Awards
The NRB Media Awards program is designed to encourage excellence in production service to the community, faithfulness to the mission, commitment to the Gospel and personal integrity. NRB recognizes that material awards and public recognition are not an ultimate priority in relation to our spiritual calling to take the message of hope to the world through media. However, by honoring and celebrating outstanding facilities, ministries, programs and producers, the Association hopes to inspire others to raise their standards and create more compelling, relevant, and challenging Christian programming.
For the NRB Annual Media Awards, self-submissions are encouraged from qualified members and will not be viewed negatively as a form of self-promotion, but rather as members seeking a form of recognition for their teams that will provide motivation to continually strive for excellence. For Special Service Awards, members may apply or nominate others.

SPECIAL SERVICE AWARDS
(Self-submissions are encouraged from NRB members.)
Hall of Fame Award
The NRB Hall of Fame stands as a witness for current communicators—a showcase of warriors for Christ who live exemplary lives of valor and compassion, blazing trails and leaving paths for succeeding generations to follow. NRB’s most prestigious award is presented to an individual NRB member for invaluable contribution to the field of Christian communications, exhibition of the highest standards, and evidence of faithfulness in Christ. (This award may be presented posthumously.)
Access award application: Hall of Fame Award
William Ward Ayer Award for Distinguished Service
Pioneer broadcaster and pastor William Ward Ayer was NRB’s first President. Instrumental in the formation of the Association, Ayer drafted the Code of Ethics that formed the basis of evangelical response to the radio networks’ threat against religious broadcasting in the 1940s. This award is presented to an individual NRB member with excellence and integrity for outstanding and significant contributions to the field of Christian communications.
Access award application: William Ward Ayer Award for Distinguished Service
Billy Graham Award for Excellence in Christian Communications
Billy Graham was the best-known broadcaster, pastor, and evangelist of his era. Dr. Graham exemplified a commitment to excellence, creativity, and Biblical fidelity in his use of electronic communications in furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Billy Graham Award for Excellence in Christian Communications is presented to a Christian organization that effectively and creatively uses multiple electronic media technologies in fulfillment of its mission, while maintaining fidelity to the message of love, redemption, and hope found in the Holy Scriptures. (Does not have to be an NRB member.)
Access award application: Billy Graham Award for Excellence in Christian Communications
Board of Directors Award
The Board of Directors Award honors a Christian who demonstrates integrity, displays creativity, and makes a significant impact on society. In recognition that broadcasting is not the only way to witness to the power of the Gospel, the award winner may or may not be in the field of electronic communications. (Does not have to be an NRB member.)
Access award application: Board of Directors Award
Milestone Award
Longevity in any field is becoming a rarity, and exemplary service in Christian broadcasting for 50 years- or more- is a feat worthy of recognition and applause. NRB desires to honor the industry pioneers who brought Christian communications to the place of respect and achievement it enjoys today. (Must be an active or retired NRB member.)
Access award application: Milestone Award
DIGITAL MEDIA AWARDS
(Self-submissions are encouraged from NRB full or associate members, and award recipients must be current NRB members.)
Best New Mobile App Award
This award is presented to an individual or organization for their creation of a mobile app that advances the Gospel and exhibits excellence in Christian digital technology innovation. Nominees should be able to demonstrate how the design, ease of use, copywriting, interactivity, use of technology, innovation, and content have produced an outstanding user experience and results for clients and audiences, reflected by installs, conversion rates, positive ratings and reviews, user testimonials, or other key performance indicators.
Access award application: Best New Mobile App Award
Best Digital Campaign Award
This award is presented to an organization that is engaging people through the use of a digital campaign initiative. Nominees should be able to demonstrate how they used multi-channel online measures such as social media, landing pages, display advertising, email, and online video to help them reach measurable organizational and campaign goals. Nominees should provide the campaign’s objective, strategy, time frame, and results using measured traffic and outcomes.
Access award application: Best Digital Campaign Award
Best Digital Experience Award
The Best Digital Experience Award applies toward a single branded online communication channel across any platform such as an organization’s website, responsive website, mobile website, iOS or Android app, Facebook page, or other specific digital property. The nominees should demonstrate excellence in design and content, provide an interactive platform, and exemplify the most current best practices based on today’s digital media standards. Nominees should provide the measurable strategies and goals that move the organization’s mission and vision forward using their single digital experience channel.
Access award application: Best Digital Experience Award
Best Original Podcast Award
The best original podcast award is presented to a host or creator of an original series podcast. Nominees should have a minimum of ten published episodes and demonstrate how their podcast serves a particular audience with excellence. Qualified candidates will not have distribution through terrestrial radio or television broadcast—or be repackaged content of a terrestrial broadcast—but only available through podcast distributors or the entity’s own platform(s).
Access award application: Best Original Podcast Award
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
(Self-submissions are encouraged from NRB full or associate members, and award recipients must be current members or nonmembers as designated.)
