The Mid-America Chapter of the
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Mid-America High School Student Television Awards for Excellence
RULEBOOK and CATEGORIES
The entry process for the Student Awards for Excellence submissions has changed from previous
years. Entries will no longer be uploaded electronically and sent to New York. Submissions are
now sent directly to the Mid-America chapter on DVD format. Please reach the rulebook and
categories carefully so you understand the new entry process.
What is the Mid-America High School Student Television Award for Excellence?
The awards promote best practices to high school students and are intended to be an incentive for
the pursuit of excellence in television journalism and to focus public attention on outstanding
achievements in television produced by high school students. Faculty involvement can only be
advisory.
What kind of work can be entered?
Entries must be submitted as they were originally telecast, cablecast or webcast. There may not
be any post-broadcast changes, except edits for time, as noted in the category descriptions that
follow. An entry may be submitted by any student who is currently enrolled in high school and
should be sponsored by the school, after school or school-related program where the work was
produced.
Entries may be entered in more than one category (for example, an entry may be eligible for
entry in both Craft Writing and News.)
Alternatively, the high school or after school program may endorse submissions produced by its
enrolled students at public access facilities, or community arts centers, thereby verifying the
submission as the student’s own. *There is a three (3) entry limit per category by any one
school program.
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Who receives the Award?
The Mid-America High School Student Television Award for Excellence (an engraved glass
pillar) will be presented to the sponsoring high school, after school program, or producing
organization at the 2009 EMMY GALA in October. The students involved in the production of
the entry will receive certificates. Following the distribution of the awards, duplicate awards
(glass pillars) with individual student names will be available at a cost of $100.00.
What are the eligibility requirements?
All entries must have been originally broadcast, cablecast or webcast within the Mid-America
region of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Mid-America chapter
includes the television markets primarily in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois and surrounding
DMAs: St. Louis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Springfield (MO), St. Joseph, Columbia-Jefferson
City, Joplin-Pittsburg, Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk, Ottumwa-Kirksville, Davenport-Rock IslandMoline. Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg, Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Fort SmithFayettville-Springdale-Rogers, Jonesboro, Monroe-Eldorado and Shreveport (LA).
Eligibility Dates:
August 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009
Applicants must be currently enrolled as full time high school students as of the application
deadline of April 1, 2009.
Does all material have to be original?
At least two-thirds of an entry must consist of original material, unless previously produced
material has been given some unique and creative treatment. Entrants must specifically identify
and give credit to all non-original material included in the entry. This includes music use.
How does the judging process work?
Entries will be judged by a mixture of media teachers, senior media college students, graduate
students, as well as seasoned television professionals throughout the Mid-America region. To
make sure that there are no conflicts of interest, judges are assigned to panels for school
submissions in geographic areas other than their own. Judges may not have a conflict of interest,
which is described as having a direct involvement in the production of an entry, or having a
personal relationship with a member of the production staff of an entry.
How do I enter my work?
Entries will be accepted only on DVD. The readability of the DVD is the responsibility of the
entrant. DVDs that cannot be “read”, can not be judged and entry fees will not be refunded. You
are encouraged to play your DVD on two separate players before submitting. Please submit two
(2) DVD’s for each entry.
The following guidelines shall apply:
• DVD-R format (DVD minus R)
• DVDs must be finalized and compatibility tested on a different DVD player than the one used
to burn the entry.
• Brand-name disks are recommended.
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• Printed DVD labels (paper labels) are not permitted; instead use a permanent marker to legibly
PRINT identifying information on the disk. Ink jet or laser printing that can be applied
directly to the DVD face (printable media) is acceptable. One entry per DVD please.
• Include the following on your entry:
1. Name of entry.
2. Category name.
3. Total Running Time.
4. Name and Location of School
• Fill out the entry form online and download the completed form to a printer. Include a copy of
the printed entry form with each DVD.
DEADLINE
LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Entries, entry forms and checks/credit card
payments must be received no later than 5 pm on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. NO ENTRIES
WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 5 PM. This does not mean postmarked on April 1, it
means in our hands on April 1.
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Send entries to:
NATAS Mid-America
Maggie Eubanks
3655 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-647-3669
Maggie@emmymid-america.org
What does it cost to enter?
Each entry cost is $15.00, payable by check, VISA or MasterCard. Checks should be made out
to “NATAS Mid-America”. This fee is NON-REFUNDABLE. Example: If you submit 5 entries
it will be $15 x 5 = 75.00.
Entries missing information on the entry form, or entries submitting incorrect fees, or
entries that do not follow guidelines will be subject to a $10.00 reprocessing fee for EACH
correction, or the entry may be subject to disqualification.
The intentional falsification of production credits by an entrant will be the basis for
disqualification of the entry.
All entries must be submitted as originally broadcast, cablecast or webcast. The Mid-America
Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences reserves the right to
corroborate any information on an entry form, to combine duplicate entries, or to disqualify an
entry. All entries are subject to approval by the Mid-America Chapter.
Schools and student award recipients may refer to the fact that they are recipients of a MidAmerica High School Student Television Award for Excellence, but may not use the EMMY
name or replica of the EMMY statuette in any form of advertising or promotion.
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The Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences assumes no
responsibility for the errors or omissions made by entries or individuals in the submission of
entries pursuant to this notice. Entrants are urged to read this Rulebook and follow its
instructions carefully. The Mid-America Chapter assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of
information contained in a submission. Entrants are solely responsible for submitting correct
information pertaining to the submission. The Mid-America Chapter will not accept submissions
which are contrary to or in conflict with any of its rules or regulations.
Submission of the entry to the Mid-America High School Student Television Awards for
Excellence constitutes permission for the Mid-AmericaChapter of the National Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences to telecast or screen the entry and to webcast the entry, or portions
of the entry.
Send entries to and direct questions to:
NATAS Mid-America
Maggie Eubanks
3655 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-647-3669
Maggie@emmymid-america.org
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