BEA Conflict of Interest Policy for Research
Created on: June 30, 2025

The Broadcast Education Association (BEA) affirms its commitment to academic integrity, transparency, academic rigor and the responsible conduct of research. The purpose of this policy is to identify, disclose and appropriately manage perceived, potential or actual conflicts of interest (COIs) in all stages of scholarly activity within BEA’s programs, submissions, and awards processes. 

Overview
BEA understands that connections with colleagues in industry and across academic and other organizations can be an important part of advancing scholarly understanding, teaching practices and professional skills. Thus, we acknowledge the importance of relationships beyond and across the academy. However, sometimes such relationships can be seen as presenting a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. All such relationships must always be disclosed, and if necessary, additional mechanisms to reduce or manage potential COIs will be prescribed.  

This policy applies to all individuals who participate in BEA’s scholarly processes, including but not limited to:
– Authors and researchers;
– Peer reviewers and adjudicators;
– Division leadership and committee chairs and members;
– Conference planners and program participants; and
– Scholarship, grant and award applicants, reviewers, and recipients. 

Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest exists when personal, professional or financial relationships or interests could interfere with, or appear to interfere with, an individual’s objectivity, judgment or integrity in relation to BEA-related activities. 

Types of conflicts may include:
– Financial Conflicts: The individual has ownership of financial assets and/or receives any form of compensation, consulting fees or funding from an entity with a vested interest in the work or application being submitted or reviewed;
– Personal Conflicts: The individual has a familial or close personal relationship with authors, applicants or producers whose work or application the individual is evaluating; and/or
– Professional Conflicts: The individual has part-time or full-time employment or institutional affiliations, competitive relationships, prior collaborations (within the past three years) or disputes with any of the authors, applicants or producers whose work or application the individual is submitting or evaluating. 

Disclosure Requirements
All individuals involved in the development, review or adjudication of scholarly work must disclose any real, potential or perceived conflicts during the submission process. Specifically:
– Authors must disclose funding sources and/or affiliations relevant to their work at the time of submission;
– Reviewers and judges must recuse themselves when any conflicts with submissions exist; and/or
– Division leadership and committee chairs and members must recuse themselves when conflicts exist.

Disclosures must be emailed to the chair or vice chair of the BEA interest division, BEA committee or competition/award committee and BEA staff before the work is submitted. 

Review and Recusal Procedures
Interest division and committee leadership will review disclosures. If disclosure alone is not sufficient to manage the potential COI, additional conflict management mechanisms will be required. These may include: |
– Recusal from review, decision-making, or adjudication;
– Reassignment of reviewers or judges;
– Disclosure statements included with published or presented work;
– Restrictions on eligibility for certain awards or funding; and/or
– Consultation with BEA staff or Committee Chair(s), with additional conflict management mechanisms prescribed as needed. 

Managing COI always begins with disclosure. When in doubt, individuals are expected to err on the side of transparency. 

Confidentiality
All people involved in the process of receiving, reviewing and responding to COI disclosures and related communications will keep all information confidential to the extent possible.  

Consequences of Non-Compliance
Failure to disclose or follow the prescribed conflict management mechanisms may result in:
– Disqualification from awards or grants;
– Retraction of accepted work or revocation of honors;
– Removal from leadership or committee roles; and/or
– Notification of the individual’s home institution and/or partners involved. 

Additional actions as appropriate or required by law. 

This COI was developed with representation from the BEA Board of Directors, Interest Division leadership, Convention Committee and BEA staff.