April 14, 2023
Wildcat Electronic Media students earn record number of awards from Kansas Association of Broadcasters
After a historic showing in 2022, Kansas State University's student-run radio station KSDB-FM Wildcat 91.9 and television broadcast KKSU-TV Channel 8 smashed their previous records at the 2023 Kansas Association of Broadcasters annual awards for college media. Under the collective banner of Wildcat Electronic Media, Wildcat 91.9 and Channel 8 took honors in 93.5% of all KAB categories.
Furthermore, the students of Wildcat Electronic Media swept all places in five categories: Best Episodic Entertainment Program (audio), Best Social Media (audio), Complete Sports Feature (visual), On-Air Personality (audio), and Public Affairs/Talk Show Program (audio).
Despite tough competition, Wildcat Electronic Media won 19 out of 31, or 61.2%, of all first-place finishes. No other university in Kansas had more than five first place finishes. Overall, 46.5% of all recognitions in the college division went to K-State radio, TV, or digital content creators.
"Truly an amazing showing," said Andrew Smith, multimedia news director and professor of practice of the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication. "Last year we had awards in nine categories, and this year we had awards in 11. We easily tripled the next closest university in total awards between radio and TV and almost quadrupled the next closest in first place finishes. Cheers to the students!"
Ian Punnett, Wildcat 91.9 chief operator/faculty advisor and professor of practice, agrees that although both K-State radio and TV students have a lot to be proud of, "Our strength grows with every incoming class of high school students and transfers."
These awards come not long after Wildcat Electronic Media was recognized with several awards at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems Awards ceremony in New York City, including Wildcat 91.9 earning the title of Best College Radio Station in the Country.
Below is a full list of Kansas Association of Broadcasters awards earned by Wildcat Electronic Media students:
60 Second or less Commercial-PSA or non-com donor announcement, audio
First place: Blake Crawford, Chili Crawl Promotion.
Best episodic entertainment program, audio
First place: Dawson Wagner, K-State Today Events.
Second place: Adolfo Blanco, Dungeons and Dragons: The Nat 1 Podcast – Heads Go Rollin'.
Best Feature, audio
First place: Hannah Whetstone, "The Farm Report with Hannah Whetstone."
Second place: Dawson Wagner, "K-State Ukrainian Student shares his hopes for the future of his home."
Best Feature, visual
First place: Kate Kennedy, "Fighting Food Insecurity One Meal at a Time."
Best General News Story, audio
First place: Dawson Wagner, "Manhattan sees over $11 million in storm damage."
Best General News Story, video
First place: Dawson Wagner, "Aggieville Employee Parking Problem."
Second place: Landon Reinhardt, "New EMS Station to Cut Response Time."
Best Newscast, audio
First place: Hannah Whetstone, Feel Good News from the Farm.
Second place: Dawson Wagner, Voter Registration and Ukraine Newscast.
Best Newscast, visual
First place: Eden Brockman, Dawson Wagner, Andrew Shaw, Landon Platter, Brianna Palmer and Blake Crawford, Channel 8 News Spring 2023-February 23, 2023.
Honorable mention: Lina Sattarin, Claiborn Schmidt, Landon Reinhardt and Kate Kennedy, Channel 8 News Spring 2022, March 9, 2022.
Best Podcast, audio
First place: Dawson Wagner, "The Sands of Time – Speech Therapy."
Best Podcast, visual
First place: "Kolby Van Camp – Kolby Van Camp Wildcat Podcast."
Best Social Media, audio
First place: Kansas State University Audio, Wildcat 91.9 Social Media.
Second place: Kansas State University Audio, The Big 12 Championship.
Honorable mention: Hannah Whetstone, Hannah Whetstone on Social Media.
Best Social Media, visual
First place: Dawson Wagner, K-State's Snowy 160th Birthday.
Best Special Programming, audio
Honorable mention: Lanie Henry and Hailey Case, Lanie and Hailey highlight the Grammys.
Best special programming, visual
First place: Jacob Hall, Dawson Wagner, Blake Crawford, Landon Platter, Aaron Magill and Ryan Zielsdorf, MHK All-Day: 2022 Sports Special.
Best Sportscast, audio
First place: Kolby Van Camp and Anthony Georges, Oklahoma State vs K-State Football Pre-Game Show.
Best Sportscast, visual
Honorable mention: Blake Crawford, Sports Update Feb. 23, 2023.
Complete Sports Feature, audio
First place: Brody Zwiebel, K-State Esports feature.
Complete Sports Feature, visual
First place: Jacob Hall, Opera Play-by-Play.
Second place: Landon Reinhardt, Rowing with the K-State Crew.
Honorable mention: Dawson Wagner, How does the Big-12 Championship Happen?
On-Air Personality, audio
First place: Lanie Henry and Hailey Case, "The Lanie & Hailey Show."
Second place: Kolby Van Camp, "Training Camp with Kolby Van Camp."
Honorable mention: Dawson Wagner and Max Lansdowne, "The Daily Wave Morning Show."
On-Air Personality, visual
Honorable mention: Dawson Wagner, Channel 8 News.
Public Affairs/Talk Show Program, audio
First place: Kolby Van Camp, "Training Camp with Kolby Van Camp."
Second place: Anthony Georges, "Ad Astra Sports special interview with Will Howard & Ty Zentner"
Honorable mention: Blake Crawford and Jon Grove, "The Shake N Blake Show."
Public Affairs/Talk Show Program, visual
First place: Eden Brockman and Dawson Wagner, "Political Polarization in Kansas: Channel 8 News Special Report."
Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter, audio
Honorable mention: Anthony Gorges and Kolby Van Camp, Big 12 Championship Color Commentary.
Sports Play-by-Play, audio only
Second place: Anthony Gorges, Play-by-Play K-State Football vs. Texas.
Honorable mention: Kolby Van Camp, Overtime of KU vs. K-State Basketball Game.
Station Promotion Announcement, audio
Second place: Dawson Wagner, "Can we just play some new music please."
Station Website, audio
Second place: Dawson Wagner, Kolby Van Camp and Brody Zwiebel, Wildcat 91.9 Website.
Station Website, visual
Second place: Brody Zwiebel, Wildcat Electronic Media: Channel 8 News.