The Indiana Broadcasters Association is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of TV and Radio in the state over the past year. Below is a list of the 2020 Spectrum Awards finalists.
Winners will be announced on Thursday, October 22nd during a special virtual program at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Ind.
2020 Spectrum Awards Finalists
Radio Market 1
(Evansville, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend)
Station of the Year
Broadcast Personality or Team
WFMS-FM (Indianapolis) – Jim, Deb & Kevin
Kevin Freeman – Morning Co-Host
WLDE-FM (Ft. Wayne) – Jim, Carrie & Angie in the Morning
Chris Didier – Operations Manager
WYXB-FM (Indianapolis) – Mornings with Sean Copeland
Sean Copeland – Morning Show Host
Sports
WNDE-AM (Indianapolis) – Indianapolis Cathedral Upsets Louisville Trinity
Scott Uecker
WKJG-AM (Ft. Wayne) – Local Sports Update – June 2020
Caleb Hatch – Sports Reporter
Best Promotional Campaign
WAOR-FM (Mishawaka) Celebrating Seniors
Zach Miller – Program Director
WIKY-FM (Evansville) The WIKY Morning Show
Aaron Santini – Program Director
WYXB-FM (Indianapolis) B105.7 Christmas Choir Competition
Sean Copeland – Program Director
Best Newscast
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – John Herrick June 1st 2020
John Herrick – Anchor
WOWO-AM (Ft. Wayne) – Morning Newscast June 1st 2020
Darrin Wright – News Director
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – Carl & John
Jon Zimney – Morning Anchor, Carl Stutsman – Reporter
Local Community Involvement
WJLT-FM (Evansville) – Keep My Kingdom Clean
Liberty DeWig – Brand Manager / Morning Co-Host
Radio One (Indianapolis) – Radio One Indianapolis Stop the Music Suicide Prevention Radio Block
Deon Levingston – Vice President / General Manager
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – St. Margaret’s House Radiothon
Jon Zimney – Program Director
Commercial
WFRN-FM (South Bend) – Roto Rooter – It Won’t Go Down
Cody Collier – Program Director
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – Bare Arms – Annual Campaign
Dan Osborne – Creative Services, Emmett Andrews – Creative Services
WRBR-FM (South Bend) – Justin Elias State Farm “Ask Questions”
Warren Kluck – Talent / Writer / Producer, Jason Lee – Talent / Writer
Local Impact Reporting
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – Coronavirus Infects Indiana
Chris Davis – News Director
WJLT-FM (Evansville) – COVID-19 Response
Liberty DeWig – Brand Manager / Morning Co-Host
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – MNC Coronavirus Update Series
Jon Zimney – Program Director
Radio Market 2
Station of the Year
Broadcast Personality or Team
WBDC-FM (Jasper) – Ty and Beezer in the Morning
Ty Hunter – Morning DJ, Brian Schwenk – Program Director
WHON/WQLK-FM (Richmond) – Kelley & Ray TODAY – Morning Show 101.7 the Point
Kelley Cruse-Nicholson – Morning Show Co-Host, Ray Wagner – Morning Show Co-Host
WKOA-FM (Lafayette) – Shamus and Annie in the Morning
