GLAAD Media Awards Categories

English-Language

Film - Wide Release
Film must be released by a recognized film distribution company, and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. "Wide Release" will be defined by a combination of number of screens played, budget, and visibility. Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director, writer, and/or actors may accept.

Film - Limited Release
Film must be released by a recognized film distribution company, and play and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. "Limited Release" will be defined by a combination of number of screens played, budget, and visibility. Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director, writer, and/or actors may accept.

Documentary
Documentaries must either be televised in more than one local market, or be released theatrically. If released theatrically, film must be released by a recognized distribution company, and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. If televised, the broadcast date must be no more than two (2) years after the completion of the film. Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director and/or person(s) featured in the film may accept.

Comedy Series
Given to a comedy series which has a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character in a lead, supporting or recurring role. Award is given for content throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Drama Series
Given to a drama series which has a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character in a lead, supporting or recurring role. Award is given for content throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Individual Episode (in a series w/o a regular LGBT character)
Recognizes one episode or story arc which had outstanding LGBT content in a comedy or drama series which does not regularly include a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character. Receives Award: Award is given to the episode. Producer, director, writer and/or actors may accept.

Television Movie or Mini-Series
Given to a made-for-television movie or mini-series. Receives Award: Award is given to the film or mini-series. Producer, director, writer and/or actors may accept.

Talk Show Episode
Recognizes one episode of a daytime, primetime or late night talk show which featured an outstanding discussion of LGBT issues. Multiple episodes of the same show may be nominated. A show must not have had any offensive episodes throughout the rest of the year. Receives Award: Award is given to the episode. Producer, host and/or person(s) featured on the show may accept.

Daily Drama
Given to a series which airs daily during daytime, primetime, or late-night hours. The series must feature a lead, supporting or recurring LGBT character. Award is given for content throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Reality Program
Given to a program that depicts actual people and/or events and includes LGBT people as participants, hosts, and/or judges. The show's premise, circumstances or situations are manipulated for the purpose of creating the program, and may include contrived or staged elements. The category includes shows that are not a contest, as well as shows that give a prize or is itself a contest and/or competition. Award is given for LGBT content throughout the entire series. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, host, and/or participants may accept.

TV Journalism – Newsmagazine
Recognizes long-form journalism, including but not limited to: newsmagazine segment, one-hour journalism feature (i.e., Frontline), late night broadcast (i.e., Nightline). Multiple episodes/segments of the same show may be nominated. Receives Award: Award is given to the segment or entire show (if it's a stand-alone feature program.) Producer, journalist and/or persons featured in the story may accept.

TV Journalism Segment
Recognizes spot-news and short-form journalism, including but not limited to: nightly news story, morning show story, cable news program, news talk segment. Multiple episodes/segments of the same show may be nominated. Receives Award: Award is given to the segment. Producer, journalist and/or persons featured in the story may accept.

Newspaper Overall Coverage
Given to a daily or non-daily newspaper for the quantity and quality of its coverage throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the newspaper. Publisher, news editor and/or prominent journalist may accept.

Newspaper Article
Given to an individual article or series of articles in a daily or non-daily newspaper. More than one article from an individual newspaper may be nominated. An article may be nominated even if the newspaper itself is also nominated for Overall Coverage. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist and/or news editor may accept.

Newspaper Columnist
Columnists will be nominated based on their two strongest columns throughout the year. (A columnist must have a minimum of two excellent columns to be nominated.) The two columns will be used as the basis of comparison by voters. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the columnist. Columnist may accept.

Magazine Overall Coverage
Given to a magazine for the quantity and quality of its coverage throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the magazine. Publisher, editor and/or prominent journalist may accept.

Magazine Article
Given to an individual article or series of articles in a magazine. More than one article from an individual magazine may be nominated. An article may be nominated even if the magazine itself is also nominated for Overall Coverage. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist and/or editor may accept.

Digital Journalism Article
Given to an article or series of articles which are exclusive to an online news site. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist may accept.

Digital Journalism – Multimedia
Given to a video, slide show, or other multimedia story which is exclusive to an online news site. Receives Award: Award is given to the multimedia piece. Journalist or executive producer may accept.

Outstanding Blog
Given to an individual or group blog based on the quantity and quality of their coverage throughout the year. Blog must be independent and not part of a larger recognized media outlet. Blog may consist of original material and/or aggregated content with original commentary. Receives Award: Award is given to the blog editor. Blog editor or contributors may accept.

