61st Annual Golden Mike Awards
August 09, 2010
To: Radio and Television News Directors
Re: 61st Annual Golden Mike Awards Contest
The Golden Mike Awards are just around the corner, so get your best work ready to submit for RTNA’s
61st annual awards contest. As always, we’ve made modifications to a few of the rules, so please read the entire
Rules carefully! In particular, please note changes to Rules 1.3, 2.2, 7.1 and 7.15, and clarifications in Categories TV-13, TV-19,
R-11 and R-20.
As usual, the complete Golden Mike Rules will not be sent by mail; rather, they are posted on the RTNA website ("www.rtna.org") and printed as you desire. Here are some highlights:
This year, the "Designated News Week" will be the week of September 13th. You will be notified of the "Designated News Day" by announcements on the AP and City News Service wires on the Monday after the “Designated News Week.”
Once again, all entry forms must be submitted on-line through our website, "www.rtna.org", and the on-line Entry Form will become available soon.
(Note: The on-line entry form is available as of Sept. 2, 2010)
You will still be required to provide a printed copy of the entry form along with the entry DVDs and CDs. Don’t forget to use the checklist provided to ensure your entries are complete!
The deadline to submit entry forms, DVDs, CDs, and payments is Wednesday, October 20, 2010. They must be at the Awards Office (646 Quincy Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90814) by 5:00 PM, or postmarked by 11:59 pm on October 20 if being sent by mail. Judging will be held on December 4, 2010, and winners will receive their trophies at the Golden Mikes Dinner scheduled for Saturday, January 22, 2011.
Please note that Rule 7.4 allows stations to submit multiple entries in any category except in the “Designated News Day” categories. Individuals may submit their own work in non-designated news day categories under this rule, but they must include the name, title, and phone number of the news supervisor who can verify such entries on the entry form.
The News Director, News Manager or equivalent must submit station entries including those for the "Designated News Day". The only exception is for editorials, which may be submitted by a station’s Editorial Director.
If you have any questions, please call Rick Terrell, Golden Mike Awards Co-ordinator, at 562-987-4545.
Best of luck in this year’s Golden Mikes Contest, and see you on the awards platform in January!
Very truly yours,
Rebecca Nieto
President
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS MADE TO ALL GOLDEN MIKE AWARDS JUDGES AS A PART OF THE JUDGING PROCEDURES:
THE RTNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS WISHES TO INFORM YOU OF THE STANDARDS BY WHICH WE ASK YOU TO JUDGE THE ENTRIES IN THIS YEAR’S GOLDEN MIKE CONTEST.
IT IS RTNA’S INTENTION THAT GOLDEN MIKES BE AWARDED ONLY TO THOSE SUBMISSIONS WHICH YOU, AS AN ACCOMPLISHED PROFESSIONAL IN BROADCAST NEWS, WOULD REGARD AS EXCELLENT WORK.
WHERE NO ENTRY IN A GIVEN CATEGORY MEETS YOUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE, RTNA ASKS THAT YOU MAKE NO AWARD IN THAT CATEGORY.
FURTHER, THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THE TASK OF SIFTING THROUGH NUMEROUS ENTRIES IN A SHORT PERIOD CAN BE VERY TAXING, AND THUS THE TEMPTATION TO GIVE SHORT SHRIFT TO SOME ENTRIES CAN BECOME GREAT.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CONTINUED INTEGRITY OF THE GOLDEN MIKES THAT YOU GIVE EACH ENTRY YOUR THOUGHTFUL, THOROUGH CONSIDERATION, EXCEPT IN THOSE CASES WHERE A BRIEF GLANCE SATISFIES YOU THAT A GIVEN ENTRY IS CONSPICUOUSLY BENEATH YOUR STANDARDS.
WHEN CONSIDERING ‘DIVISION B’ ENTRIES, PLEASE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT IS CONSIDERED 'ROUTINE', 'TYPICAL’, OR ‘ORDINARY’ COVERAGE FOR A ‘DIVISION A’ STATION MAY BE EXTRAORDINARY WORK GIVEN THE MORE LIMITED RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO A ‘DIVISION B’ STATION. HOWEVER, THIS CONSIDERATION DOES NOT DIMINISH THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.