Indiana broadcasters have done incredible work over the past year and the IBA will, again, recognize the Best in Broadcasting during the 2021 Spectrum Awards. New this year are categories recognizing outstanding broadcasting related to the 2020 election and COVID-19.
This year’s finalists are announced below. The IBA will announce the winners October 27 at the annual Indiana Broadcasters Conference at the 502 East Event Centre in Carmel.
RADIO MARKET 1 (EVANSVILLE, FT. WAYNE, INDIANAPOLIS, SOUTH BEND)
Station of the Year
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis)
WOWO-AM (Fort Wayne)
WRBR-FM (South Bend)
Broadcast Personality or Team
WAJI-FM (Fort Wayne) – Andy in the Morning
WFMS-FM (Fishers) – Jim, Deb & Kevin
WLDE-FM (Fort Wayne) – Jim, Carrie & Angie in the Morning
Sports Coverage
WAOR-FM (Ligonier) – Froggy High School Game of the Week Sectional Championship Elkhart vs. Chesterton 11-6-20
WNDE-AM (Indianapolis) – Fighting Irish Win 13th High School Football State Championship
WOWO-AM (Fort Wayne) – Jackson Game Winner (Snider v. Carroll)
Best Promotional Campaign
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – WIBC Mobile News
WIKY-FM (Evansville) – Brightest House on the Block
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – Remembering Rush Limbaugh WTRC-FM
Best Newscast
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – April 16th, 2021 7 a.m. Newscast
WIKY-FM (Evansville) – WIKY News at Noon
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – Jon Zimney and Brooklyne Beatty MNC News, March 4, 2021
Local Community Involvement
WBYT-FM (Elkhart) – Pink Up Michiana
WKDQ-FM (Evansville) – 911 Gives Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – 10th Annual Five Star Life Radiothon WTRC-FM April 22-23, 2021
Commercial
WAJI-FM, WLDE-FM & WGBJ-FM (Fort Wayne) – Granite City
WAOR-FM (South Bend) – Monterrey Mexican Grill “Dear Tacos”
WIKY-FM (Evansville) – Evansville Wartime Museum Warbird Weekend
Best Investigative Reporting
WOWO-AM (Fort Wayne) – Blakeslee at the Border
General News Story
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – A Speedway Story
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – Understanding the Colonial Pipeline Attack
WOWO-AM (Fort Wayne) – Vice President Mike Pence to Visit Fort Wayne
2020 Election Coverage
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis)
COVID-19 Initiatives
WIBC-FM (Indianapolis) – Hoosiers Helping Heroes
WIKY-FM (Evansville) – COVID-19 Local Impact Information
WOWO-AM (Fort Wayne) – COVID At Year One
RADIO MARKET 2
Station of the Year
WERK-FM (Muncie)
WLQQ-FM (West Lafayette)
WVUB-FM (Vincennes)
Broadcast Personality or Team
WERK-FM (Muncie) – Broadcast Personality, Start Your Day with Jay_2021
WKOA-FM (Lafayette) – Mac & Annie in the Morning on K-105
WLQI-FM (Rensselaer) – Touhyville Show with Steve Touhy & Chrissy Martin
Sports Coverage
WBDC-FM (Hungtingburg) – Southridge Basketball
WHZR-FM (Royal Center) – Two State Championship Broadcasts in Same School Year
WSHY-AM (Lafayette) – Purdue Volleyball Play by Play
Station Promotional Campaign
WHME-FM, WHPZ-FM (South Bend) – Debt Destroyer
WMPI-FM (Scottsburg) – Bohemian Treasure Hunt 2021
WQLK-FM (Richmond) – KICKS 96 Drive Away (Car Giveaway)
Newscast
WBST-FM (Muncie) – “All Things Considered” Newscast, July 14, 2021, 4:04 p.m.
