2019 The Virginias AP Broadcasters Awards

Tuesday, May 5, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Students from Marshall University’s public radio station, WMUL-FM, received two (2) first place awards and four (4) second place awards in the metropolitan classification during the seventh annual “The Virginias” Associated Press Broadcasters awards ceremony. The awards ceremony took place online Saturday, May 2, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Chuck G. Bailey, professor of radio-television production and management in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University and faculty manager of WMUL-FM, said for the third time the university’s radio station competed in the Radio I/ Metropolitan Division with the major commercial and noncommercial radio stations from throughout the two states. He added, “Winning the 2019 Best Station Promo and Best Sports Play-by-Play first place awards are an amazing accomplishment considering that Best Station Promo is a new category entry for WMUL-FM and the FM 88 Sports Staff now has won Best Sports Play-by-Play for three straight years in the Radio I/Metropolitan Division while competing against veteran broadcasting professionals working for all the major news/sports talk radio stations across both West Virginia and Virginia. Also, this contest marks the first year in the Radio I/Metropolitan Division that WMUL-FM has placed simultaneously in both Outstanding News Operation and Outstanding Sports Operation. These six total awards won this past weekend helps to build upon another successful award-winning year and demonstrates the value of this campus radio station to Marshall University, the College of Arts and Media and the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.”

First Place Award Winning Entries

Best Sports Play-by-Play

WMUL-FM’s broadcast of College Insider.com Tournament Championship Marshall men’s basketball versus University of Wisconsin Green Bay played at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, West Virginia, Thursday, April 4, 2019. The students calling the men’s basketball game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:

Best Station Promo

“WMUL Sports Flavor Parlor” an in-house promotional announcement broadcast in WMUL-FM’s Promotion Announcement rotation Thursday, December 2, 2019, and is still in rotation was written and produced by.
Tyler Kennett, a sophomore from Rock, West Virginia.

Second Place Award Winning Entries

Outstanding News Operation for the Virginias

The Newscenter 88 Team led during 2019 calendar year by WMUL-FM News Director Makaylah Wheeler, a junior from Huntington, West Virginia.

Best Station Promo

“WMUL Cult” an in-house promotional announcement broadcast in WMUL-FM’s Promotion Announcement rotation Thursday, September 26, 2019, and is still in rotation was written and produced by Zane Bowles, a junior from Sandstone, West Virginia and features the primary voice talents of Zane Bowles, and the background cult chanting talents of David Adkins, a junior from Huntington, West Virginia; Derrick Bowen, a junior from Huntington, West Virginia; Haley Brown a freshman from Weirton, West Virginia; Andrew Corliss, a sophomore from Evans, West Virginia; Ashley Ross, a junior from Huntington, West Virginia; Tristan Shepard, a junior from Prichard, West Virginia; and Wesley Steele, a sophomore from Flatwoods, Kentucky.

Outstanding Sports Operation for the Virginias

The FM 88 Sports Staff led during 2019 calendar year by WMUL-FM Sports Director Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania.

Best Sports Play-by-Play

WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall Football versus Virginia Military Institute (VMI) played at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday, August 31, 2019. The students calling the football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:

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