Eligibility and Rules

Award Eligibility and Rules

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Publication Period: All podcasts eligible for consideration must have published at least 3 episodes during the period from January 1st, 2023 to July 21st, 2024 to be eligible for consideration. Publishing shall be defined as “being made publicly accessible through online distribution channels”, and submitted podcasts must have a publicly accessible RSS feed that can be followed/subscribed to. Any ongoing podcast may enter and any limited series or podcast that has concluded may enter so long as the podcast published a minimum of 3 episodes during the period above.

Location: Only podcasts where at least 51% of published episodes were produced in/distributed from the State of Iowa will be eligible for award consideration. It is the responsibility of the nominee submitter to verify that this requirement is true and met. Submissions that do not meet this requirement may be disqualified without reimbursement.

Language: At this time, we will only accept English language entries (though it is the intention of the IPA Staff and Committee to expand this in the future as possible).

Submitter Requirements: The party submitting a podcast in consideration for a Show Recognition or Talent Recognition award must be directly involved in the production and distribution of the podcast in question, either as the podcast’s creator(s), host(s), production lead, or network/distribution partner. There is no such requirement for Honor Awards and anyone can make a free nomination for these awards.

Category Limit: There is no limit to the number of categories a podcast may be submitted for.

Payment: The fee for submission of a nominee to a Show Recognition or Talent Recognition category for the 2024 Iowa Podcast Awards will be $25 USD. Payments should be made directly through the Iowa Podcast Awards website. Those who are unable to complete their payment through the IPA website for any reason may contact logan@uploadcr.com to request assistance or additional accommodation. Scholarships may be available from Upload Media Group for those in need. For more information, visit IowaPodcastAwards.com/Scholarship or contact logan@uploadcr.com.

Award Consideration Process and Regulations

Entry Review: Entries will be screened for eligibility including launch date and location. It is the responsibility of the submitter to determine and select the appropriate category. However, the awards committee reserves the right to move entries to appropriate categories or dismiss inappropriate submissions.

Category Minimums and Maximums: Each category must receive a minimum of three submissions in order to be considered viable. Categories that receive less than three submissions may be closed and submissions to those categories may be moved to another appropriate category or have their entry fee returned. In the case that more than five submissions are entered for a category, the IPA Committee will reduce the category down to five front-runner nominees prior to the Awards Ceremony.

Nomination Process (Show Recognition and Talent Recognition Awards): When submitting a podcast or creator for consideration, unless the award category specifies otherwise, the submitter will be required to submit a single episode of the podcast that best exemplifies the show as a whole. All entries are listened to in whole and evaluated by the IPA Committee.

Nomination Process (Honor Awards): Submissions are accepted by community members for Honor Awards through the IPA website. There is no cost for these submissions. The IPA Committee will review all submissions and select the formal nominees.

Winner Selection: The IPA Awards Committee will review all submissions, select formal nominees as applicable, and select the winners through a private voting process prior to the IPA Ceremony.

Winners: Winners will be announced live at the Iowa Podcast Award Ceremony.

Auto-Submission Categories: Both Podcast of the Year and the People’s Choice Award are not eligible for submission. Rather, every podcast that is submitted for a Show Recognition Award will be entered into consideration for both of these awards. Following the closure of open nominations, the IPA Committee will narrow down the official nominees for Podcast of the Year to no more than seven nominees. The IPA Committee will then privately vote for the winner of Podcast of the Year to be announced at the IPA Ceremony. For the People’s Choice Award, all Show Recognition submissions will be added to a survey that will be available for public voting prior to the IPA Ceremony. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be the show that receives the most public votes and will be announced publicly at the IPA Ceremony.

Additional Terms and Conditions

The Iowa Podcast Awards are produced by the Upload Media Group, LLC, an Iowa-based business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Contract of Submission: Our acceptance of your Entry will take place when we accept your Entry booking in writing, at which point a contract will come into effect between you and us, on and subject to these terms and conditions, which shall take precedence over any terms and conditions which may accompany your Entry except to the extent that we agree in writing that any additional terms override these terms and conditions, with specific reference to this clause. Acceptance of your Entry shall not (unless it is expressly stated otherwise) prejudice any rights, obligations and/or remedies both you and us may have and which have accrued independently from this Agreement.

