During Crisis, Gray Starts Up Employee Contest (Patreon)

It seems like a very strange time to start up a contest, but that is just what Gray Television is doing. 

It is not a contest for viewers, but for the employees of Gray stations around the country. 

Basically, they want their employees to come up with a “fun, new Public Service” announcement about COVID-19. 

You know, because what says "fun" more than a global pandemic? 

According to the rules sent to the Gray employees, the company is looking for an "on-air/on-line Public Service Announcement or promo spot around a defined coronavirus topic."

Gray will pick seven regional winners and one national winner. 

I'm sorry, but running a contest at this time seems a bit tacky, don't you think? 

Anyway, here is the rules of the contest sent to the Gray employees and obtained by FTVLive: 

Announcing a fun, new Public Service Contest, brought to you by Gray Television.

The Contest:

Each week, we will select seven regional winners and one national winner with the (subjectively) best on-air/on-line Public Service Announcement or promo spot around a defined coronavirus topic for the week such as (a) how viewers can help the local community, (b) how viewers can support local businesses, (c) a spotlight on local heroes, (d) best social distancing ideas, and (e) other good topics suggested by our employees.

Entries must be video spots between 15 and 60 seconds long that are currently available online and, if possible, broadcast.

Participation is entirely voluntary.

Each Thursday:

A station who wants to enter the week’s contest sends to its RVP its entry via a URL to the PSA or promo spot its website (so we know the spot is “out there”).  Video files will not be accepted.

The RVP selects the regional winner and forwards the regional winner’s URL along to the Judges. 

For purposes of this contest:

o   Sandy’s region includes InvestigateTV, DC Bureau, and Full Court Press

o   Bob’s region includes GDM, Sales, Shared Services, Corporate, RTM, Tupelo, and Raycom Sports

Non-stations creating a video must get it posted on a public website to participate, so they’ll need to find a friend at the DC Bureau or at a station to host their entry.

 Each Friday:

The National Judges will select that week’s winner and the topic for the next week’s contest.

The National Judges, whose decisions are final and non-appealable, are Hilton Howell and Pat LaPlatney. 

An all-employee email on Friday afternoon will announce:

o   the national winner and its entry

o   the regional winners and their entries

o   next week’s topic

o   some of the recipients (on a no-names basis) of the prior week’s prizes

The weekly announcement email, including links to the winning entries, will be posted on the Covid-19 Employee Resource Page (where you can find all of the internal announcements on our response to the crisis).

 Prizes:

National Winner selects one LOCAL institution fighting the coronavirus epidemic to receive a $1,000 donation from the winner (from Corporate’s budget)

Each Regional Winner receives $500 (from Corporate’s budget) to be spent purchasing Gift Cards from one or more LOCAL restaurants offering delivery or pick-up service, as chosen by the regional winner.

Each regional winner decides how to use or donate these restaurant Gift Cards from this list of options (only):

o   celebration party at the station for those not working from home;

o   friends of the station in need, such as a station retiree or contractor (e.g., janitor, lawn service, vending machine stocker); or

o   a LOCAL institution in need, such as a hospital, daycare, nursing home, Red Cross chapter.

WEEK ONE:

TOPIC:  what we are doing to serve the extraordinary needs of our local community during these extraordinary times

o   bonus points for testimonials thanking the station or a reporter by name

Thursday, April 2:  Submissions due to your RVP (per the list above)

Friday, April 3:  National and Regional Winners Announced

 Legal Fine Print:

All donations of gift cards and cash will be made to individuals and institutions in a manner that does not create tax liability for those recipients.

Because we made up this contest, the Judges may decide to adjust the rules in their sole, absolute, unquestionable discretion to promote friendly competition, fun, distraction, and local community support.

Finally, you may direct any questions about these rules to your RVP (per the list above)