ACM Changes Radio Awards Criteria

The Academy of Country Music® announced changes today to the ACM Awards radio categories’ criteria and open submissions date for the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards®. For the first time ever in the National On-Air Personality of the Year category, submissions will be accepted from terrestrial, satellite and internet radio personalities, if all eligibility requirements are met. The Academy has also removed the requirement to be a current Academy member to be eligible to submit for all radio categories.

Additional changes to On-Air Personality of the Year, National On-Air Personality of the Year and Radio Station of the Year categories include a shorter aircheck, and a streamlined essay portion with a maximum length of five hundred words – replacing the individual written summaries of industry or community work, etc. For additional details, please visit www.acmcountry.com/voting-criteria.

Open submissions for the 53rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards® will begin Wednesday, January 3, 2017 at 9:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM CT at www.ACMcountry.com and will end at 5:00 PM PT / 7:00 PM CT on Monday, January 15, 2017. The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards will air LIVE next spring from Las Vegas on a date to be announced, on the CBS Television Network.

The Academy of Country Music Awards telecast recognizes winners for the previous calendar year. The radio eligibility period is between November 24, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

Nominees for the Academy of Country Music radio awards categories, outlined below, will be announced in the spring of 2018.

• On-Air Personality of the Year – National
• On-Air Personality of the Year – Major (Markets 1-25)
• On-Air Personality of the Year – Large (Markets 26-50)
• On-Air Personality of the Year – Medium (Markets 51-100)
• On-Air Personality of the Year – Small (Markets 101+)
• Radio Station of the Year – Major (Markets 1-25)
• Radio Station of the Year – Large (Markets 26-50)
• Radio Station of the Year – Medium (Markets 51-100)
• Radio Station of the Year – Small (Markets 101+)