Board Elections Coming Up!

To the Members of the Heartland Chapter

It has come to our attention that there are questions related to categories which did not receive nominations in this year’s Heartland Regional Emmy Awards. First, thank you to the members who have asked about the judging process. Second, in order to foster clear communication and transparency among all members, we want to further explain that process.

• This is neither a precedent-setting nor a unique circumstance. Categories with zero nominees occur annually, and over a wide variety of disciplines. This year there were 8 professional categories, including both news and non-news (programs) representing entries from markets across the Heartland chapter, which did not receive nominations.
• All entries in all categories are judged by at least 7 peers in a NATAS region outside of the Heartland chapter. Peers are defined as people who have three or more years experience working in the category they are judging. Judges acknowledge their experience via affidavits submitted to NATAS. Entries are judged on their own individual merits; they are not judged in competition with each other, which is why it is possible to have a statistical tie once all scores are added together.
• In order to receive a nomination, an entry must reach a threshold percentage of high scores. Entries with scores below that threshold do not receive a nomination. The Awards Committee determines the cut-off percentage in a “blind” meeting where the entrants and categories are undisclosed.
• In order to receive an Emmy award, entries much reach an even higher threshold.

In light of the questions regarding this year’s entries, we researched the categories without nominations. We determined that all of the judges were peers and their credentials are in order. We also verified that different chapters judged different categories, meaning they weren’t all judged by the same chapter which might imply a bias toward, or dislike of, the Heartland region. Further, the judges’ scores did not reflect a bias toward or against a particular company, group, or entrant.

We encourage questions about the judging process and work diligently to ensure its credibility and authenticity. If you ever have concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to submit a written letter to the NATAS Heartland Chapter office, to be taken up by the Awards Committee. This is the best way to ensure clear, transparent communication.

Sincerely,
The NATAS Heartland Chapter Awards Committee

Silver and Gold Circle 2019

Congratulations!  We’ll be inducting three of the best:  Bill Perry OETA (50 years, Gold Circle), Merril Teller KWCH (25 years, Silver Circle), and Brian Maass KCNC (25 years, Silver Circle) at the gala in July.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Get your name in front of hundreds of media professionals by sponsoring a part of the Heartland Emmy® Awards galas this year! A variety of options are available: don’t delay – the deadline to feature your ad in the gala program book is June 7!

NEW Scholarships for 2019

Apply  here online – the Deadline is Friday, April 12, 2019.

What is Television?

Television is no longer defined by a box that resides in the family living room. Television is happening everywhere we go. The Heartland Emmy® Chapter honors original content created for traditional broadcast/cablecast mediums as well as non-traditional and emerging platforms for broadband and portable delivery. Television is ‘moving pictures on a screen.’  If you are a producer (no matter your craft discipline) of original material intended for a Heartland audience, then this is your home for television excellence.

Commemorative Plaques

Memorialize your contribution to an Emmy-winning production with a stunning wall plaque. There is no statute of limitations for ordering these, even for past years’ winning productions. All plaques are a beautiful rosewood with a polished piano-key finish and engraved brass plate; all feature a replica statue (5″ or 9″ – price varies). Contact the office for more information.

Judging Policy

The success of the Emmy^® Awards process depends on the willingness of qualified professionals to serve as judges.

Entrants:
By entering, you agree to serve as a judge when asked, and that judging must occur during calendar year 2018.

• If you enter once, you’ll need to judge once
• If you enter twice, you’ll need to judge twice
• If you enter three or more times, you’ll need to judge at least 3 times

If you don’t meet your judging requirement, your entry fees will increase ($25 for members, $80 for non-members) the next time you enter the competition.
There are typically 6-9 opportunities to judge other chapters’ entries during the year (we call them Rounds) and all entrants are notified via email when it’s time.
What’s the time commitment for judging? 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the category; judging can be done anywhere you have a computer; it’s all online.

Membership Bonus:
When you judge 3 or more times during a calendar year, you’ll earn a $10 discount on membership dues for the coming year. There is no limit to the amount of judging you can do, as long as you’re qualified to judge the categories you choose.

We polled several of our long-time judges, to ask them Why Judge? Here’s what they said:

• “I like to compare my work with other markets around the country”
• “It expands the judging pool, which is how I want my work judged”
• “I get a ton of ideas from watching other people’s work”
• “Doing it online is super-easy for my schedule; I don’t have to do it all at once”