WHAT ARE THE JUDGES LOOKING FOR?
The judges will be looking at the following criteria, and the extent of their relevance, when listening to entries:
- Creativity – Marks are awarded for innovation, originality and novelty. Is the entry based on a new idea? Or does it follow the old ‘tried and trusted’ formulae?
- Presentation – Marks are awarded for the way in which the piece is presented., is the presenter comfortable with the subject matter? Does he/she appear knowledgeable and well-versed/ well-rehearsed on the subject? For pieces without presenters (e.g. drama entries), does the entry run smoothly? Is it well scripted? Is it ‘polished and professional’? Remember that the minimum standard here is excellence and we are critical of poor presentation techniques.
- Value – Does the entry achieve its objective? Does it entertain? Does it raise awareness? Does it prick the conscience? Does it hold the attention of the target audience?
- Production – This relates to the technical side of the entry, the production process itself. Is the piece well produced? Is quality evident in the production? Are sound effects used appropriately? Is incidental music well placed and appropriate to the mood/atmosphere being conveyed? Please note that production “embellishments” on the actual entry will not gain extra marks. The judges want to experience the submission just as the listeners did.
- Effectiveness –what outcome did this elicit? What were the key measurement criteria for this campaign, and did the campaign meet these objectives?
- Credibility –How believable is this item? Does it carry authority? Correct pronunciation is critical in this assessment.
In general, the judges will refer to a score sheet on the online adjudication system, detailing the criteria per category as a guideline.
| Category | Adjudication criteria |
| Show & Presenter categories | Creativity; Presentation; Value (to the listener); Production |
| Community Project | Creativity; Effectiveness; Value (to the community) and Production/Execution |
| News Reader | Presentation; Pace; Ease of Listening; Credibility |
| Multi-Channel Promotion | Creativity; Channel/Element Mix; Brand/identity enhancement; Production |
| Promotions Stunt/Event | Effectiveness; Creativity; Value; Production/Execution |
| Radio Innovation | Creativity; Value |
| Station Imaging | Creativity; Originality; Brand/identity enhancement; Production |
Hint – In all categories, judges will be looking to reward the contribution made by radio practitioners, rather than the input of those whose contribution would have been equally as impressive on another medium. For example, the relay of an outstanding musical performance will merit less attention than the added value an imaginative radio practitioner might have brought to such a performance.
THE JUDGING PROCESS
The categories are split between various judges who work independently and score each submission on its merits. The scores are entered into an online system and averaged for complete fairness. A professional audit firm will audit the results.
Judges for the Radio Awards are selected on the basis of their relevant experience and expertise. They offer their service and expertise voluntarily.
They are required to judge each entry in its entirety, subject to the entry’s conformity with the rules. Judging will be based solely on the entry submitted, in an independent and objective manner and NOT on the programmes aired throughout the year. If it isn’t in the entry, it isn’t being judged.