CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
CIVIS Media Prize 2025
1. European CIVIS Media Prize
1.1 Awards will be given to contributions on television, radio, Internet and cinema that address the topics of migration, integration, cultural diversity and – linked to this – social cohesion in Europe in an outstanding manner. The prizes are worth a total of 27,000 euros.
1.2 The submitted contributions must have been published for the first time between 20 January 2024 and 12 December 2024. The closing date for submissions is 12 December 2024. For the CIVIS VIDEO AWARD and the YOUNG C. AWARD, productions can also be submitted that have not yet been released, but were screened for the first time at a festival in the above-mentioned period. The festival must be based in the EU or Switzerland.
1.3 The CIVIS prizes are awarded in a total of four fields and in several categories – as the VIDEO AWARD | AUDIO AWARD | YOUNG C. AWARD | CINEMA AWARD (audience award).
1.4 The CIVIS TOP AWARD additionally honours the best contribution of the year in the fields of AUDIO, VIDEO and YOUNG C. No direct entries can be accepted for the CIVIS TOP AWARD.
1.5 All entries must be submitted unchanged in the published form or in the form shown at the festival. They may not contain any (surreptitious) advertising and/or paid product placements. Magazine contributions are to be submitted without a lead-in, opening credits or jingle.
1.6 Participating radio and television broadcasters, production companies, streaming services, training centres and festivals must be based in the EU or Switzerland.
2. CIVIS Media Prizes and Categories
2.1 CIVIS TOP AWARD
From the CIVIS Prize – AUDIO | VIDEO | YOUNG C. categories. Prize money 15.000 EUR
2.2 CIVIS VIDEO AWARD
TV | Internet Documentaries | Reports | Magazine shows |
Short films| Feature films | Social media formats, etc.)
CIVIS VIDEO AWARD Information Prize money 2.000 EUR
CIVIS VIDEO AWARD Fiction Prize money 2.000 EUR
CIVIS VIDEO AWARD Social Media Prize money 2.000 EUR
2.3 CIVIS AUDIO AWARD
Radio programmes | podcasts
(e.g. reports, features, radio plays, series etc.)
CIVIS AUDIO AWARD short contributions (up to 6 min.) – Prize money EUR 2,000
CIVIS AUDIO AWARD long contributions (6 min. or more) – Prize money EUR 2,000
CIVIS AUDIO AWARD Podcasts – Prize money EUR 2,000
2.4 YOUNG C. AWARD
Film | Social Media
Young innovative programmes. – Prize money EUR 2,000
2.5 CIVIS CINEMA AWARD
The Cinema Award is determined as an audience award via voting on the Internet. From April 2025. With attractive prizes for participants. Direct application for the CIVIS CINEMA AWARD is not possible.
3. CIVIS TOP AWARD
The CIVIS TOP AWARD additionally honours the best production of the year in the AUDIO, VIDEO and YOUNG C. fields. No direct entries can be accepted for the CIVIS TOP AWARD. If the TOP AWARD, endowed with 15,000 EURO, is won, the endowment for the individual prize in the amount of 2,000 EURO will be waived.
4. CIVIS VIDEO AWARD
4.1 The CIVIS VIDEO AWARD is presented for productions in the fields of television and internet in the categories information, fiction and social media. All creative forms are permitted.
4.2 Short contributions and magazine shows can participate in the CIVIS VIDEO AWARD without being individually assessed.
4.3 All TV broadcasters, TV production companies, streaming services and providers of online videos
(social media formats – moving images) from within the EU and Switzerland can submit competition entries. All rights to the submitted production must have been secured.
4.4 Productions must be submitted in German or English or with appropriate subtitles from the original language into German or English.
4.5 New: For series and multi-part films, only one episode can be submitted.
4.6 Submitted social media formats (moving images) are required to be accessible online during the observation period of the call for entries from 12 December 2024 to 28 February 2025. They must not change during this time. Accessibility is crucial: all social media posts must be accessible in German or English, stating the exact web address (URL).
4.7 For social media formats (moving images), a related story must be submitted as a collage (e.g. as a screenshot via video upload). It must be available in the Story Highlights in German or English during the observation period from 12.12.2024 to 28.02.2025. For each entry submitted, a URL must be provided that leads directly to the Story Highlights.
5. CIVIS AUDIO AWARD
5.1 The CIVIS AUDIO AWARD is presented to German-language audio or radio contributions from within the EU or Switzerland. It is divided into categories for short contributions (up to six minutes), long contributions (between six minutes and120 minutes max.) and podcasts (original podcasts, 120 minutes max.). All forms of production are eligible.
5.2 All radio stations and online providers of audio features within the EU and Switzerland can take part in the competition. All rights to the submitted production must have been secured.
5.3 All forms of audio contributions are eligible – from classic reports, features, portraits, audio dramas, podcasts, through interviews, comedies, collages, to interactive shows or campaigns.
5.4 Musical sections may be abridged, provided the editorial content and overall impression remain intact. Any abridgements must be noted on the online submission form.
5.5 New: For series or multi-part contributions, only one episode can be submitted. Theme days or programme campaigns can only be submitted in three parts, each lasting a maximum of 120 minutes.