International Media Award
This award is presented to an organization based outside the United States that excels in media ministry—exercising integrity and faithfulness to the cause of Christ, while demonstrating unusual effectiveness—and excels in innovative uses of electronic media in the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ in impacting the target culture. (Does not have to be an NRB member.)
Access award application: International Media Award
Strategic Partnership Award
This award is presented to an individual or organization that has forged an effective partnership with an indigenous ministry, marked by strategic planning and cooperation with indigenous co-workers, sensitivity to cultural distinctives, and an impactful Christian outreach in the target culture.
Access award application: International Strategic Partnership Award
International Impact Award
This award is presented to an individual or organization that is having an impact outside the United States, who demonstrates a strong personal commitment to proclaiming Christ through electronic media, working with integrity and faithfulness to influence a culture for Christ. (Does not have to be an NRB member.)
Access award application: International Impact Award
RADIO AWARDS
(Self-submissions are encouraged from NRB full members or associate members, and award recipients must be current NRB members.)
Radio Station of the Year Award
The Radio Station of the Year Award is presented to a radio station that is innovative, locally focused, and effectively impacts its market through community service, promotions and marketing, outreach, ratings, and/or other means. All stations, regardless of size or market, may compete for Station of the Year. The emphasis is not on market, numbers, or the size of the budgets. It is on how God has used this station over the last 12 months to make a difference for Christ, whether it is in a small community or across the nation. Tell us what God has done through this station. (To allow for better distribution of awards, no station may win an award in this category two years in a row.)
Access award application: Radio Station of the Year Award
Radio Program of the Year Award
The Radio Program of the Year Award is presented to a radio program that impacts the listener by being compelling, relevant, informative, personable, and entertaining, while demonstrating an authentic Christian faith. Programs, regardless of length or frequency of airing, may compete for Program of the Year. The emphasis is not on the number of markets, numbers of listeners, or the size of the budget. It is on how God has used this program over the last 12 months to make a difference for Christ, whether it is in a small community or across the nation. Tell us what God has done through this program. (To allow for better distribution of awards, no program may win an award in this category two years in a row.)
Access award application: Radio Program of the Year Award
Radio Impact Award
The Radio Impact Award is presented to a person, station, program, network, or ministry that has illustrated over time a consistent and unique impact within the Christian radio industry and/or to the Body of Christ as a whole. (To allow for better distribution of awards, no person, station, program, network, or ministry may win an award in this category two years in a row.)
Access award application: Radio Impact Award
TELEVISION AWARDS
(Self-submissions are encouraged from NRB full members or associate members, and award recipients must be current NRB members.)
Television Station of the Year Award
As Christian television broadcasters, we are called to advance Biblical truth through the television medium. The NRB Television Station of the Year must display innovative and creative programming through its daily schedule; be a force for the Gospel in its coverage of Christian events, issues, and stories; demonstrate a commitment to produce original programming to meet the spiritual needs of its viewing audiences; and work in partnership with churches and ministries to provide a media platform for voices unable to be heard elsewhere.
Access award application: Television Station of the Year Award
Television Program of the Year Award
As content producers, we are called to excellence. The recipient of the NRB Television Program of the Year Award will demonstrate a unique vision and commitment to innovation and quality. The program must have a solid Biblical worldview and demonstrate a compelling use of the television medium from both artistic and technical standpoints. The program should engage the culture in a compelling way and demonstrate an ability to expand a Christ-centered influence in the culture.
Access award application: Television Program of the Year Award
Messaging Campaign of the Year Award
The recipient of the NRB Television Messaging Campaign of the Year Award will demonstrate exceptional creativity, innovation, and excellence in production quality as it stands for free speech and/or against the threats to free speech or religion. The messaging campaign must demonstrate creativity in its presentation of the issue and engage the viewer to action.
Access award application: Television Messaging Campaign of the Year Award
Television Impact Award
The Television Impact Award is presented to a person, station, program, network, or ministry that has illustrated over time a consistent and unique impact within the Christian television industry and/or to the Body of Christ as a whole. (To allow for better distribution of awards, no person, station, program, network, or ministry may win an award in this category two years in a row.)
Access award application: Television Impact Award
Below is the timeline for the 2024 Annual Media Awards & Special Service Awards.
August 1, 2023: Application window opens.
August 31, 2023: Supporting Media Award materials due and the application window closes.
December 7, 2023: NRB announces Media Award winners.
Clink the link below to access the award criteria and application.
SPECIAL SERVICE AWARDS
- Hall of Fame Award
- William Ward Ayer Award for Distinguished Service
- Billy Graham Award for Excellence in Christian Communications
- Board of Directors Award
- Milestone Award
DIGITAL MEDIA AWARDS:
- Best New Mobile App Award
- Best Digital Campaign Award
- Best Digital Experience Award
- Best Original Podcast Award
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS:
RADIO AWARDS:
TELEVISION AWARDS:
- Television Station of the Year Award
- Television Program of the Year Award
- Television Impact Award
- Television Messaging Campaign of the Year Award
If you have questions, please contact us.