The National Association of Broadcasters’ Pilot initiative says it is accepting submissions for the Pilot Innovation Challenge online now through Oct. 19.
According to the announcement, the prompt for this year’s challenge is “What is an innovative way broadcasters and other local media could serve communities?”
Pilot says the program, now in its third year, “recognizes creative ideas that leverage technological advances in the production, distribution and display of engaging content.”
Once received, the submissions will be assessed by a panel of judges consisting of “experts from the broadcast, venture capital, media and tech industries,” and 12 semifinalists will be announced Nov. 27. A smaller judging panel will then winnow this group down to six finalists, and the top submissions will be announced in January at the NAB Futures conference in Seattle.
The six finalists will be awarded cash due in part to a Knight Foundation grant, as well as mentorship, access to broadcast executives and exposure at industry events, like the annual NAB Show. The top three finalists will be given of $30,000, $25,000 and $20,000, and the other three runner-ups will be awarded $15,000.
“The PILOT Innovation Challenge continues to foster ideas that accelerate local news innovation in the digital age,” Pilot Executive Director John Clark said in the announcement. “We look forward to again providing an opportunity to not only drive industry innovation but also connect consumers with broadcast media in new ways.”
