Entering the AIBs

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about entering the AIBs, the international media excellence awards.

Who runs these awards?

The AIBs are administered by the Association for International Broadcasting, the not-for-profit industry association and global knowledge network for the international broadcasting industry. AIB has members throughout the world and these awards were established at the request of the AIB’s members in 2003.

When are the closing dates for entry this year

Closing date for most categories is now 16h00 GMT on 16 July 2012. There is one exception, the closing date for Best Coverage of London 2012  will be 16hrs GMT on 20 September 2012.

Do we pay to enter?

Yes, there is an administration fee for each entry. We keep costs as low as possible, but these annual Awards are a major undertaking and involve significant resources at the AIB.

The regular entry fee is £150 (this includes UK VAT @ 20%) per entry. Companies that are members of the AIB, fully-paid up at the time of entry, benefit from a reduced entry fee of £75 (including UK VAT @ 20%).

Entry fees can be paid online, using the secure WorldPay system that we are setting up on this site or by including the cardholder details on the printed entry form with your entries.

We also accept international bank transfers, but £10 must be added to each transfer (not each entry) to cover bank charges.

By entering the AIBs, you agree that if your entry is shortlisted you will send at least one representative to attend the awards dinner on 7 November.

What is the closing date?

Award entries must reach the AIB by 1600 Greenwich Mean Time on Monday 16 July 2012.

What do I need to send?

All entries must be accompanied by the official entry form which is available for download or you can use the entry form online). One entry form is needed for each entry. Once you have decided which categories you want to enter, scroll down this page to see what we require for each category.

Requirements to be considered for the Television awards

  • The AIB requires one (1) labelled PAL-format digibeta or DVCAM tape of the entry plus nine (9) labelled DVDs of the entry. Please check that each DVD is free of read errors before you send it! The DVD should play both on domestic DVD players and on PCs. Timecode  must not be visible on the tape or the DVDs.
  • The digibeta/DVCAM tape and all DVDs must only contain footage and episodes to be considered for the competition.
  • Slates must be added to each tape. Slate information must include the entry name, the award category name plus your organisation and key contact name.
  • Time code is required on each digibeta/DVCAM tape. A complete and accurate time code must be completed for each entry. The ‘in’ time code must begin with the first frame of each programme and the ‘out’ time code must be the first frame of black at the end of the entry.
  • Do not send a compilation of episodes. All entries must be submitted as they were initially broadcast with no re-editing. [For news and personality awards, you may send a compilation of coverage to a suggested maximum duration of 30’.]
  • Please record the mixed audio on all channels and ask a technician to verify that the audio and video have been properly recorded.
  • Please tell us the 30” clip you recommend to use if your entry is shortlisted – provide the exact start time in minutes, seconds and frames.
  • In addition to the video material, we need a transcript for non-English entries and all entries not in English must have English-language subtitles.
  • Please supply a synopsis and other relevant information for our judges. Transcripts, synopses and other information must be in PDF or Word on a labelled CD.

Requirements to be considered for the TV personality award

  • The AIB requires one (1) labelled PAL-format digibeta or DVCAM showreel that provides sufficient material for the judges to evaluate the entry, plus nine (9) labelled DVDs with the same showreel. Please check that each DVD is free of read errors before you send it. The DVD should play both on domestic DVD players and on PCs. There must be no timecode visible on the tape or DVDs.
  • The digibeta/DVCAM tape and DVDs should be a minimum of 15′ and a maximum of 30′ in length. You may also additionally submit a complete programme that the presenter has hosted,
  • Slates must be added to each tape. Slate information must include the entry name, the award category name plus your organisation and key contact name.
  • Time code is required on each digibeta/DVCAM tape. A complete and accurate time code must be completed for each entry. The ‘in’ time code must begin with the first frame of each programme and the ‘out’ time code must be the first frame of black at the end of each entry.
  • Please tell us the 30” clip you recommend to use if your entry is shortlisted – provide the exact start time in minutes, seconds and frames.
  • We also require one or more high resolution JPG images of the presenter supplied on a labelled CD.
  • In addition to the video material, we need a transcript (for non-English entries) and you may also supply a CV and other relevant information for our judges. Transcripts, CVs and other information must be in PDF or Word on a labelled CD.

Requirements to be considered for Transmedia award

  • We recommend that you treat this in a similar way to a TV entry: send in nine (9) labelled DVDs (or CDs) with a presentation that demonstrates clearly how the production went onto mobile or cross-media platforms, with live hyperlinks to the online portion if applicable.
  • We also need a written explanation and synopsis that should be provided on a labelled CD.
  • There should be a video showreel submitted on a labelled PAL-format digibeta or DVCAM tape.
  • Slates must be added to each tape. Slate information must include the entry name, the award category name plus your organisation and key contact name.
  • Time code is required on each digibeta/DVCAM tape. A complete and accurate time code must be completed for each entry. The ‘in’ time code must begin with the first frame of the programme and the ‘out’ time code must be the first frame of black at the entry.
  • Please tell us the 30” clip you recommend to use if your entry is shortlisted – provide the exact start time in minutes, seconds and frames.

