Kansas Public Radio wins Station of the Year for record 21st time

LAWRENCE — Kansas Public Radio, based at the University of Kansas, has earned the Station of the Year award for a record 21st time from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB). The KAB announced the award Aug. 18. The Station of the Year award was first presented in 1996. KPR won the prize that first year and has now earned the KAB’s highest honor more than any other radio or TV station in the state.

In addition to the coveted top prize, the public radio station received 17 individual accolades, including eight first place awards, four second place awards and five honorable mention awards.

The individual honors were earned in hard news feature/enterprise story, station excellence, sports feature, excellence in diversity/equity/inclusion news, station website, public service announcement, editorial/commentary, complete newscast by local station, spot news, special program, excellence in multimedia/digital storytelling and public affairs program. This year’s individual awards for KPR:

Hard News Feature/Enterprise Story

Honorable Mention: “Kansas Governor Promotes $1 Billion Incentives Package to Attract Mystery Manufacturer,” by Jim McLean 

Station Excellence    

First place: Kansas Public Radio, “Winning at Broadcasting Since 1952,” KPR staff 

Sports Feature          

First place: “It’s Rodeo Season in Kansas and a Rodeo Museum May Be in the Works,” by Greg Echlin, J. Schafer (editor)

Second place: “A Man with a Tail, a Crown and a ‘Dream Job’ as the Royals’ Mascot,” by Jim McLean

Honorable Mention: “Kansas Jayhawks Seek Revenge in 16th Final Four Appearance,” by Greg Echlin, J. Schafer (editor)

Excellence in Diversity/Equity/Inclusion News

First place: Conversations: “What’s Up with White Women? Unpacking Sexism and White Privilege in Pursuit of Racial Justice,” by Dan Skinner

Honorable mention: Conversations: “Forever Boy: A Mother’s Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy,” by Dan Skinner

Station Website        

Second place: KansasPublicRadio.org, managed by KPR Staff, Danny Mantyla

Public Service Announcement

Honorable mention: “Stopping the Coronavirus Starts with Me and You,” by Kaye McIntyre, KPR Staff

Editorial/Commentary        

Second place: “Thinking of Baseball in the Cold of Winter and Remembering a Kansas Great,” by Rex Buchanan

Complete Newscast by Local Station

First place: “All Things Considered News with Laura Lorson,” Laura Lorson

Second place: “All Things Considered News with J. Schafer,” J. Schafer

Spot News      

First place: “Right-Wing Extremism Has Been Taking Root in Rural Kansas for Decades,” by Jim McLean

Special Program       

First place: Conversations: “The Sleep Deprived Teen,” by Dan Skinner

Excellence in Multimedia/Digital Storytelling      

First place: The KPR Presents Book Club: “The Queen’s Gambit,” by Kaye McIntyre

Honorable mention: The KPR Presents Book Club: “Sitting Pretty,” with Rebekah Taussig, by Kaye McIntyre

Public Affairs Program       

First place: KPR Presents: “A Remembrance of Bob Dole,” by Kaye McIntyre.

The Kansas Association of Broadcasters recognized this year’s winners at an awards dinner during the KAB Annual Convention in Manhattan on Oct. 24.

KPR, 21-time winner of the KAB’s Station of the Year award, is licensed to the University of Kansas. KPR broadcasts on 91.5 FM and 96.1 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 also be heard online at kansaspublicradio.org. KPR also operates KPR2, a news-talk programming stream, which can be heard on an HD receiver or on KPR’s website.