Technorama Awards – the backstory

Starting in 2017 the Technorama Awards process was completely revamped and revitalised to ensure the awards could take on greater significance within the broader Sector.   To achieve this:

  • the Technorama Awards were reframed generally to recognise Technologist excellence, and encourage positive behaviours and personal development by Technologists in support of the Community Broadcasting Codes of Practice;
  • important additional awards were created;
  • the Awards are now informally interlocked with the CBAA National Awards, so that the awards may be seen as complementary and
  • Technorama has a completely independent Awards Committee to oversee the full awards process, and to maintain a framework in which the Technorama Awards can be truly representative of excellence from any facet of our membership and community.

We think this is a very exciting awards program that applies best-in-class process to select best-in-class nominees.   We hope you agree.

Technorama Awards

Technorama offers Awards to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements by dedicated and innovative technologists in community media.  The Technorama Awards are open to any individual, team or organisation involved in community media (radio and/or television).

Nominations for the Technorama Awards are expected to open 2-3 months before the TR conference each year.

Technorama Award Categories

Lifetime Technical Contribution to the Sector

This Award is open to individuals. The nominee for this Award will have demonstrated:

  • DEDICATION – the nominee has gone ‘above and beyond’ in their contribution to more than one community radio or TV station or sector organisation
  • LENGTH OF SERVICE – the nominee has contributed more than 15 years of service to the community broadcasting sector as a whole
  • EXPERTISE & QUALITY OF SERVICE – the nominee is a problem solver and has helped countless people / stations with complex technological issues, helping stations to sound better, reach further and avoid outages
  • LEADERSHIP & INITIATIVE – the nominee has set a great example for others by being consistent and reliable (and rarely complaining!). The nominee has initiated opportunities for technological advancement and created pathways for others to follow, and has demonstrated willingness to help and embrace the values of the sector

Lifetime Technical Contribution to a Community Radio or TV station

This Award is open to individuals. The nominee for this Award will have demonstrated:

  • DEDICATION – the nominee has gone ‘above and beyond’ in their contribution to a community radio or TV station or sector organisation
  • LENGTH OF SERVICE – the nominee has contributed more than 15 years of service to a community radio or TV station or sector organisation
  • EXPERTISE & QUALITY OF SERVICE – the nominee is a problem solver and has been instrumental in the technological transformation of a station or organisation
  • LEADERSHIP & INITIATIVE – the nominee has set a great example for others, by being consistent and reliable (and rarely complaining!). The nominee has initiated opportunities for technological advancement, and shown willingness to help, and embrace, the values of the sector

The nominee may also have:

  • helped to start up a new station and get it ‘off the ground’
  • shown a dedication and commitment to quality transmission and quality sound, with an eye for keeping the costs low. The nominee has helped the station to sound better, reach further or avoid outages
  • helped non-technologists understand something technical

Outstanding Technical Innovation

This Award is open to individuals, teams or community media organisation(s). The nominee for this Award will have demonstrated, in the past twelve months:

  • A SOLUTION TO A SPECIFIC PROBLEM – the nominee has addressed an issue that was needing a solution
  • INGENUITY & RESOURCEFULNESS – the nominee was responsible for an innovation that will save a station or the sector resources in the long run
  • THAT THE SOLUTION HAS BEEN SHARED – the nominee has made the innovation or invention available for other community broadcasters to use, and/or has successfully explained its significance to non-technologists

Rising Technical Star

This Award is open to individuals. The nominee for this Award may be new to technology, but has shown dedication and a willingness to learn.  The nominee has:

  • RECENTLY JOINED THE COMMUNITY – the nominee has been involved in technology for 3 years or less; or is under 26 years of age
  • SHOWN DEDICATION – the nominee is putting in a lot of time and energy to help their community radio station or sector organisation
  • DEMONSTRATED INITIATIVE & CURIOSITY – the nominee has shown initiative in advancing technology at their station or sector organisation, is keen to learn and is not afraid to ask questions of other technologists

Through this award, Technorama is particularly interested to acknowledge and encourage diversity, leadership potential and courage.

Outstanding Technical Contribution through Mentoring & Nurturing Culture

This Award is open to individuals, teams or community media organisation(s). The nominee for this Award will have demonstrated:

  • GENEROSITY OF TIME & SPIRIT – in the last 12 months the nominee has taken the time to help other people at their station or at other stations to better understand technology
  • NURTURING NATURE– in the last 12 months the nominee has fostered a culture of learning by helping train or mentor people interested in technology

We are also particularly interested to acknowledge and encourage those who are encouraging diversity, leadership potential and courage.

Outstanding Technical Collaboration

This Award is open to individuals, teams or community media organisation(s). The nominee for this Award will have demonstrated:

  • INITIATIVE & COORDINATION – in the last 12 months the nominee has initiated contact with other technologists and helped bring people together
  • TEAMWORK – the nominee has worked well with others to overcome barriers to achieving technology advancement for their station(s) or sector organisation(s)
  • SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES – in the last 12 months the nominee has been instrumental in helping to complete a technical development project that involved multiple stations or organisations

Awards Committee

The committee judging the Awards operates independently of Technorama Incorporated.
The judges’ decisions are final.

Terms and conditions of entry

The form can be used to nominate individuals, teams or community media organisations for the Technorama Awards.
As a condition of entry for Technorama Awards, entrants agree to the following terms and conditions:
  • Any individual, team or organisation involved in community media is eligible for nomination for a Technorama Award. Some awards are open only for individuals to be nominated.
  • Nominations will close at 2359 AEST on the date identified in the application form. Late entries will not be accepted.
  • All entries must be submitted via the online Awards entry form.
  • Each form is for one nomination only.
  • A person may be nominated in only one category in any year.
  • The judges’ decisions are final and no discussion will be entered into regarding the Awards judging process or outcomes.
  • Technorama may vary the terms of entry at any time and may choose not to present any particular Award or category at its sole discretion.
  • The Technorama Awards will be announced and presented at Technorama. Nominators should therefore encourage the person(s) being nominated to present be at the Technorama event.

Additional conditions and instructions may be present on the nomination form. Please read the conditions and instructions carefully.

If you have further questions, please contact the Technorama Awards Committee at [email protected]