Monday, December 16, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Students, the faculty manager and a community volunteer from Marshall University’s public radio station, WMUL-FM, received three (3) Platinum Awards, six (6) Gold and three (3) Honorable Mention Awards in the MarCom Creative Awards 2024 Competition. The winners were announced via an email received by WMUL-FM on November 7, 2024.
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, “Earning three platinum awards is an outstanding accomplishment in recognizing our WMUL-FM student broadcasters for creating a unique auto racing program, producing an insightful hard news reporting package and a community volunteer producing an enjoyable specialty music program. Gold awards went for interviewing HerdCon’s celebrity presenter, reporting about a tornado warning, producing an album analysis, publishing a monthly newsletter and the FM 88 Sports Staff’s sports reporting on the academic year in review as well as the first female runner from Marshall to qualify for nationals. In addition, WMUL-FM student broadcasters were acknowledged as having created a clever post about the Whizzbangers Ball, along with worthy posts by the radio station’s social media team to Instagram. I am proud and grateful for the honor these MarCom Creative platinum, gold and honorable mention awards bestow on WMUL-FM, the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications and Marshall University. These MarCom Creative Awards are a tribute to the continual quality and commitment of the radio station’s student and community volunteer staff to its news/sports coverage by both our Newscenter 88 Team and our FM 88 Sports Staff as well as our social media team.”
The MarCom Creative Awards contest is an international competition that recognizes achievement by marketing and communication practitioners. Entries are judged by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. There were more than 6,500 entries in the MarCom Creative Awards 2024 Competition from the United States, Canada and 52 other countries.
The MarCom Creative Award’s prestigious Platinum Award is presented to those entries judged to be among the most outstanding entries in the competition. Platinum Winners are recognized for their excellence in terms of quality, creativity and resourcefulness. Platinum Winners are listed on the MarCom Creative Awards website at www.marcomawards.com.
The Gold Award is presented to those entries judged to exceed the high standards of the industry. Honorable Mention certificates are granted to those entries that meet the expectations of the judges.
Winners of the MarCom Creative Awards Platinum and Gold Awards come from radio stations, advertising and public relations agencies, corporate communication departments, educational institutions, government entities, designers, writers, video production professionals, broadcast and cable operations and other businesses and individuals.
Platinum Award Winning Entries
AUDIO PODCAST | ENTERTAINMENT SINGLE EPISODE
“SpeedZone: Episode Thirty-Four,” an hour-long, live, weekly motorsports program, with host Ben Cower, a senior from Purcellville, Virginia, and panelists Sean Kelly, a senior from State College, Pennsylvania, and Dale Garrett, a senior from Huntington. This thirty-fourth episode of “SpeedZone”, featuring Ona Speedway Track Promoter TJ Layne, was broadcast Thursday, May 2, 2024.
AUDIO/PODCAST INFORMATIONAL SINGLE EPISODE – NEWS PACKAGE
“Outside Looking In” written and produced by Nathaniel Harrah, a junior from Hurricane, broadcast during “The 5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Friday, November 17, 2023, and made available online.
“Outside Looking In” is a Special Feature on Craig T. Greenlee, the main speaker and other visitors who attended the Tuesday, November 14, 2023, “Marshall Memorial Fountain Ceremony.”
AUDIO/RADIO PROGRAM
“Album Sides” is a two-hour music program with host Alex Kendall, a community volunteer, featuring different eras of music. This edition focused on “Irish Rock” and was broadcast Monday, March 11, 2024.
Gold Award Winning Entries
VIDEO/FILM SPECIAL EVENT
WMUL-FM’s Exclusive “HerdCon Preview” features American comic book writer and columnist Beau Smith from Kenova, West Virginia. Smith is best known for his work for DC Comics, Image Comics, IDW Publishing and as vice president of marketing for Eclipse Comics. Makaylah Wheeler, a graduate student from Huntington, served as the host of the program and conducted the live interview of this preview program. The producers of the interview session were Emma Gallus, a junior from North Dinwiddie, Virginia, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin. The program was broadcast over WMUL-FM’s YouTube channel and posted online Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
AUDIO/RADIO/SINGLE EPISODE – NEWS PACKAGE
“Tornado Warning,” written and produced by Nathaniel Harrah, a junior from Hurricane, broadcast during “The 5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Tuesday, April 2, 2024, and made available online.
AUDIO/RADIO/SINGLE EPISODE – SPORTS PACKAGE
“Abby Herring, the First Female Runner to Qualify for Nationals,” written and produced by Ben Anderson, a junior from Ironton, Ohio, broadcast during “Herd Roundup,” Friday, November 17, 2023, and made available online.
VIDEO/AUDIO PODCAST/EDUCATIONAL SINGLE EPISODE
“Academic Year in Review” written and produced by John Boggess, a recent graduate from St. Albans; Ben Cower, a senior from Purcellville, Virginia; Luke Hamilton, a recent graduate from South Point, Ohio; Emma Johnson, a junior from Peach Creek; Jonathan Edwards, a recent graduate from Culloden; Ben Anderson, a junior from Ironton, Ohio; Nate Courtney, a junior from Fairfax, Virginia; Ben Westfall, a senior from Huntington; Sean Kelly, a senior from State College, Pennsylvania; and Ray Rynearson, a recent graduate from Deposit, New York. The review program was broadcast Thursday, May 2, 2024.
PUBLICATIONS/BLOG ENTERTAINMENT SINGLE POST
“Album Analysis – Something Greater – alexi” a blog written by Ethan Peltier, a senior from Proctorville, Ohio, was posted Monday, July 15, 2024. Also, he generated the blog post’s artwork.
https://www.marshall.edu/wmul/files/Untitled-design-7.mp4?_=1
CREATIVITY/WRITING NEWSLETTER
“WMUL-FM Newsletter for September” was written and published by Emma Gallus, a junior from Dinwiddie, Virginia. The newsletter was posted Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
Honorable Mention Award Winning Entries
PUBLICATIONS/BLOG ENTERTAINMENT SINGLE POST
“Whizzbangers Ball 2024” was written by Jonathan Edwards, a recent graduate from Culloden, and Emma Gallus, a junior from Dinwiddie, Virginia. The blog was posted online Friday, June 14, 2024.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING VIDEO
“Getting to Know the Law” Episode 2: Title IX is an informational series filmed in partnership with Marshall University’s General Counsel Office as an informational guide for students and their parents about the basics of Title IX legislation. The episode was produced and directed by Makaylah Wheeler, WMUL-FM Station Manager, and Dr. Charles G. Bailey, WMUL-FM Faculty Manager. The series was first available for playback on the WMUL-FM YouTube page as well as on the General Counsel’s website on Monday, April 15, 2024.
The hosts for this episode are the following Marshall University Staff:
Jendonnae Lycan- former Senior Associate General Counsel
Jessica Rhodes- Title IX Coordinator
BEST SOCIAL MEDIA – INSTAGRAM
WMUL’s FM 88 Instagram social media account is recognized for its use during radio station events throughout the 2023-24 academic year. The WMUL-FM Instagram social media account was overseen by Social Media Team members Samantha Riddle, a junior from Huntington, and Julia McAndrews, a junior from Charleston.
https://www.instagram.com/wmul_radio/
For more information on the MarCom Creative Awards, media members may contact:
The MarCom Creative Awards
Contact: Charissa Jenkins
127 Pittsburg Street
Dallas, Texas 75207
(214) 377-3524
Email: info@marcomawards.com