KQED Radio Show’s Commentary, Video or Photo Slideshow Contest for Youth

Attention All of You Ages 13 – 27 in California!

KQED is looking for young people to share their Perspectives on two themes: “Coming Out” and “Friday Night.” Perspectives may take the form of a short commentary, video, or photo slideshow.

One grand prize, an iPod Touch, will be awarded to the best overall entry for each theme.

Selected Perspectives will also air on KQED Public Radio and be published on kqed.org throughout the months of January and March.

The deadline for the “Coming Out” theme is December 15, so don’t wait!

If you’ve got something to say (and we hope you do!) read the details below:

—————————————————————————–

THE KQED Youth Perspective Competition Rules and FAQs
1. Tell me more about the themes.

Coming Out: Submit your reflections on coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, or revealing some other important personal secret about who you are or what you do that changed your life. Pieces should explore topics such as why you came out or how you changed, obstacles you had to overcome, help that you received or outcomes that you didn’t anticipate. Pieces from friends or family members of those who have come out are encouraged.

Friday Night: Friday nights mark a transition from the school week to personal time, sparking a change in many people. How does Friday night represent your world as a whole? What do you do, or not do, on Friday night that represents how your life is changing or how your life is unique? What does your Friday night say about you, your family, neighborhood, city, age, etc?

2. What is the prize?

One Perspective for each theme will be awarded a grand prize, an 8GB iPod Touch.3. Who can enter?

Anyone between the ages of 13 and 27 years old may submit a Perspective for possible publication or broadcast, however, you must be a resident of California to be eligible for the competition to win a prize. (If you’re under the age of 18, be sure to get your parents’ or guardians’ permission before entering!) Employees of KQED and their relatives are also not eligible to win prizes.

4. How long can my Perspective be?

Your Perspective can be anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes long. For written Perspectives, that usually translates to 350-375 words, depending on your rate of speech.

5. When is the deadline?

Perspectives for the “Coming Out” theme need to be received by KQED editors by December 15, 2009. Perspectives for the “Friday Night” theme must be received by KQED editors by February 8, 2010.

6. What is the process for submitting a Perspective?

Step 1: Make a video, create a photo slideshow (with audio or without), or write a short commentary. However you express yourself, do it. Use the themes, “Coming Out” and “Friday Night” as a jumping-off point to reveal something about yourself or the world you live in. Read more about the themes below and listen to some Perspectives at kqed.org/perspectives to learn more about the series.

Step 2: Send us your Perspective. Email your entries to Mark Trautwein, Editor of the Perspectives series, at [email protected]. For text commentaries, simply email them as an attachment. For video commentaries, upload your video to an online video sharing site, such as YouTube, and send us the URL and embed code. For photo slideshows, create a slideshow using a photo sharing site like Flickr and send us an email, including a link or URL to the photo set. If you want to include audio, simply include the accompanying audio in your email.

Remember: Be sure to hold on to your original photos, video, and audio. When you email your entry, include your name, city, age, and a phone number and email address where we can reach you. When you upload your work to a video sharing site, be sure to set permissions to allow embedding on third-party websites. Also be sure to tag your video with the phrase “KQED Youth Perspectives Contest,” and your theme, “Coming Out” or “Friday Night.”

Step 3: If your written commentary is selected to air, an editor will contact you to schedule a time for you to record your Perspective in a studio. If your video or slideshow is chosen to be featured on kqed.org, an editor will contact you as well.

7. For slide shows, can I simply upload my photos?

A photo slideshow uses images to tell a story. Just as a writer is careful about what words she uses, a photographer gives thoughtful consideration to the photos selected, the order of the photos, and the captions that accompany each photo. A photo slideshow should have a narrative structure.

8. For videos, should I simply videotape myself talking?

Only you know the best way to tell your story, but we encourage you to get creative. Think of the images in your home, city, or neighborhood that communicate your ideas. While we love your pretty face, we want to see the world you live in, too. Most importantly, have fun.

9. Can I enter multiple Perspectives? Can I enter Perspectives on both themes?

Yes, but remember that each entry must be original. Participants may only be awarded one grand prize.

10. What information must I supply when I enter?

Each entrant must supply their name, city, age, phone number and email address.

11. What type of file format should I use?

Prepare your content in the highest resolution you can, and hang on to the original files. For audio, we prefer MP3 files.

12. Do I need to save my original video, audio and photo files once I’ve uploaded my submission?

Yes. KQED may need to edit your photos, video or audio using specific applications. We may also recommend small editorial changes.

