Best in Broadcasting Spectrum Awards
The Indiana Broadcasters Association is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of TV and Radio in the state over the past year. Watch the 2020 Spectrum Awards by clicking the video above and a list of winners and finalists can be found below.
Full Interview with Quinn Buckner
Indiana basketball legend – College and NBA champion and Olympic Gold Medalists – Quinn Buckner sits down with WISH-TV’s Sports Director Anthony Calhoun to discuss his legacy in the state, the Indiana Pacers unique season and what local broadcasting means the to Hoosiers.
Full Interview with Tamika Catchings
Indiana basketball icon and current Indiana Fever General Manager Tamika Catchings chats with Woof Boom Radio’s Mark Foerster about the importance of local broadcasting in helping her share her story and the work of her Catch The Stars Foundation as well as looks back on the Fever’s 2019-2020 campaign and looks ahead to the future of the organization.
Full Interview with Brad Long “Buddy”
Brad Long who played “Buddy” in the movie Hoosiers talks with WEVV Sports Reporter Andrew Garcia about his experience on set, what the movie means to the state and what lessons can be learned from the film more than three decades later.
Full Interview with author Bob Garner
2020 Spectrum Awards Finalists
Click a button below to jump to the Finalists for that market.
Winners will be announced on Thursday, October 22nd during a special virtual program at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Ind.
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
Radio One (Indianapolis) – Radio One Indianapolis Stop the Music Suicide Prevention Radio Block
Deon Levingston – Vice President / General Manager
WJLT-FM (Evansville) – Keep My Kingdom Clean
Liberty DeWig – Brand Manager / Morning Co-Host
WTRC-FM (Mishawaka) – St. Margaret’s House Radiothon
Jon Zimney – Program Director
Commercial
WRBR-FM (South Bend) – Justin Elias State Farm “Ask Questions”
Warren Kluck – Talent / Writer / Producer, Jason Lee – Talent / Writer
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
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
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
WBDC-FM (Jasper) – Ty and Beezer in the Morning
Ty Hunter – Morning DJ, Brian Schwenk – Program Director
WKOA-FM (Lafayette) – Shamus and Annie in the Morning
Mike Shamus – Host, Annie James – Host
Sports
WXFN-FM (Muncie) – Mark Foerster Play-by-Play
Mark Foerster – Sports Director
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
Best Promotional Campaign
WHPZ-FM (Bremen) – Pulse FM Downtown Summer Series
Tim Denniston – Production Manager
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
Best Newscast
WVIG-FM (Brazil) – WVIG 9am News
Frank Rush – News Director
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
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
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
WCOE-FM (LaPorte) – Pronounced Jie-Roe
Dennis Siddall – Morning Host / Voice Talent, Jeff Wuggazer – Production Director
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
WRTV – WRTV in the Community
WRTV Staff
WISH – School Lessons on TV
Roxie Meo – Producer, Shawn Pierce – Producer
WISH – Gr8 Paper Push
Trey Friedrichs – Producer, Ethan Butt – Producer
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
WTHR – Veteran’s eBay Find
Dustin Grove – Reporter, Clint Erbacher – Photojournalist
WTHR – More than a Park
Dustin Grove – Reporter, John Duong – Photojournalist
WISH – Former Drug Addict Goes Viral Again
Dan Klein – Reporter
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
WEHT (Evansville) – Local Community Involvement
Shane Boles – Creative Services Producer/Editor
WBND (South Bend) – #MICHIANAUNITED
Kyle Fobe – News Director, Nishan Gilmet – Creative Services Director
WYIN (Merrillville) – Race and Justice: Here and Now
Matt Franklin – Producer
Local Impact Reporting
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
WANE (Ft. Wayne) – Disturbing Discovery
Kaitor Kay – Reporter, Randi Orr – Videographer
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
WPTA (ABC) (Fort Wayne) – Matt Leach Weathercast
Matt Leach – Chief Meteorologist
WANE (Fort Wayne) – Nicholas Ferreri
Nicholas Ferreri – Chief Meteorologist
WEHT (Evansville)- Your Weather Authority-Record Cold Snap
Wayne Hart – Meteorologist
Sportscast
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
WBND (South Bend) – ABC57 Saturday Kickoff Notre Dame v. Virginia
Heather Ferrell – Executive Producer, Allison Hayes – Anchor, Vahid Sadrzadeh – Reporter, Karla Rodriguez – Reporter
WTWO (Terre Haute) – WTWO Sports: Goin’ to the Endzone
Grant Pugh – Sports Director, Omar Tellow – Sports Anchor/Reporter
Commercial
WEHT (Evansville) – Trinity Hip Hop
Neil Kellen – Creative Services Producer/Editor
WEHT (Evansville) – KY RV Sales Chase the Adventure
Shane Boles – Creative Services Producer/Editor
WTWO (Terre Haute) – Climbing Cafe
TJ Baysinger – Creative/Promotions Producer