Requirements to be considered for Radio awards

  • The AIB requires three (3) labelled CDs with the radio or audio programme you are entering.
  • Please ask a technician to check that the audio has been properly recorded on each CD.
  • In addition to the audio material, we need a transcript (only for non-English entries).
  • You may supply a synopsis and other relevant information for our judges. Transcripts, synopses and other information must be in PDF or Word on a labelled CD.
  • Please tell us the 30” clip you recommend to use if your entry is shortlisted – provide the exact start time, plus the “in” and “out” words.

Requirements to be considered for Radio personality award

  • The AIB requires three (3) labelled CDs with an audio showreel that provides sufficient material for the judges to evaluate the entry. Please check that each CD is free of read errors before you send it.
  • Please tell us the 30” audio clip you recommend to use if your entry is shortlisted – provide the exact start time in minutes and seconds, plus the “in” and “out” words.
  • In addition to the audio material, we need a transcript (for non-English entries). You should supply a CV and other relevant information for our judges.
  • Transcripts, CVs and other information must be in PDF or Word format on a labelled CD.
  • We require one or more high resolution JPG images of the presenter supplied on a labelled CD.

Requirements to be considered for the Technology Award

  • We recommend you treat entries in a similar way to a TV entry.
  • You need to submit material that will engage the judges and make them want to know more about the technology concept you are entering. Please submit nine (9) labelled CDs or DVDs that completely explain the entry using PowerPoint and/or video, together with a detailed written explanation of the entry – in English – in MS Word or PDF format.
  • We highly recommend including a video presentation of up to 10’ duration to explain your entry – we also need this for our shortlist presentation. You should submit the video on a labelled PAL-format digibeta or DVCAM tape (see TV entry information for more details).

My entry is not in English

That’s good, because we actively search for entries in every language. However, since all the judging is carried out in English, we need to provide our judges with a way of evaluating the production in the English language.

Send us an English-language transcript of the entry (this applies to radio and to television) on a labelled CD in PDF or Word format.

In addition, TV entries must have English-language subtitles to ensure that our judges fully understand your entry.

Can I enter more than once?

There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit, either for the Awards as a whole, or for any category. It is important that you send a separate entry form and pay the fee for each entry.

Will my entry go on show in public?

Shortlisted entries in every category will be shown during the Awards night in London on 7 November 2012. Shortlisted entries may also be available on the AIB’s websites and on video-sharing websites. By entering, you grant AIB permission to use extracts of your programmes online for non-commercial purposes.

How do we send our entries?

All entries must be sent to the AIB Awards office at the AIB headquarters located in the United Kingdom.

If you are sending your entries from outside the UK, mark the package as containing non-commercial items and show the value as the lowest possible amount (we recommend US$10 per shipment).

Note that the AIB is unable to pay any customs or import duties on award entries sent to us and will return to the sender any packages that require customs duty to be paid.

For entries from UK-based companies, we recommend that you dispatch your entry to us using Royal Mail Special Delivery. Avoid using special couriers – the AIB is located in rural Kent and the cost of a motorbike courier from central London is well over £140!

Do you return entries?

No. Never send us priceless originals, only brilliant copies! We cannot be held responsible for their safe-keeping.

How does judging work?

The AIB will be shortlisting all the entries during July and August 2012 and sending the shortlisted entries to our international jury in September.

We’ll announce the shortlist in early September 2012 on this website.

The results will come back to the AIB from our judges in October. We’ll then produce the Awards and “highly commended” certificates in time for the AIB Awards presentation in London on Wednesday 7 November 2012.

Will you tell us if we win?

Shortlisted entrants will be advised by email in October. However, AIB will not release any final results before the Awards evening on 7 November.

We will not give out information about the winners in advance. The surprise on the night is genuine.

When and where are the AIB’s presented?

This year’s AIB Media Excellence Awards will be presented during a gala dinner at LSO St Luke’s in London on Wednesday 7 November. The evening will start with a reception at 1730, followed by dinner.

Tickets for the Awards dinner are available now, with an early-bird discount for all bookings made before the Awards closing date of 2 July 2012.

Prices for the Awards Gala

The early bird rate is £165 plus UK VAT for members of the AIB, or £200 plus UK VAT for non-members. Prices after 2nd July are £200 plus VAT for AIB members or £1,900 plus VAT for a table. For non-members, the price is £225 plus VAT or £2,150 plus VAT for a table.

Can my company sponsor?

Yes! All the AIB Awards are available for sponsorship, along with the champagne reception on the Awards night and the Awards dinner itself.

To discuss the opportunities, talk to Judy Lund or Matthew Porter on +44 20 7993 2557.

I still have questions…

AIB is happy to answer any questions you may have about the Awards.

You can call the AIB head office on +44 20 7993 2557 where the AIB Awards team is available to help you with your entries.

Helpline T +44 20 7993 2557

E the_aibs @ aib.org.uk [remove the spaces around the “@”]

Where to send your entries

The AIBs 2012

Room SJS

Little Sandrock

Cranbrook Road, Hawkhurst

CRANBROOK TN18 4BD

United Kingdom