Over 1.5M TSA), as there are two categories within this award. Entries should not exceed 10 minutes.
Best News Special or Feature
Is there one story which set you apart and attracted your audience’s attention? This award recognises journalistic endeavour in going beyond the diary to find a great story or investigation, pull it together and tell it in an engaging fashion. Judges will assess the angles pursued, choice of interviewees and techniques applied in broadcasting the story.
Entries should be a compilation of bulletins/packages and can be supported by digital offerings. The total duration of the audio should not exceed 10 minutes.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Campaigning Journalism Award
This new award recognises an individual or team which has dedicated time and effort to a campaign which has made a difference and resonated with their audience. Judges will be examining the impact of the campaign, the editorial rigour, the quality of storytelling and the way in which it is presented. Entries could include bulletin coverage, packages, interviews, live reports and examples of digital content.
The audio should not exceed 10 minutes but digital content which augments the coverage will be accepted and expected.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Reporter of the Year - hubs or station under or over 1.5M TSA
The Reporter of the Year will demonstrate an ability to handle a broad range of stories, tell them in an engaging fashion and develop their own original content. They’ll get to the heart of a story, sourcing agenda setting interviews and case studies. Stories that can be demonstrated to be exclusive will be highly valued by the judges as will additional digital content
The category applies to both news and sport and audio should be no longer than 10 minutes.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Newsreader of the Year - hubs or station under or over 1.5M TSA
Do you have the voice and bulletin creativity that really engages your audience? Judges are looking for someone who demonstrates appropriate story selection, clever use of audio and a unique presentation style for their target audience. We’re looking for someone who doesn’t just read the news well – but is an exceptional communicator who people want to listen to.
Entries should include audio of two news bulletins broadcast on separate days (one for each day) and be no longer than 10 minutes.
Please ensure you specify your band (Under 1.5M TSA or Over 1.5M TSA) as there are two categories within this award.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Best Interview
Have you conducted a standout interview that has driven your agenda, pricked the conscience of your audience and triggered a debate? The interviewee doesn’t have to be someone in the public eye but the use of audio, handling of the guest and the way in which the interview is presented are important.
The interview must have been broadcast in clips and/or in long form via digital platforms. Entries should not exceed 10 minutes.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Best Sports Coverage - either an individual reporter or team/event coverage:
This award recognises outstanding sports reporting, commentary and presentation which demonstrates an understanding of the target audience. Entries should focus on how a sports team or reporter has developed stories, provided insight and analysis and engaged listeners. Judges will be listening out for clever storytelling, angles pursued, the strength of interviews and the use of atmospheric audio.
Entries should include bulletin and interview clips, packages and / or coverage of an event. The overall audio compilation should not exceed 10 minutes but judges will accept and expect additional digital content.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub
Newcomer of the Year
This category is aimed at anyone under 30 who began their career in radio after 1st January 2016. Judges will be looking for someone who’s made their mark already. Evidence of a flair for writing, news reading and reporting will support entries as well as a clear ability to connect with the target audience.
Entries should contain a written submission from a News Editor/ Manager explaining why the candidate is being nominated as well as an audio compilation of bulletins/packages/interviews no longer than 10 minutes.
Student Journalist of the Year - supported by the BJTC.
The IRN Student Award – supported by the BJTC - is an opportunity to showcase your radio journalism skills to the commercial radio sector.
Entries can be one long news report/documentary or two packages, with the total duration of the entry not exceeding 15 minutes.
Judges will be looking for evidence of a range of broadcast journalism skills including the pursuit of angles and interviewees, the creative use of audio and the crafting and shaping of stories. Additional digital content will be beneficial.
This award is open to students graduating from a BJTC-approved broadcast journalism course in 2019 and to those who completed their courses in 2018 who therefore might already be employed.
Entries should be signed off by your course leader.
IRN Gold Award - for an outstanding contribution to commercial radio news
No criteria or entries required, but please email us your ideas along with 500 words of why you think they deserve to win.
This award will go to the team which provides its target audience with the best news service around. Judges will be listening to the way news is written and presented, the choice of stories and audio, the angles pursued and the breadth of information. You’ll also need to demonstrate excellent story telling, and the development and use of original content on digital platforms.