13. How will entries be judged?

Entries will be judged in their submitted form on creative expression, originality, and storytelling. The judges will include, but will not be limited to, KQED staff. Winners will be notified by February 29, 2010.

14. Can my friends and I enter together?

While group entries may be broadcast or published, prizes will only be awarded to entries submitted by individuals.

15. What if I still have questions?

Send questions to Amanda Stupi at [email protected] or call (415) 553-2414.

16. What else do I need to know?

Well, the really legal stuff might come in handy, so here it is:

A. Once you have entered your Perspective following any of the methods noted above, KQED may edit and publish or broadcast your entry without paying you any compensation:

By submitting your entry into this competition, you hereby grant to KQED and its assigns the royalty-free nonexclusive right to copy, sublicense, edit, modify, publish, transmit, make derivative works, distribute, delete or display the content of the entry and elements embodied within the entry, in whole or in part, worldwide, in any media including television broadcast and via Internet download, streaming, transmission, exhibition or distribution by any computer-mediated networked communication systems, whether now existing or later invented in perpetuity, without limitation and without consideration or acknowledgment to you, including for advertising/publicity purposes without further permission, notice or compensation, except where prohibited by law. You understand, however, that KQED is not assuming any obligation hereunder to broadcast or distribute any Perspective submitted into the contest.

B. Your entry must be original and you must have all rights necessary to grant KQED permission to use the entry.

By participating in this contest, you warrant that your entry is an original work and that KQED’s use of the entry will not infringe upon or violate the rights of any third party. Just as one example, you must have the permission of any people pictured in your Perspective. Winners and selected entrants and/or their parents may be required to sign a statement confirming this.

C. Promotion and Publicity.

By entering, in addition to granting KQED the right to publicize portions of your entry, you grant to KQED the right to use your name and likeness in advertising and promotion without further compensation or permission.

On any companion website for your Perspective maintained by or on behalf of you, you agree, for the duration of the competition, to place in a prominent manner that the entry is being entered in the “KQED Youth Perspective Competition,” and to tag your work accordingly on YouTube, Flickr and other media sharing sites. Failure to do so may result in your entry being disqualified from the competition. You also agree not to claim or imply for any reason that KQED is a producer or co-producer of your video.

D. Responsibility for Acceptability of Entries.

You are responsible for ensuring your eligible entry is received by the deadline. KQED is not responsible for incomplete entries or technical difficulties of any kind that may prevent you from timely submitting an eligible entry.

E. Agreement to be Bound

By entering, you agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges and these official rules and to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations as well as all rules and terms of use posted on KQED.org and the photo or video sharing sites used.

F. Entry and Compliance Disputes

Entries which are mutilated, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, forged, irregular in any way, or otherwise not in compliance with these official rules are void. In the event of a dispute concerning who submitted an entry, the entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized holder of the e-mail account from which the entry is made on the photo or video sharing site used. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person to whom an email address is assigned by an internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.

Automated entries of any kind, including but not limited to entries submitted using any bot, script, macro, or contest service, and third party entries are not permitted and will be disqualified.

KQED will validate all entries and will determine, at its sole discretion, whether each Perspective meets the entry criteria detailed herein for acceptance as an entry into the contest.

G. Release from Liability

You agree that KQED and related individuals or entities shall not be liable for losses or injuries of any kind resulting from acceptance of prize(s), participation in the contest, individual, joint or collective technical malfunctions of the telephone network and/or transmission line, computer on-line system, computer dating mechanism, computer equipment, hardware and/or software, or any delay or distortion of an entry resulting from data transmissions that are garbled, incomplete, misdirected, lost, mutilated, delayed, corrupted, mechanically duplicated, illegible or otherwise not in compliance with these official rules. You also agree that KQED is not liable for damage to a user’s computer system (including, without limitation, any server failure or lost, delayed or corrupted data or other malfunction) due, either directly or indirectly, to an entrant’s participation in the contest or downloading of information in connection with the contest. KQED reserves the right to modify or cancel the contest in the event that any portion of any website used to administer any aspect of the contest becomes technically corrupted.

H. Contest Sponsor

Northern California Public Broadcasting, Inc., the owner and operator of KQED, is the sponsor of this contest and is referred to throughout these rules as “KQED.” Any reference to KQED includes Northern California Public Broadcasting, Inc. and all stations owned and operated by it.

For more information:
http://www.kqed.org/radio/programs/perspectives/youthcontest.jsp