5.6 The submitted podcasts must be accessible online during the observation period of the call for entries from 12.12.2024 to 28.02.2025. They must not change during this time. Accessibility is crucial: all podcasts must be accessible in German with the exact web address (URL).
5.7 The AUDIO jury will select five podcasts for online voting from the submitted entries. The podcast prize is an audience award and will be determined from these five entries via online voting.
6. YOUNG C. AWARD – age limit applies
6.1 The YOUNG C. AWARD is presented for film, TV and Internet (social media formats – moving images). All forms of pro- duction are eligible. Participants may not be older than 38 years of age.
6.2 All TV broadcasters, TV production companies and providers of online videos (social media formats – moving images) can submit entries. The same applies to all film and TV schools, journalism schools, academies and universities for journalism, communications and media within the EU and Switzerland. All rights to the submitted production must have been secured.
6.3 The productions submitted for the YOUNG C. AWARD must be publicly broadcast or accessible or have been officially recognized as a final project in the main course of study of the respective training program (academy, university, etc.).
6.4 Productions must be submitted in German or English or with appropriate subtitles from the original language into German or English.
6.5 Submitted social media formats are required to be accessible online during the observation period of the call for entries from 12 October 2024 to 28 February 2025. They must not change during this time. Accessibility is crucial: all social media posts must be accessible in German or English, stating the exact web address (URL).
6.6 For social media formats, a related story must be submitted as a collage (e.g. as a screenshot via video upload). The story must be available in the story highlights in German or English during the observation period from 12 December 2024 to 28 February 2025. For each entry submitted, a URL must be provided that leads directly to the Story Highlights.
6.7 New: For series or multi-part contributions, only one episode can be submitted.
7. Registering for the competition
7.1 Start of the CIVIS Competition 2025 is 31.10.2024. The closing date for entries is 12.12.2024.
7.2 You must register for the CIVIS Media Prize competition online using the online registration form at www.civismedia.eu/en/.
7.3 A brief description must be submitted for each entry. This content summary should be between minimum 700 and maximum 2,000 characters. This must be submitted in German or English.
7.4 All co-production partners must be listed on the registration form. The agreement of all co-producers to take part in the CIVIS competition is required.
7.5 Incomplete or incorrect information may result in disqualification from the CIVIS competition.
8. Registering competition entries
8.1 Once you have submitted the fully completed online registration form, you will receive a competition number (registration) for each individual entry. Each competition entry must be registered individually.
8.2 For every audio, film, TV or social media format (moving images) submitted for the competition, an audio or video file must be uploaded along with the fully completed online registration form.
8.3 Radio productions must be submitted as audio files in MP3 format with data rates between 128 kbit/s and 192 kbit/s, at a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz. Video formats must be submitted in MP4 format – at least in HD 1280x720p resolution, codec H264, 6-8 Mbit/s, 25 fps with a maximum size of 5 GB.
8.4 We process personal data in compliance with the relevant data protection provisions in accordance with our privacy policy, which is available here: https://www.civismedia.eu/datenschutz.
9. Reimbursement of costs
9.1 The organiser will not reimburse any costs for documents or materials submitted for the competition. Transport, customs and insurance costs will not be covered by CIVIS. Submitted materials will not be returned and will become the property of the CIVIS Media Foundation.
10. CIVIS Selection Committee and Prize Jury
10.1 An independent commission compiles a selection of particularly outstanding contributions, which is put before the jury. The selection committee consists of experts from the media, culture and science fields. The decision of the selection committee is final.
10.2 An independent jury decides on the selection of nominees and award winners. The jury will also select five podcasts for the public vote. The jury is made up of experts from the media, culture and science fields. The jury’s decision is final.
11. Announcement of award winners
11.1 The nominees for the CIVIS Media Prize 2025 will be announced before the award ceremony – the winners will only be announced during the award ceremony.
12. Public reproduction
12.1 The CIVIS Media Foundation and the cooperation partners of the CIVIS Media Foundation (available at www.civismedia.eu/medienstiftung/partner) have the right to publicly reproduce excerpts of the audio and video contributions submitted to the competition – also in connection with other productions or works. This includes the right to show them and to broadcast them on radio, television and on their websites, including media libraries and third-party platforms (e.g. Facebook, YouTube, X, Instagram), and to make them available free of charge as part of the coverage of the award ceremony.
12.2 In particular, individual images, photos and/or excerpts, etc. from the submitted audio and video contributions may also be used by the CIVIS Media Foundation and its cooperation partners in connection with the award ceremony and reporting on it. CIVIS may also grant these rights to third parties for press and public relations work on its activities.
12.3 Submitters ensure and guarantee that they are entitled to exercise all the necessary copyright, performing rights and other rights to use the submitted material in accordance with Points 12.1 and 12.2, that they can dispose of these rights and that they have obtained any consent required under personality law. They release the CIVIS Media Foundation and/or authorised persons from any third-party claims in accordance with Points 12.1 and 12.2.
13. Declaration of consent
13.1 By registering for the CIVIS Media Prize 2025, you accept these participation conditions. Incomplete or incorrect infor- mation may result in disqualification from the competition. Incomplete or incorrect information may lead to disqualification from the competition.
13.2 The jury’s decision is final.
Header: CIVIS Media Foundation/ Bernhard Ludewig | edited