Music Artist
Given to an openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender music artist who released a full-length or EP-length album during the current eligibility period. The album must be sold through a major music retail store and/or a major online music store. The artist may be nominated even if there are no lyrics explicitly about gay issues. Media interviews, public statements and other information may be considered when selecting nominees and winners. Receives Award: Award is given to the artist. Artist may accept.

Comic Book
Given to a comic book published by the four mainstream publishers and their subsidiary labels: Dark Horse, DC, Image, and Marvel. At GLAAD's discretion, a comic book from another publisher may be nominated if the book achieves a level of visibility and impact similar to a mainstream publisher. The comic book may be nominated for an individual issue, a story arc or a recurring LGBT character. Receives Award: Award is given to the comic book. Writer, artist and/or editor may accept.

New York Theater – Broadway & Off Broadway

New York Theater – Off-Off Broadway

Los Angeles Theater
The theater award is by its very nature a local award. Therefore, each city must have its own nominee selection committee. Following are guidelines for all theater committees:

Plays nominated in other cities: Each city may nominate plays which have already received a GLAAD nomination in other cities.

Multiple Nominations: Once a play has been nominated in a given city, it is no longer eligible for nomination in that city.

Revivals: Revivals may be considered within the limits described above. However, the committee must consider whether the revival brings anything new to the production. Is there anything bold and original about this revival?

One Person shows: Juries may consider one-person shows for nomination.

Performance Art: Juries may consider performance art pieces for nomination.

Readings, improvisational shows, and one-night only performances are not eligible for nomination.

Receives Award:Award is given to the play. Writer, director and/or actors may accept.

Special Recognition
Special Recognition may be awarded to outstanding media representations which do not meet the criteria of any of the approved Categories. Special Recognition includes a listing in the program book and in the Nominee press release. The award is not necessarily given out onstage, however recipients will receive an award statue.

Spanish-Language

Novela
Given to a series which airs daily during daytime, primetime, or late-night hours. The series must feature a lead, supporting or recurring LGBT character. Award is given for content throughout the entire novela. Receives Award:Award is given to the novela.Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Daytime Talk Show Episode
Recognizes one episode of a daytime talk show which featured an outstanding discussion of LGBT issues. Multiple episodes of the same show may be nominated. A show must not have had any offensive episodes throughout the rest of the year. Receives Award:Award is given to the episode.Producer, host and/or person(s) featured on the show may accept.

Talk Show Interview
Recognizes an interview conducted during a primetime or late night talk show or journalism show which featured an outstanding discussion of LGBT issues. Multiple interviews from the same show may be nominated. A show must not have had any offensive episodes throughout the rest of the year. Receives Award:Award is given to the interview.Producer, host and/or person(s) featured on the show may accept.

TV Journalism – Newsmagazine
Recognizes long-form journalism, including but not limited to: newsmagazine segment, one-hour journalism feature (i.e., Frontline), late night broadcast (i.e., Nightline). Multiple episodes/segments of the same show may be nominated.Receives Award:Award is given to the segment or entire show (if it's a stand-alone feature program.)Producer, journalist and/or persons featured in the story may accept.

TV Journalism Segment
Recognizes spot-news and short-form journalism, including but not limited to: nightly news story, morning show story, cable news program, news talk segment. Multiple episodes/segments of the same show may be nominated. Receives Award:Award is given to the segment. Producer, journalist and/or persons featured in the story may accept.

Newspaper Article
Given to an individual article or series of articles in a daily or non-daily newspaper. More than one article from an individual newspaper may be nominated. An article may be nominated even if the newspaper itself is also nominated for Overall Coverage. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award:Award is given to the article. Journalist and/or news editor may accept.

Digital Journalism Article
Given to an article or series of articles which are exclusive to an online news site. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist may accept.

Music Artist
Given to a music artist who released a full-length or EP-length album during the current eligibility period. The album must be sold through a major music retail store and/or a major online music store. The artist may be nominated even if there are no lyrics explicitly about gay issues. Media interviews, public statements and other information may be considered when selecting nominees and winners. Receives Award:Award is given to the artist. Artist may accept.

Additional Information

Submission Form with instructions (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
How Nominees & Award Recipients are Selected
Official GLAAD Media Awards Categories
Información en Español