Submission Eligibility: The Awards Competition is open to entrants fulfilling the Entry Criteria set out above. You must not submit any Entry that you know or suspect:

• is inaccurate, false, or misleading (including where it omits material information regarding the subject of the Entry); and/or

• conflicts with our corporate values (that being both the Iowa Podcast Awards and Upload Media Group, LLC (including with regards to social and corporate responsibility) or will or may bring us into disrepute; and/or

• contains information or material that: (a) infringes the intellectual property rights of any third party; (b) the disclosure of which would place you in breach of confidentiality obligations owed by you to any third party; or (c) is or may be defamatory, (any such entry being a “Non-compliant Entry”).

Disqualification: We reserve the right to disqualify any Entry that we consider (in our sole discretion) to be a Non-compliant Entry, including in circumstances where we have awarded you an award in an Awards Competition in connection with such an Entry. Where your Entry is disqualified pursuant to this clause, any Fees paid by you to us at the point of such disqualification will be non-refundable. In the event that we determine that an Entry that has been awarded an award in an Awards Competition is a Non-compliant Entry, we shall select an alternative winner of the relevant award in the same manner as the original winner (and for the avoidance of doubt that winner’s Entry shall also be subject to these terms and conditions).

Appeal: You may not appeal any decision made by us that an Entry is a Non-compliant Entry and we shall not be liable for any losses, actions, costs (including legal fees and disbursements on a solicitor/client basis), claims, demands, fines, damages and liabilities, of whatever nature, incurred or suffered by you (including any loss of goodwill, loss of profits and loss of revenue) in connection with: (i) the disqualification of an Entry (including in circumstances where such disqualification results in the withdrawal of an award awarded to you in an Awards Competition and including in relation to any loss of goodwill or damage to reputation caused by such disqualification); or (ii) any publicity related to such disqualification, including any announcement or communication that we may choose to make (in our absolute discretion) in connection with our decision to disqualify the relevant Entry.

Judging Reservations: We will consider your Entry on its merits and solely on the basis of your Entry Materials. The judges’ decision will be final and we will not enter into any correspondence or discussion with any entrants nor will we accept any submissions, representations or appeals with regard to such decision. We reserve the right not to make any particular award in any given category.

Confidentiality of Entry: Your Entry and any supporting documentation and materials provided to us in connection with your Entry (“Entry Materials”) will not be considered to be Confidential Information unless you mark any specific information contained within Entry Materials as confidential . You may not mark your entire Entry as Confidential Information. A party shall not disclose Confidential Information of the other party to any third party, except as may be required by law, a court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental or regulatory authority.

Advertising of Entries: You agree that we and/or our Group Companies can use Entry Materials (or any part of them, excluding any Confidential Information comprised in the Entry Materials) for advertising, publicity or informational purposes in or any form or media, including as part of any case study.

Ceremony Attendance: All official nominees will receive one (1) free ticket for attendance to the Iowa Podcast Award Ceremony for which the podcast was nominated. Attendees are required to make their own arrangements for transport to the Venue. We are not responsible for any inability to attend owing to failure of transport. An Attendee who arrives late may not be allowed to enter the Venue until there is a suitable break in the Awards Ceremony, or until suitable door arrangements have been made.

Responsibility of Venue Attendance: Attendees must comply with the rules and regulations governing the Venue including dress codes and rules of entry. If an Attendee brings any property to the Venue, he/ she/she does so at his/ her own risk. We are not responsible for any loss and/or damage to such property. If an Attendee is using car parking facilities at the Venue, he/ she does so entirely at his/ her own risk. We do not accept any responsibility for any loss and/or damage resulting from his/ her use of such car parking facilities. Car parking spaces are not guaranteed.

Reservation of Right to Refusal: We reserve the right to refuse admission to any person whom we consider in our absolute discretion to be unsuitable for admission to the Awards Ceremony or to remove such person after the start of the Awards Ceremony. In such circumstances, there will be no refund of the Attendance Fee.

Special Requirements and Accommodations: If there are any specific requirements due to a disability, food allergies or for any other reason (a “Special Requirement”), please email us at logan@uploadcr.com no less than 7 days before the Awards Ceremony. Where you inform us of a Special Requirement less than 7 days before the Awards Ceremony, you understand it may not be possible to accommodate that Special Requirement, or its accommodation may result in an additional charge.

Cancellation or Change of Venue: We reserve the right to cancel, postpone or move the Awards Ceremony to another Venue or to change any other aspect of the Awards Ceremony at our discretion for any reason whatsoever. However, we will notify you promptly if the change relates to a change of Venue or material change in timing. For the avoidance of doubt, such a change shall not entitle you to terminate this Agreement. We reserve the right to change the Awards Ceremony presenter or any other performers and do not guarantee the attendance of any particular guest. You agree that we will have no liability under this Agreement, in any way whatsoever and howsoever (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) arising out of or in connection with respect of any cancellation or postponement of the Awards Ceremony or the moving of the Awards Ceremony to a new Venue, including but not limited to travel and accommodation costs.

