The Dr. Marjorie Yambor Signature Station Competition is sponsored by BEA’s Student Media Advisors (SMA) interest division. The competition invites submissions of superior protocol and practices at student-run, faculty-advised college radio and television stations. The main mission is to identify and impart areas of excellence in the hands-on facilitation of station functions such as philosophical engagement, community involvement, programming arrangement, branding/logo development, student management, volunteer recruitment, and broadcast equipment. Through the Signature Station Competition, the SMA division will recognize and reward remarkable advisors, students, and stations at BEA’s annual convention held every April in Las Vegas. Each radio and television station 1st place winner will receive a check for $200, two complimentary student registrations and will be recognized in Las Vegas at the convention.
COMPETITION MISSION
The Signature Station Competition invites submissions of superior protocol and practices at student-run, faculty-advised college radio and television stations. The main mission is to identify and impart areas of excellence in the hands-on facilitation of station functions such as philosophical engagement, community involvement, programming arrangement, branding/logo development, student management, volunteer recruitment, and broadcast equipment. Through the Signature Station Competition, the SMA division will recognize and reward remarkable advisors, students, and stations at BEA’s annual convention in April.
COMPETITION RULES
There will be one Signature Station in both the radio and TV categories. The division invites stations of all sizes and formats to submit their best work on a level playing field that takes into account differing resources and neither penalizes a small station for being small nor a large station for being large. Additionally, judges will award one honorable mention in the radio category and one in the TV category.
Applicants will need to include the following as part of their application:
- Station Mission Statement
- Discussion of the station management. In include an Operation’s Manual (if applicable) and other information about how the station runs, discussion of leadership opportunities and how the station fosters a positive learning environment
- Discussion of community outreach & any charity activities the station is involved in. This can include the campus community or larger local/national community.
- Programming examples (no longer than 5 minutes) – Content aired between December 15, 2021 and December 15, 2022
- Logo/branding example
- Social media examples
BEA members only: The competition is open to student-run/faculty-advised radio and TV stations affiliated with BEA via individual or institutional members. Institutional Membership forms and information is available by clicking here. (Note: Full-time undergraduate students enrolled at a BEA member institution receive free student membership. Email for more information.)
JUDGING
The Signature Station Competition relies on a review process by judges that are media educators and/or industry professionals. Panels will consist of random judges who evaluate criteria such as the station’s mission, leadership, professional development, content, social media and community service. Categories are scored on a scale from 1 to 5, with a perfect overall score totaling 70 points.
Panel judges are encouraged to provide feedback to entrants that will be shared after the winners are announced. The panel evaluations are cast via electronic rubric that is then tabulated. All judges’ decisions are final. The SMA division chair and vice-chair review the totals and contact the winners and honorable mentions.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Entries are accepted between November 15 – December 15
Questions? Email SMA Division Chair Chad Roberts, Stockton University
2022 Winners:
Television National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: UIWtv, University of the Incarnate Word
Honorable Mention: ntTV – North Texas Television, University of North Texas
Radio National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: 103.3/WZND, Illinois State University
Honorable Mention: WOLF Radio, University of West Georgia
2021 Winners:
Television National Signature Station
ntTV North Texas Television; University of North Texas
Honorable Mention
Citrus TV; Syracuse University
Radio National Signature Station
WZND Fuzed Radio; Illinois State University
Honorable Mention
The WOLF Internet Radio; University of West Georgia
2020 Winners:
Television National Signature Station
CitrusTV; Syracuse University
Honorable Mention
ntTV – North Texas Television; University of North Texas
Radio National Signature Station
KTSC-FM/REV 89; Colorado State University-Pueblo
Honorable Mention
The WOLF Internet Radio; University of West Georgia
2019 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
KJACK Radio 107.1 FM; Northern Arizona University
Honorable Mention
WCUR 91.7 FM – The Curve; West Chester University
Television National Signature Station
VUTV; Valparaiso University
Honorable Mention
U-View TV; Point Park University
2018 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
WZND 103.3 FM; Illinois State University
Honorable Mention
WBGU-FM; Bowling Green State University
Television National Signature Station
NTTV North Texas Television
University of North Texas
Honorable Mention
TITAN TV
University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
2017 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
WGCS 91.1 FM THE GLOBE
Goshen College
Honorable Mention
WUTM 90.3 THE HAWK
University of Tennessee at Martin
Honorable Mention
UTA RADIO.COM
University of Texas at Arlington
Television National Signature Station
ICTV Ithaca College Television
Ithaca College
Honorable Mention
TITAN TV
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Honorable Mention
NTTV North Texas Television
University of North Texas
Honorable Mention
VUTV Valparaiso University Television
Valparaiso University
2016 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
WHBC
Howard University
Honorable Mention
WGCS
Goshen College
Television National Signature Station
KUHJ-TV
University of Kansas Television
Honorable Mention
Uview-TV
Park Point University
2015 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
1st Place: WMHW
Central Michigan University
2nd Place: WRST-FM
University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
Television National Signature Station
1st Place: VUTV
Valparaiso University
2nd Place: AUCTV
The American University in Cairo
2014 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
KTSC, Rev 89
Colorado State University, Pueblo
Honorable Mention
WMHW, Moore Hall Rock Radio/Mountain 101
Central Michigan University
Television National Signature Station
Z-TV
The University of Akron
2013 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
WZIP-FM
The University of Akron
Honorable Mention
KSFS
San Francisco State University
Television National Signature Station
MHTV
Central Michigan University
Honorable Mention
Z-TV
The University of Akron
2012 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
WWHR-FM
Western Kentucky University
Honorable Mention
WHSN-FM
Husson University
Television National Signature Station
MHTV
Central Michigan University
Honorable Mention
TITAN TV
University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh