Stepping Stone - Specific Terms and Conditions

Your Pathway into the Music Industry

Important: These specific terms (the "Specific Terms") should be read alongside Bauer Media’s current General Terms and Conditions for competitions (the "General Terms"). If there is a conflict, these Specific Terms prevail.

1. The Competition

• Steppingstone (the "Competition") is a talent competition designed to identify and support emerging music talent in Ireland.
• The participating stations are Today FM, 98FM, SPIN 1038, SPIN South West, iRadio, Beat and Red FM.

2. Entry route and cost

• Entry is available by submitting an application by email to the address specified by the participating station and following all instructions given on the relevant station website or entry form.
• Online or email entry is free of charge, although entrants are responsible for their own internet, data and other access costs.
• An entry must include all information and materials requested on the relevant entry form. Incomplete, late, inaccessible, or otherwise deficient entries may be rejected.

3. Entry limit

• Entries are restricted to one entry per act.
• For the purposes of this Competition, an "act" includes an individual artist, singer, songwriter, DJ, band, group, producer or performer.
• An act must not submit multiple entries using different names, email addresses, contact details or line-ups for the purpose of circumventing this restriction. Where an individual is part of more than one genuinely distinct act, eligibility remains subject to the Promoter’s reasonable assessment and the General Terms.
• Multiple entries made in breach of this section may be disqualified.

4. Entry period

• The Competition opens on 5 October 2026 (the "Start Date") and closes on 13 November 2026 (the "Closing Date").
• Entries received before the Start Date or after the Closing Date will be invalid.
• The closing time on 13 November 2026 will be the time stated on the relevant station website or entry form. If no closing time is stated, entrants should submit their entry before the end of that calendar day.

5. Eligibility and entry restrictions

• Entrants must satisfy the eligibility requirements in the General Terms and any additional requirements stated on the relevant station website or entry form. Entrants should be over 18 years of age.
• Entrants must have the legal right and authority to submit all music, audio, images, videos, names, performances and other materials included in their entry, and must have obtained all necessary permissions from other members of the act and relevant third parties.
• Employees of Bauer Media, participating stations, prize providers and companies directly involved in administering the Competition, together with their immediate families, are not permitted to enter.
• The Promoter may request evidence of identity, age, authority to act for the act, ownership or licensing of submitted material, and compliance with these Specific Terms.

6. Competition mechanic and judging

• All valid entries will be reviewed by the Managing Editors of the participating stations together with the Music Content Editor.
• Each participating station will select the act whose work best aligns with that station’s audience and brand.
• The judging process may take into account the quality, originality, suitability, audience appeal and overall potential of the entry. The Promoter may apply additional judging criteria stated on the entry form or station website.
• The Promoter’s decision is final, subject to the General Terms and applicable law.

7. Winners and notification

• One winning act may be selected for each participating station, subject to the number of qualifying entries received and the Promoter’s decision.
• Winners will be contacted using the details supplied with their entry. Entrants are responsible for ensuring that those details are accurate and monitored.
• If a selected winner cannot be contacted, does not respond within the period specified by the Promoter, does not satisfy the eligibility requirements or cannot accept the prize; the Promoter may withdraw the offer and select an alternative winner.
• By submitting your application, that the applicants consent to being contacted by BMAI for the purposes of carrying out the competition.

8. The prize and winner experience

• Each station winner will receive broadcast and promotional support, which may include airplay on the winning stations playlist, an on-air interview opportunity and social media promotion across station channels. These elements are subject to agreement with the relevant station’s Managing Editor.
• Winners will be invited to Marconi House, Dublin, for an industry development day during the week commencing 25 January 2027. The anticipated experience includes 90 minutes of studio time with a professional sound engineer, recording of a demo track, professionally produced promotional video content, and practical industry coaching and guidance.
• Coaching topics may include music rights and licensing, social media, artist marketing, securing radio airplay in Ireland, and business, tax, legal and career fundamentals.
• All elements are subject to availability, operational requirements, and any reasonable changes made by the Promoter. No cash alternative is available. Travel, accommodation, subsistence, and other expenses are not included unless expressly confirmed in writing.

9. Submitted material, intellectual property and consents

• By entering, entrants confirm that their entry is original or properly licensed and does not infringe any third-party rights.
• Entrants authorise the Promoter and participating stations to review, copy, edit, reproduce, broadcast, publish and otherwise use submitted entry materials for administering, judging and publicising the Competition and the participating stations, in accordance with the General Terms.
• Entrants agree that the Promoter may film, record or photograph them in connection with the Competition or prize and may use the resulting material for broadcast, online, social media and promotional purposes, subject to applicable law and the General Terms.
• Each person appearing or performing in submitted material must have consented to its submission and use. The act’s nominated contact is responsible for obtaining and retaining those permissions.

10. Data protection

• Personal information submitted with an entry will be used to administer and fulfil the Competition, assess entries, contact entrants and winners, arrange prize elements, manage publicity and comply with legal or regulatory obligations.
• Information may be shared with participating stations, service providers, production partners and prize providers where necessary for those purposes.
• Entrants should read the privacy information presented with the entry form and Bauer Media’s current privacy policy. Marketing communications will only be sent where there is an appropriate lawful basis, including consent where required.
• By submitting an entry, you consent to all personal information provided to being processed by BMAI for purposes of administering the competition.
• Personal data will only be retained for the duration of the competition or up to 1 year, after which it will be deleted.

11. Disqualification, cancellation and technical issues

• Entries that do not comply with these Specific Terms or the General Terms may be rejected or disqualified.
• The Promoter is not responsible for entries that are lost, delayed, corrupted, incomplete or not received because of technical, network, email, file-format or other problems outside its reasonable control.
• The Promoter may cancel, suspend, amend or end the Competition where reasonably necessary because of circumstances outside its control or to protect the security, fairness or integrity of the Competition.

12. Contact and Promoter

• Questions or concerns should be sent to the contact address published on the relevant participating station website or entry form.
• The Specific Terms published for the Competition must identify the correct Bauer entity acting as Promoter and provide its registered-office details before publication.

Note: These terms and conditions shall be governed by Irish law, and the courts of Ireland shall have exclusive jurisdiction