Mike Shamus – Host, Annie James – Host
Sports
WHON/WQLK-FM (Richmond) – Richmond Red Devil Basketball vs. Greenfield Central Cougars
Michael Paul – Sports Play-by-Play
WSHY-AM/FM (Lafayette) Purdue Volleyball
Daniel Gillman – Purdue Volleyball Play-by-Play Host
WXFN-FM (Muncie) – Mark Foerster Play-by-Play
Mark Foerster – Sports Director
Best Promotional Campaign
WBDC-FM (Jasper) – WBDC’s Morning Brainteaser
Ty Hunter – Morning DJ
WLBC-FM (Muncie) – Hoosier Heroes
Kim Morris – On-Air, Lindsay Stafford – Local Sales Manager
WHPZ-FM (Bremen) – Pulse FM Downtown Summer Series
Tim Denniston – Production Manager
Best Newscast
WHON/WQLK-FM (Richmond) – COVID-19 Testing and Recovery, May 29, 2020
Jeff Lane – News Director
WLBC-FM (Muncie) – Newscast 2020
Steve Lindell – News Director
WVIG-FM (Brazil) – WVIG 9am News
Frank Rush – News Director
Local Community Involvement
WHPZ-FM (Bremen) –One Beautiful Night with Pulse FM
Tim Denniston – Production Manager, Melanie Bizoe – Promotions Director
WXXB-FM (Lafayette) – Feeding the Frontline
Joe Lacay – Program Director, Logan – Middays
WZWZ-FM (Kokomo) – Z92.5 Little Black Dress Event
Jessica Green – Operations Manager/Morning Show Co-Host
Commercial
WCOE-FM (LaPorte) – Pronounced Jie-Roe
Dennis Siddall – Morning Host / Voice Talent, Jeff Wuggazer – Production Director
WLOI-AM (LaPorte) – He’s the Man
Jeff Wuggazer – Production Director, Eric Gaunt – Local Voice Actor, Matt Moore – Co-Owner / Writer, Anjy Schweder – Account Manager
WQLK-FM (Richmond) – Scary Hallows
Michael Paul – Production Director, Nathan Pentecost – Voice Talent
Local Impact Reporting
WBPE-FM (Lafayette) – Erik Wake and Capt. Art Choate
Erik Wake – Program Director/Afternoon Host
WLPR-FM (Merrillville) – Quarantining in Crown Point
Lakeshore Public Radio News Team
WYMR-FM (Culver) – Proposed Marshall County Jail Expansion
Anita Goodan – News Director
TV Market 1
(Indianapolis only)
Station of the Year
News Feature/Use of Medium
WISH – Patrol Surprises Grandmothers After Robbery
Brooke Martin – Reporter, Alexander Hadley – Photojournalist, Trey Friedrichs – Producer
WISH – James Dean: A Hometown Boy
Phil Sanchez – Reporter, Alex Hadley – Photojournalist, Trey Friedrichs – Producer
WTHR – A Moment of Distraction
Steve Jefferson – Reporter, Steve Rhodes – Multi-Media Journalist
Local Community Involvement
WISH – School Lessons on TV
Roxie Meo – Producer, Shawn Pierce – Producer
WISH – Gr8 Paper Push
Trey Friedrichs – Producer, Ethan Butt – Producer
WRTV – WRTV in the Community
WRTV Staff
Local Impact Reporting
WTHR- Gasping for Care
Bob Segall – Investigative Reporter, Steve Rhodes – Photojournalist, Bill Ditton – Photojournalist, Mehak Sandhu – Graphic Designer, Jason Richards – Graphic Designer, Shelby Simpson – Photojournalist, Cyndee Hebert – Producer, Susan Batt – Producer, Scott Hums – Digital Director
WTHR – Surprise Justice
Rich Nye – Reporter, Ryan Thedwall – Photojournalist
WTHR- Who’s Keeping Watch?
