COMPETITION MISSION
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 noncommercial, non-NPR/PBS college radio and television stations. We hope to identify and impart areas of excellence in the hands-on facilitation of station functions such as audience engagement, community involvement, programming arrangement, branding development, student management, and volunteer recruitment. Through the Signature Station Competition, the SMA division will recognize and reward remarkable advisors, students, and stations in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place categories at BEA’s annual convention held every April in Las Vegas. Each radio and television station 1st place winner will additionally receive a check for $200 and two complimentary student registrations. This is a national pedagogically/professionally peer-reviewed competition that invites attention and reinforces respect in advisor portfolios and student resumes.
COMPETITION INSTRUCTIONS
BEA members only > The Signature Station competition is open to noncommercial, non-NPR/PBS radio and TV stations affiliated with BEA via individual or institutional members. Institutional Membership forms and information are available by clicking here. (Note: Full-time undergraduate students enrolled at a BEA member institution receive free student membership. Email ariana@BEAweb.org for more information.)
There will be one 1st place Signature Station as well as 2nd and 3rd place recognition in both the radio and TV categories. The division invites stations of all sizes, formats, and funding to submit their best work on a level playing field. We define “station” as any broadcast or online operation that disseminates regularly scheduled programming and cultivates ongoing community connection. This does not include podcasts. Institutions may enter one station per category: one radio, one television; multiple entries will not be accepted.
To encourage a rotation of unique awardees in the competition, 1st place winners cannot win consecutive years. Rather than competing the following year, 1st place station advisors and students for both radio and television will be invited to serve on the Signature Station Success Stories panel in Las Vegas after their win. This annual panel presents a pathway to perpetuate presence at BEA’s annual convention and rationalize requests for travel funding from their home institutions.
Applicants will need to include the following as part of their application:
- Station Mission Statement
- Description of Station Management, including an operations manual and insights about leadership opportunities, learning environment, and legacy/impact
- Discussion of Community Outreach and Charity Activities on campus or at the local/national level, highlighting events between December 15, 2024 and December 15, 2025
- Demo Reel (no longer than 5 minutes) featuring content aired between December 15, 2024 and December 15, 2025
- Logo/Branding samples
- Social Media links
COMPETITION EVALUATION
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, management, community outreach, promotions, programming, and social media. 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.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Entries are accepted between November 15 – December 16
Questions? Email SMA Division Chair: Marjorie Yambor, Dalton State College: myambor@daltonstate.edu
Congratulations to our Signature Station Winners!
2025 Winners:
Television National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: AppTV; Appalachian State University
2nd Place: Z News; University of South Florida
3rd Place: AUCTV; The American University in Cairo
Radio National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: WOLF Radio, University of West Georgia
2nd Place: KSDB Wildcat 91.9, Kansas State University
3rd Place: WZIS-FM, Indiana State University
Previous Winners
2024 Winners:
Television National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: Citrus TV; Syracuse University
2nd Place: Florida Focus TV; University of South Florida
Honorable Mention: NtTV; University of North Texas
Radio National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: UTA Radio; University of Texas-Arlington
2nd Place: WGCS (The Globe); Goshen College
Honorable Mention: WOLF Radio; University of West Georgia
2023 Winners:
Television National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: CitrusTV; Syracuse University
Honorable Mention: AppTV; Appalachian State University
Radio National Signature Station Awards
1st Place: WZND Radio; Illinois State University
Honorable Mention: WGCS / 91.1 The Globe; Goshen College
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
1st Place: ntTV North Texas Television; University of North Texas
Honorable Mention: Citrus TV; Syracuse University
Radio National Signature Station
1st Place: WZND Fuzed Radio; Illinois State University
Honorable Mention: The WOLF Internet Radio; University of West Georgia
2020 Winners:
Television National Signature Station
1st Place: CitrusTV; Syracuse University
Honorable Mention: ntTV – North Texas Television; University of North Texas
Radio National Signature Station
1st Place: KTSC-FM/REV 89; Colorado State University-Pueblo
Honorable Mention: The WOLF Internet Radio; University of West Georgia
2019 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
1st Place: KJACK Radio 107.1 FM; Northern Arizona University
Honorable Mention: WCUR 91.7 FM – The Curve; West Chester University
Television National Signature Station
1st Place: VUTV; Valparaiso University
Honorable Mention: U-View TV; Point Park University
2018 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
1st Place: WZND 103.3 FM; Illinois State University
Honorable Mention: WBGU-FM; Bowling Green State University
Television National Signature Station
1st Place: NTTV North Texas Television; University of North Texas
Honorable Mention: TITAN TV; University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
2017 Winners:
Radio National Signature Station
1st Place: 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
1st Place: 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