BMI Opens Founders Award Essay Contest

The BMI Foundation has announced the opening of the second annual BMI Founders Award for Radio Broadcasting scholarship competition. Open to broadcasting students nationwide, the program will award up to $5,000 for the best original essay response entry. Aspiring radio newscasters, announcers, sales executives, program directors, etc. are encouraged to apply.

According to BMI VP of Industry Relations Dan Spears, entrants must be current students at accredited U.S. colleges or universities, between the ages of 17 and 24 at the time of entry, and degree candidates in Broadcast Communications or related majors. Applicants will be evaluated based on their essay response, letter of recommendation, and academic record. Online applications must be completed no later than February 1, 2017, 11:59 pm EST. For more information and to apply, please visit bmifoundation.org/broadcast.

Applicants must submit an original essay response to ONE of the following prompts:

• In 1939, BMI was founded by a group of visionary radio broadcasters to provide a competitive source of music licensing while supporting music creators of all genres. Which radio industry leader in American history has been most influential to your career choice and why?
• Since its founding, BMI has embraced innovation and developed new technologies to benefit music creators around the world. Which recent technological advancements most benefit the radio industry and why?
• In 2005, BMI introduced “See It Hear First,” the first music industry podcast to be featured in the iTunes directory, highlighting music from new BMI talent. Has the subsequent increase in podcast consumption helped or hindered terrestrial radio? -OR- How will the continued increase in podcast consumption affect terrestrial radio?

Applications must be submitted online no later than Wednesday, February 1, 2017, 11:59pm EST.