Terms of Discounts and Offers: Any discounts or offers advertised for a particular event (such as “Early Bird” offers) may be time limited and/or subject to availability and will be subject to additional terms and conditions.

Cancellation Notice: Where we cancel an Awards Ceremony we will refund any Attendance Fees paid, and we will use reasonable endeavors to notify you of such cancellation.

Withdrawal: If you wish to withdraw your entry, you must email us at logan@uploadcr.com. Where you withdraw your entry more than 14 days after booking, or on or after the closing date for entry (whichever is earlier) there will be no refund.

You agree that we will have no liability under this Agreement, in any way whatsoever and howsoever (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) arising out of or in connection with respect of any cancellation or postponement of the Awards Ceremony or the moving of the Awards Ceremony to a new Venue, including but not limited to travel and accommodation costs.

Bank Transfers: Payment of any bank transfer charges are your responsibility.

Taxes: All sums payable by you under this Agreement are subject to any applicable tax, levy or similar governmental charge, including value added or sales tax which we shall add at the applicable rate.

Total Due: All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid in full without any set-off, counterclaim, deduction or withholding (other than any deduction or withholding of tax as required by law).

Failure to Pay: If you fail to make payment of any sums due, we reserve the right to cancel (a) your Entry, and/or (b) the registration of Attendees prior to the Awards Ceremony. Additionally, we shall be entitled to initiate proceedings against you without any notice in order to recover the Debt. Any and/or all costs and expenses incurred by us (including legal costs and expenses) in recovering sums due under an unpaid invoice shall be recoverable from you. If you breach this clause, we may terminate this Agreement immediately by giving you written notice.

Commencement and Termination: This Agreement shall commence on the date of your submission and shall continue, unless the Awards Ceremony or your attendance at such, is cancelled in accordance with clause, until the date upon which the Awards Ceremony ends (“Term”) when it shall terminate automatically without notice. We may terminate this Agreement at any time by giving you 15 days’ written notice. We shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement immediately by written notice whenever you breach any provision hereof which expressly entitles us to terminate the Agreement.

Expiry & Termination Consequences: Expiry or termination shall not prejudice any other rights or remedies you or us may be entitled to, nor will it affect the accrued rights and liabilities of either of us, nor the coming into or continuance in force, of any provision of this Agreement which is intended (explicitly or implicitly) to come into or continue in force, on or after such expiry or termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, you shall pay any Fees that have been invoiced up to (and including) the expiry or termination date but not paid for; and each party shall promptly return to the other any property of the other within its possession or control.

Liability: Neither you nor us shall exclude or limit our liability for (a) death or personal injury caused by negligence; (b) fraud and/or fraudulent misrepresentation; and (c) any other loss that cannot legally be limited at law. You shall not exclude or limit your liability under any indemnities given by you under this Agreement. You shall fully and effectively indemnify and hold harmless us and any Group Company against all losses, actions, costs (including legal fees and disbursements on a solicitor/client basis), claims, demands, fines, damages and liabilities, of whatever nature, incurred or suffered by or made against us, whether or not foreseeable, arising directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, out of or in connection with, any breach of this Agreement by you; and any acts or omissions of yourself, your employees, agents, contractors, visitors, Attendees and/or guests at the Venue arising out of or in connection with the Awards Ceremony and/or the Venue. We shall not (whether in contract, tort, negligence, statutory duty or otherwise) be liable to you under this Agreement for consequential, indirect or special damages (including indirect loss of profit and indirect loss of revenue). Subject to the clauses above, our maximum aggregate liability to you under this Agreement (whether arising in contract, tort, negligence, statutory duty or otherwise) shall not exceed the Fees you paid to us.

Notices. All notices (including any invoices) under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent to the email address specified by the recipient. Any notice may be delivered by email, by a reputable courier service, or by post. The notice shall be deemed to have been given if sent by email within 12 hours of delivery to the sender’s ISP provided within that time no notice of delivery failure has been received, if sent by courier on delivery and if sent by post 2 Business Days after the notice was posted.

