Month: October 2023

NYF Radio Awards Unveils Eight Exciting New Categories to Reflect the Dynamic Shift in Audio Content CreationThe New York Festivals® 2024 Radio Awards competition is open for entries.The New York Festivals Radio Awards provides a showcase to celebrate world-class storytellers from around the globe. NYF’s Radio Awards 66-year legacy honors creative innovation and excellence in broadcast and audio content across all genres and platforms.

“Our categories for investigative journalism and nonfiction series documentaries and social justice across all genres recognized how individual actions can change the world and the ability of the human spirit to triumph over adversity,” said Rose Anderson, SVP & Executive Director, New York Festivals Radio Awards.  “Today’s storytellers are finding innovative ways to keep listeners informed, entertained, and engaged in our ever-changing and interconnected world so the New York Festivals Radio Awards has introduced eight new categories that encompass that robust creative spirit.” NYF’s new SciFi/Fantasy/Horror and Mystery Programs categories expand the Entertainment roster. Editorial/Viewpoint News Feature rounds out the journalism-based News Reports/Features category group providing a new outlook on current events and thought-provoking perspectives.  Short Form Documentary offers additional opportunities to showcase distinctive points of view.New Podcast categories shine the spotlight on storytelling in a wide variety of topics.  Investigative Journalism Podcast features in-depth reporting into significant issues, events, or topics, and Mystery Podcast showcases narratives that keep listeners on the edge of their seats. On-Air talent categories honor top audio talent, new categories this year include News Correspondent/Reporter and Sports Correspondent/Reporter.The National Press Club is the World’s Leading Professional Organisation for Journalists™. The National Press Club Award, launched in 2023 in partnership with the National Press Club, goes to the highest scoring entry in the following News program categories: Coverage of Breaking News Story, Coverage of Ongoing News Story, Nonfiction Series, and News Podcast.For 2023, “Start Here” by ABC News in the News Podcast category earned the inaugural National Press Club Award. This year’s winner will be announced during the 2024 Storytellers Gala in April.

“Our partnership with the National Press Club continues, honoring journalists who are using their talents to tell the stories that matter and keep listeners informed,” added Ms. Anderson.View the 2024 NYF Radio Awards extensive category roster: HERE.The 2023 Radio Awards winners were honored in a virtual ceremony on April 18th during the NAB Show in Las Vegas.  This was the 14th consecutive year of NYF’s and NAB’s strategic partnership. Anchored from New York City’s Lincoln Center, over 160 teams sent their acceptances from around the world. Special vignettes featured industry leaders who shared what motivates their passion to create award-winning work. View the 2023 Storytellers Gala.NYF’s Radio Awards receives entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from over 30 countries around the globe. The mission of the competition is to honor the achievements of the men and women who make up the global audio storytelling community.New York Festivals invites award-winning industry leaders from 6 continents around the world to become members of their world-class Radio Awards Grand Jury. The 2024 Grand jury will be recruited in the coming weeks. Those jurors will include some of the most world’s recognizable voices and captivating content producers in the radio industry. Entries are judged on production values, creativity, content presentation, direction, writing, achievement of purpose, and audience suitability.All Entries in NYF’s 2024 Radio Awards will be judged by the NYF Grand Jury of 200+ producers, directors, writers, and other creative media professionals from around the globe.Award-winning entries for 2024 will be showcased in the Radio Awards winners gallery. To view the 2023 Radio Awards winner’s gallery, visit HERE.The entry deadline for the 2024 Radio Awards competition is January 31, 2024.To enter the 2024 Radio Awards please visit: HERE, for additional information visit: Rules and Regulations and 2024 Radio Awards categories.About New York Festivals: New York Festivals ®Celebrating the World’s Best Work since 1957About NAB ShowThe 2024 NAB Show will be held April 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. NAB Show is the world’s largest and most comprehensive convention encompassing the convergence of media, entertainment, and technology. NAB Show is where global visionaries convene to bring content to life in new and exciting ways.About NAB The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org. […]

Content from BPRThere’s safety in numbers – right?Sometimes there are good reasons to follow the advice contained in these old aphorisms but in using this principle to choose the music you play on your radio station might be the worst thing that you could do.Let me explain.

Take the example of a ‘hit’ song that becomes a hit mostly because everyone else is playing it but not many people actually like it. The programmer who spends a lot of time following the music played on their competition or on the station they particularly like in another city but nobody knows the songs.Often decisions about songs played can be justified by  “ ….. station XXY is playing it a lot, they must have good research on it …”  however listeners don’t often share the same interest in other stations and are even less interested in what may be playing in another city.In BPR’s recent All Audio Survey the main reason that people return to radio after listening to streaming, podcasts, their own playlists etc etc is MUSIC. That means that radio’s curated music mix is one of its key strengths and for many people the reason they choose the station they listen to.Whether your station is chosen because it plays the best new songs, contemporary music or older hits the principle is the same – playing music your listeners know and like is the most important thing that you can do to attract or satisfy them.In the digital age when listeners can choose any station anywhere, people mostly don’t! Successful programmers who understand this also know the importance of well-crafted music programming based on well-chosen songs to deliver both passion and variety for their listeners.

Great music research comes after you have agreed on a clear strategy, and is based on the right mix of core and secondary listeners. Music programming must deliver music passion. – songs that listeners love.  You will never do that by following the crowd and simply doing what everyone else does.In recent times we hear the criticism that  ‘.. all stations play the same music …’ due to factors like more networking, group playlists or cost savings at the cost of hometown heroes. Music that is chosen for your listeners in your market can help focus on individual needs and market preferences.If listeners choose music as a reason to listen don’t they deserve better?By Peter Don, BPR […]