KPR wins 15th Station of the Year award
LAWRENCE — KPR’s trophy case is getting awfully crowded.
Kansas Public Radio was named Station of the Year by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters in the Medium Market Radio category Monday, Aug. 19. This was the third consecutive year KPR competed in the Medium Market category, which pits KPR against commercial and non-commercial stations. In previous years, KPR had competed — and won 12 times — in the Non-Commercial Station category.
KPR doesn’t compete in many of the categories, such as sports play-by-play or 60-second commercial, so other stations could have had an advantage. But KPR News Director J. Schafer said that the high-quality news and music shows KPR presents more than make up for that.
“KPR swept the News Feature category, and took two of the three places in Public Affairs Program, Complete Newscast, Spot News and Editorial/Commentary,” Schafer said. “That shows the strength of our reporting, editing and story-telling.”
It’s the 15th time KPR has won the top annual prize from the KAB since the award's inception in 1996. That makes 15 times in 18 years. The actual award will be presented to KPR at the KAB’s annual convention in October, which will take place in Manhattan this year.
Individual awards:
Complete News Feature/Enterprise
First place: Bryan Thompson, "Hands-On Class Teaches Teens to Drive Smart"
Second place: Bryan Thompson, "Tracking Asteroids from a Backyard in Kansas"
Honorable mention: Stephen Koranda, "Kansas Bets on Tax Cuts to Spur Economic Growth"
Public Affairs Program
First place: "Right Between the Ears," Darrell Brogdon, producer
Second place: "KPR Presents: KPR’s 60th Anniversary Part 1," Kaye McIntyre, producer
Spot News
First place: Stephen Koranda, "Real Christmas Tree Returns in Cedar Crest Mansion"
Honorable mention: Bryan Thompson, "Future Uncertain for KU Med School in Salina"
Complete Newscast
Second place: Laura Lorson, "All Things Considered"
Honorable Mention: J. Schafer, "Morning Edition"
Editorial/Commentary
Second Place: Cheryl Unruh, "Love’s Pure Light on the High Plains"
Honorable Mention: Roger Martin, "Mom on Medicaid: Have Entitlements Become a Dirty Word in the Season of Giving?"
Special Program
Second Place: "A Night on the Town: The 1920s," George Harter, producer
DJ personality Aircheck
Honorable Mention: Darrell Brogdon, "Retro Cocktail Hour"
KPR, a 15-time Kansas Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year, licensed to KU, broadcasts on 91.5 FM in Lawrence, 89.7 FM in Emporia, 91.3 FM in Olsburg-Junction City, 89.9 FM in Atchison, 90.3 FM in Chanute, and 99.5 FM and 97.9 FM in Manhattan. KPR can be heard online here. KPR also operates KPR2, a news-talk programming stream, which can be heard on an HD receiver or on KPR’s website.