WHON-AM (Centerville) – 101.7 The Point – Mask Serial Killers
WVIG-FM (Seelyville) – Frand Rush Newscast #2
Local Community Involvement
WLBC-FM and WERK-FM (Muncie) – Lifting Up Local 2020
WQLK-FM (Richmond) – KICKS 96 Roof Sit for Kash for Kids, Benefitting Toys for Tots
WVUB-FM (Vincennes) – 5th Annual Shopping Cart Showdown
Commercial
WFNB-FM (Brazil) – Pappys-MEATstrosity
WFNB-FM (Brazil) – Pappys-Patio
WHON-AM (Centerville) – Richmonds Complete 3rd Little Pig
Investigative Reporting
WBPE-FM (Lafayette) – Talk Shop With A Cop
WYGB-FM (Edinburgh) – The Wall That Heals Franklin
WYGB-FM (Edinburgh) – Johnson County Today – Life of a Police Officer
General News Story
WBST-FM (Muncie) – Muncie Largey Opposes YMCA Tuhey Park Plan at Community Meeting
WLBC-FM (Muncie) – General News Story 2021
2020 Election Coverage
WKVI-FM (Knox) – State Legislative Candidates Weigh-in on Education Funding, Quality of Place
COVID-19 Initiatives
WBST-FM (Muncie) – The Ball State Pandemic Update
WLBC-FM (Muncie) – COVID-19 Initiatives
WVUB-FM (Vincennes) – Best COVID-19 Initiatives
TV MARKET 1(INDIANAPOLIS ONLY)
Station of the Year
WISH (Indianapolis)
WTHR (Indianapolis)
WTTV (Indianapolis)
News Feature/Use of Medium
WRTV (Indianapolis) – Mobile Barbershop
WTHR (Indianapolis) – “That Meatball tastes Like Gasoline”
WTTV (Indianapolis) – 500 Wins & History Made
Local Community Involvement
WISH (Indianapolis) – GR8 Pasta Push
WRTV (Indianapolis) – WRTV in the Community
WXIN (Indianapolis) – Fox59 Packs the Pantries
Investigative Reporting
WISH (Indianapolis) – WISH-TV Fights Government Paycheck
WRTV (Indianapolis) – Crisis on the Creek
WTHR (Indianapolis) – Hey, IRS! I’m Not Dead!
General News Story
WTHR (Indianapolis) – Soap Box Granny
WTHR (Indianapolis) – Murals with a Meaning
WTTV (Indianapolis) – Emotional Toll of Frontline Workers
Weather Coverage
WISH (Indianapolis) – Evening Weather with Chief Meteorologist Ashley Brown
WTHR (Indianapolis) – Weather Aware: The Big Snow
WTTV (Indianapolis) – Preparing for an Indiana Winter
Sports Coverage
WISH (Indianapolis) – The Zone
WTTV (Indianapolis) – Qualifying for the Grand Prix
WXIN (Indianapolis) – FOX59 Sports Overtime at the 500
Commercial
WISH (Indianapolis) – Crew Carwash
WRTV (Indianapolis) – Choice Therapy
WTHR (Indianapolis) – Valle Vista Health System – Addiction
2020 Election Coverage
WRTV (Indianapolis) – 2020 Election Coverage
WTHR (Indianapolis) – Decision 2020
WXIN/WTTV (Indianapolis) – Elections During a Pandemic
Station Promotional Campaign
WISH (Indianapolis) – Vaccine Central PSA Promotion 03-2021 through 07-2021
WRTV (Indianapolis) – Toy Drive Christmas Village
WXIN (Indianapolis) – Welcome Back, Lindy
COVID-19 Initiatives
WRTV (Indianapolis) – Faces of COVID
WRTV (Indianapolis) – We’re Open, Indy!
WXIN/WTTV (Indianapolis) – COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall
TV MARKET 2
Station of the Year
WANE (Fort Wayne)
WBND (South Bend)
WTWO (Terre Haute)
News Feature/Use of Medium
WBND (South Bend) – Armchair Quarterback
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – 21 Country: Dewy’s Bottle Museum
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – The 500s Big Fan
Local Community Involvement
WANE (Fort Wayne) – WANE 15 Founder’s Day of Caring Community Harvest Food Drive
WBND (South Bend) – 57 Minute Miracle
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – Art Starts Here
Investigative Reporting
WBND (South Bend) – COVID-19 and Crime – Justice for Emma
WBND (South Bend) – Shots Fired: The Eric Logan Investigation
WTWO (Terre Haute) – If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere – The Lowell Badger Case
General News Story
WEVV (Evansville) – Connecting Farmers
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – Murals with a Meaning
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – Photographer Shares “Voices” of Protest
Weather Coverage
WBND (South Bend) – ABC57 First Warning Neighborhood Weather
WEHT (Evansville) – Small Tornado – Big Lesson
WEVV (Evansville) – 44 News at 5 – Severe Storm Coverage
Sports Coverage
WEHT (Evansville) – Off the Gridiron – Andrew Kulinski
WLFI (Lafayette) – Hoops in the Heartland Special
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – Zach Groth Sports – Steury’s Story
Commercial
WEHT (Evansville) – Beer Snob
WNDU (South Bend) – Five Star Painting Commercial
WTWO (Terre Haute) – We Don’t Need Roads
2020 Election Coverage
WBND (South Bend) – ABC57 Your Voice, Your Vote 2020
WEHT (Evansville) – Your Local Election Headquarters
WTWO (Terre Haute) – 2020 Election: Vigo County’s Bellwether
Station Promotional Campaign
WNDU (South Bend) – 16 Morning News Now “Great Days Start” Campaign
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – Know Before You Mow
WPTA (Fort Wayne) – StormTracker Launch
COVID-19 Initiatives
WEVV (Evansville) – Hoosiers Forced to Pay Back Unemployment
WNDU (South Bend) – The Lost Year: Setbacks and Successes
WNDU (South Bend) – COVID Reality: A Skeptic’s Story
