Each CMA Broadcast Station of the Year entry will be judged on the following criteria.
Aircheck
Aircheck should not exceed 8 minutes in length and should have ALL dayparts represented. Judging will be based on the overall sound of the station including flow, production, and entertainment value.
Community Involvement
Describe the work your station does in your local community to improve the lives of those who live there. Exhibit the best of your station’s community involvement, including participation in local community events, public service, responsiveness to local community concerns and issues, and/or other ways you’ve connected with your listeners.
Ratings (Only for Major, Large, and Medium Market Applicants)
Include Market rank and Country rank for AQH shares, 12+, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. Also provide last 4 books for diary markets and last 6 for PPM markets.
Leadership and Impact Information
Please share details about your station’s impact and influence on the Country Music industry beyond your local community. This includes staff participation in Country events, social media impact and engagement, awards, membership in Country Music organizations, and other relevant information demonstrating your station’s national impact and influence.
If available, Small Market Stations may include Market rank and Country rank for AQH shares, 12+, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. Also provide last 4 books for diary markets and last 6 for PPM markets.
Additional Information
Include awards or accolades received by the station during the eligibility period. The information provided in this section may be considered by the judges in their overall assessment of the station.
All Broadcast Personality teams will be judged as a single entry. Each CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year entry will be judged on the following criteria.
Aircheck
Aircheck should not exceed 5 minutes in length. Aircheck should include strong entertainment value; technical aspect of show (production, flow, etc.); ability to communicate; sense of community; pride of association with your station and Country Music; and knowledge of Country Music.
Community Involvement
Describe the work you do in your local community to improve the lives of those who live there. Exhibit the best of your community involvement including participation in local community events, public service, responsiveness to local community concerns and issues, and/or other ways you’ve connected with your listeners. This may also include any awards or commendations from community leaders.
Ratings (Only for Major, Large, and Medium Market Applicants)
Include Market rank and Country rank for AQH shares, 12+, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. Also provide last 4 books for diary markets and last 6 for PPM markets during your daypart. Entrants must be on the air for at least 12 months at their current station to qualify.
Biographical and Impact Information
Please share details about your professional experience, social media impact and engagement, awards, membership in Country Music organizations, and other relevant information demonstrating your influence and impact on the Country Music industry beyond your local community.
If available, Small Market Personalities, may include Market rank and Country rank for AQH shares, 12+, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. Also provide last 4 books for diary markets and last 6 for PPM markets during your daypart.
Additional Information
Include any additional information such as awards, accolades, news clippings, etc. The information provided in this section may be considered by the judges in their overall assessment of the Broadcast Personality.
Daily and Weekly National Broadcast Personality entrants must prove that they are syndicated in at least three markets within the United States and Canada, with a minimum of 200 shows per year for Daily National Broadcast Personality entrants and 40 shows per year for Weekly National Broadcast Personality entrants. Syndicated, Short-Form, Hub Voice-Tracking, Digital Service Providers and Satellite personalities are eligible. Entrants must be on the air for at least 12 months to qualify. Personalities submitting entries for the CMA National Broadcast Personality Awards may NOT apply separately in their market of origin for Small, Medium, Large and Major Market Broadcast Personality of the Year.
Each CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year entry will be judged on the following criteria. The following criteria apply to the CMA National Broadcast Personality Awards ONLY:
Aircheck
Aircheck should not exceed 5 minutes in length. Aircheck should include strong entertainment value; ability to communicate; pride of association with the program and Country Music; and knowledge of Country Music.
Leadership/Accolades
Any involvement in industry-related organizations and awards received.
Biographical Information
Include your biography and any other personal information.
The best of Country Broadcasting are honored annually by the Country Music Association in the following classifications for Broadcast Personality of the Year and Radio Station of the Year:
- Weekly National Personality
- Daily National Personality
- Major Market (Nielsen Ranking 1-25)
- Large Market (Nielsen Ranking 26-50)
- Medium Market (Nielsen Ranking 51-100)
- Small Market (All other Markets)
Canadian markets are ranked on a population equivalency.
Winners receive their trophies during the pre-telecast ceremony for “The 59th Annual CMA Awards”. Winners in the Broadcast Personality categories (all team members of winning entry) also receive a complimentary CMA Lifetime Membership.
The judging process involves more than 100 distinguished broadcasting professionals, who represent all market sizes and regions across the U.S. There are two rounds of judging for Radio Station of the Year, Broadcast Personality of the Year and National Broadcast Personality of the Year. The first round determines the finalists. The second round determines the winners in each category. The professional services organization, Deloitte tabulates the scores for both rounds of judging.
Radio Station of the Year: Only active stations in the U.S. or Canada will be considered for Radio Station of the Year. Stations must be on the air in the Country format for at least 12 months to qualify.
Broadcast Personalities: Only active Country Broadcast Personalities in the U.S. or Canada will be considered for Broadcast Personality of the Year. Entrants must be on the air in the Country format for at least 12 months at their current station to qualify for Broadcast Personality in the Small, Medium, Large, and Major markets. Entrants must also be on the air in the Country format for at least 12 months in order to qualify for the National Broadcast Personality categories.
Radio Stations and Broadcast Personalities do not have to be current CMA members to apply.
- Submissions begin Thursday, May 1, 2025. Entries MUST be received by 5:00 PM/CT, Monday, June 30, 2025.
- ALL entry events must reflect performances and events between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025.
- Entries must include market, market size, a contact name, phone number and email address.
- Entries must include an eps file or 300 dpi resolution jpeg file of the station logo or a personality photo at 300 dpi resolution. (Station entrants attach a logo and personality entrants attach a photo).
- All Broadcast Personality teams will be judged as a single entry.
- CMA Broadcast Award winners cannot win the same award in consecutive years. Winners from the previous year are ineligible unless competing in a different category.
- Entries may not contain any external links. Total file size for online entry may not exceed 20 MB (excluding aircheck).
- If you are returning to enter for the 2025 CMA Broadcast Awards, your login credentials will be the same as the account you created last year.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WILL BE STRICTLY UPHELD. ENTRIES NOT ADHERING TO THE LETTER OF THESE SPECIFICATIONS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. ENTRIES ACCEPTED BEGINNING THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2025 DEADLINE: MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2025.
CMA has the right to make all eligibility determinations and take whatever actions it deems necessary to protect the credibility and integrity of the CMA Broadcast Awards.