Entries should include at least one news bulletin but overall should be a compilation of reports and packages.
Please ensure you specify the relevant band of your hub or station (Under 1.5M TSA or Over 1.5M TSA), as there are two categories within this award. Entries should not exceed 10 minutes.
Best News Special or Feature
Is there one story which set you apart and attracted your audience’s attention? This award recognises journalistic endeavour in going beyond the diary to find a great story or investigation, pull it together and tell it in an engaging fashion. Judges will assess the angles pursued, choice of interviewees and techniques applied in broadcasting the story.
Entries should be a compilation of bulletins/packages and can be supported by digital offerings. The total duration of the audio should not exceed 10 minutes.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Campaigning Journalism Award
This new award recognises an individual or team which has dedicated time and effort to a campaign which has made a difference and resonated with their audience. Judges will be examining the impact of the campaign, the editorial rigour, the quality of storytelling and the way in which it is presented. Entries could include bulletin coverage, packages, interviews, live reports and examples of digital content.
The audio should not exceed 10 minutes but digital content which augments the coverage will be accepted and expected.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Reporter of the Year - hubs or station under or over 1.5M TSA
The Reporter of the Year will demonstrate an ability to handle a broad range of stories, tell them in an engaging fashion and develop their own original content. They’ll get to the heart of a story, sourcing agenda setting interviews and case studies. Stories that can be demonstrated to be exclusive will be highly valued by the judges as will additional digital content
The category applies to both news and sport and audio should be no longer than 10 minutes.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Newsreader of the Year - hubs or station under or over 1.5M TSA
Do you have the voice and bulletin creativity that really engages your audience? Judges are looking for someone who demonstrates appropriate story selection, clever use of audio and a unique presentation style for their target audience. We’re looking for someone who doesn’t just read the news well – but is an exceptional communicator who people want to listen to.
Entries should include audio of two news bulletins broadcast on separate days (one for each day) and be no longer than 10 minutes.
Please ensure you specify your band (Under 1.5M TSA or Over 1.5M TSA) as there are two categories within this award.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Best Interview
Have you conducted a standout interview that has driven your agenda, pricked the conscience of your audience and triggered a debate? The interviewee doesn’t have to be someone in the public eye but the use of audio, handling of the guest and the way in which the interview is presented are important.
The interview must have been broadcast in clips and/or in long form via digital platforms. Entries should not exceed 10 minutes.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub.
Best Sports Coverage - either an individual reporter or team/event coverage:
This award recognises outstanding sports reporting, commentary and presentation which demonstrates an understanding of the target audience. Entries should focus on how a sports team or reporter has developed stories, provided insight and analysis and engaged listeners. Judges will be listening out for clever storytelling, angles pursued, the strength of interviews and the use of atmospheric audio.
Entries should include bulletin and interview clips, packages and / or coverage of an event. The overall audio compilation should not exceed 10 minutes but judges will accept and expect additional digital content.
NOTE: This category allows up to 3 entries per station/hub
Newcomer of the Year
This category is aimed at anyone under 30 who began their career in radio after 1st January 2016. Judges will be looking for someone who’s made their mark already. Evidence of a flair for writing, news reading and reporting will support entries as well as a clear ability to connect with the target audience.
Entries should contain a written submission from a News Editor/ Manager explaining why the candidate is being nominated as well as an audio compilation of bulletins/packages/interviews no longer than 10 minutes.
Student Journalist of the Year - supported by the BJTC.
The IRN Student Award – supported by the BJTC - is an opportunity to showcase your radio journalism skills to the commercial radio sector.
Entries can be one long news report/documentary or two packages, with the total duration of the entry not exceeding 15 minutes.
Judges will be looking for evidence of a range of broadcast journalism skills including the pursuit of angles and interviewees, the creative use of audio and the crafting and shaping of stories. Additional digital content will be beneficial.
This award is open to students graduating from a BJTC-approved broadcast journalism course in 2019 and to those who completed their courses in 2018 who therefore might already be employed.
Entries should be signed off by your course leader.
IRN Gold Award - for an outstanding contribution to commercial radio news
No criteria or entries required, but please email us your ideas along with 500 words of why you think they deserve to win.