Disputes. If any dispute arises between us out of or in connection with this Agreement, our respective representatives shall meet within 5 Business Days of receipt of a written notice of such dispute, in an effort to resolve the dispute. If the dispute is not resolved within 5 Business Days of that meeting, the dispute shall be referred to our respective senior management (or their nominees) who shall meet within 5 Business Days of the referral to attempt to resolve the dispute. If, despite following the process set out above, the dispute is not resolved, either of us may refer the matter to the courts. This clause shall not restrict either you or us from initiating any proceedings in respect of a matter where either party has reasonable cause to do so to avoid damage to its business or to protect or preserve any right of action it may have, or from applying for or obtaining emergency or interlocutory relief.

Force Majeure. We shall not be liable to you for any delay or failure to perform hereunder due to a natural disaster, actions or decrees of governmental bodies, any curtailment to or cancellation of public transport, strikes or walkouts, communicable disease, epidemic, acts or threats of terrorism or civil unrest, or communications line failure which (a) hinders, delays or prevents us in performing any of our obligations, (b) is beyond our control of without our fault or negligence, and (c) by the exercise of reasonable diligence we are unable to prevent or provide against (“Force Majeure Event”). In such circumstances, we shall be entitled to a reasonable extension of the time for performing such obligations. If the period of delay or non-performance continues for 30 or more calendar days, we may terminate this Agreement by giving you 5 Business Days written notice. In such circumstances reserve the right not to refund your registration fees and advise that insurance should be taken to cover such eventualities. A Force Majeure Event shall not entitle you to delay payment of any sums under this Agreement. You are responsible for making your own way to the venue for the event, and you shall remain liable for all payments under this agreement irrespective of any failure of transport or other reason why you are unable to attend the conference.

Publicity and Sales. We expressly agree that we and/or our Group Companies shall be entitled to refer to you as a Nominee and Attendee of our Awards Ceremony Iowa Podcast Award-related sales and marketing (including websites) and reproduce your logo and/or trade mark for that sole purpose.

Video Footage & Photography: During the Awards Ceremony, we may shoot video footage and take photographs of the Awards Ceremony which may include video footage and photographs of you and/or your booked Attendees, and reserve the right to utilize such assets for marketing, future promotion, and other use as we see fit.

Third Party Rights. Unless expressly stated, no provision of this Agreement is enforceable by, or intended to benefit, any person who is not a party to this Agreement.

Assignment and Sub-Contracting. This Agreement is personal to you. You shall not assign, delegate, sub-contract, transfer, charge or otherwise dispose of all or any of your rights and responsibilities under this Agreement without our prior written consent. Such consent shall not relieve you from any liability or obligation under this Agreement and you shall be responsible for the acts, omissions, defaults and/or negligence of your sub-contractors as fully as if they were your own. We may assign, delegate, sub-contract, transfer, charge or otherwise dispose of all or any of our rights and responsibilities under this Agreement at any time without your prior written consent.

Amendments and Changes. No purported alteration or variation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing, refers specifically to this Agreement and is signed by an authorized representative of each of the parties to this Agreement.

Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held by a court to be unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed to be amended to the extent necessary, and in a manner consistent with the intentions of the parties, to make it and the Agreement fully enforceable. The unenforcability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the remaining provisions.

No Waiver. A delay in exercising, or failure to exercise, any right or remedy in connection with this Agreement shall not operate as a waiver of that right or remedy. The waiver of a right to require compliance with any provision of this Agreement in any instance shall not operate as a waiver of any further exercise or enforcement of that right. The waiver of any breach shall not operate as a waiver of any subsequent breach. No waiver in connection with this Agreement shall, in any event, be effective unless it is in writing and refers expressly to this clause.

Further Assurance. Each party shall do and execute, or arrange for the doing and executing of, any act and/or document reasonably requested of it by any other party to implement and give full effect to the terms of this Agreement.

Remedies Cumulative. The remedies under this Agreement are cumulative and no remedy is exclusive of any other remedy except as expressly stated.

Counterparts. This Agreement may be entered into in any number of counterparts and by the parties on separate counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Where the parties agree to sign this Agreement by electronic signature (whatever form the electronic signature takes), then this method of signature is as conclusive of the parties’ intention to be bound by this Agreement as if signed by each party’s manuscript signature.

Status of Parties. Nothing in this Agreement shall create, or be deemed to create, a partnership or joint venture or relationship of employer and employee or principal and agent between the parties.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets out the entire understanding of the parties in relation to its subject matter and supersedes any prior understanding or agreement between the parties whether oral or written. Nothing in this Agreement shall, however, limit or exclude any liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction. This Agreement and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty or otherwise shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Iowa, and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Iowa Courts, to which the parties irrevocably submit.