Sandra Chapman – Investigative Reporter, Bill Ditton – Photojournalist, Frank Young – Photojournalist
General News Story
WISH – Former Drug Addict Goes Viral Again
Dan Klein – Reporter
WTHR – More than a Park
Dustin Grove – Reporter, John Duong – Photojournalist
WTHR – Veteran’s eBay Find
Dustin Grove – Reporter, Clint Erbacher – Photojournalist
Weather
WISH – Ashley Brown Weather
Ashley Brown – Chief Meteorologist
WRTV – WRTV Weather
WRTV Staff
WTHR – Sean Ash Weather
Sean Ash – Meteorologist
Sportscast
WISH-TV – The Zone
Anthony Calhoun – Sports Director, Ross Bolin – Sports Producer, Brian Eckstein – Sports Producer
WRTV – WRTV Sportscast
WRTV Staff
Commercial
WRTV – WRTV Commercial
WRTV Staff
WTHR – American Water Heater Service “Family”
Neil White – Writer/Producer/Editor
WTHR – BAGI “Build Your Future America”
Neil White – Writer/Producer/Editor
TV Market 2
Station of the Year
News Feature/Use of Medium
WBND (South Bend) – Fight for Life: Jojo Strong
Allison Hayes – Reporter, Vahid Sadrzadeh – Photographer/Editor, Heather Ferrell – Producer
WPTA (NBC) (Fort Wayne) – Prayers for Ruby
Tom Powell – Reporter
WPTA (NBC) (Fort Wayne) – Stories to Spare
Luke Secaur – Producer/MMJ
Local Community Involvement
WBND (South Bend) – #MICHIANAUNITED
Kyle Fobe – News Director, Nishan Gilmet – Creative Services Director
WEHT (Evansville) – Local Community Involvement
Shane Boles – Creative Services Producer/Editor
WYIN (Merrillville) – Race and Justice: Here and Now
Matt Franklin – Producer
Local Impact Reporting
WANE (Ft. Wayne) – Disturbing Discovery
Kaitor Kay – Reporter, Randi Orr – Videographer
WBND (South Bend) – Coronavirus in Michiana
Kyle Fobe – News Director, Mandi Steffey – Asst.News Director, Brian Conybeare – Managing Editor, Vahid Sadrzadeh – Anchor, Brenda Koopsen – Investigative Reporter, Jonathan Bailey – Reporter, Tana Kelley – Reporter, Aaron Stevens – Producer, Naja Woods – Producer, Pierce Turner – Producer
WEVV (Evansville) – Post Super Bowl Newscast
Warren Stewart – Executive Producer/Producer, Mitch Angle – Director, Tyler Druin – Reporter, Erran Huber – Reporter, Kory Kempf – Photographer, Cameron Hopman – Meteorologist, Megan DiVenti – Reporter, Eli Williams – Photographer, Hayden Crane – Photographer, Townsend Outlaw -Producer
General News Story
WANE (Fort Wayne) – Fort Wayne Protests
Randi Orr – Videographer
WLFI (Lafayette) – COVID Changes Family Visits at Retirement Home
Anna Darling – Journalist
WLFI (Lafayette) – Lafayette George Floyd Protest NATPACK
Ryan Delaney – Photojournalist
Weather
WANE (Fort Wayne) – Nicholas Ferreri
Nicholas Ferreri – Chief Meteorologist
WEHT (Evansville)- Your Weather Authority-Record Cold Snap
Wayne Hart – Meteorologist
WPTA (ABC) (Fort Wayne) – Matt Leach Weathercast
Matt Leach – Chief Meteorologist
Sportscast
WBND (South Bend) – ABC57 Saturday Kickoff Notre Dame v. Virginia
Heather Ferrell – Executive Producer, Allison Hayes – Anchor, Vahid Sadrzadeh – Reporter, Karla Rodriguez – Reporter
WNDU (South Bend) – Countdown to Kickoff
Tom Cullen – Executive Producer, Mark Skol – Sports Anchor, Chuck Freeby – Sports Anchor, Jeanne Obringer – Editor, Megan Smedley- Reporter, Lindsay Stone – Reporter, Bobby Hensley – Photographer, Chris Skibbe – Photographer/Editor
WTWO (Terre Haute) – WTWO Sports: Goin’ to the Endzone
Grant Pugh – Sports Director, Omar Tellow – Sports Anchor/Reporter
Commercial
WEHT (Evansville) – KY RV Sales Chase the Adventure
Shane Boles – Creative Services Producer/Editor
WEHT (Evansville) – Trinity Hip Hop
Neil Kellen – Creative Services Producer/Editor
WTWO (Terre Haute) – Climbing Cafe
TJ Baysinger – Creative/Promotions Producer
