Marquette, MI – May 2, 2023 – SUNNY 101.9, WKQS-FM has been named Station of the Year in the Commercial Radio Market 4 category by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. The selection comes after the station was recognized with 13 awards in the 2022 Broadcast Excellence Awards and marks the third time in the last four years that station has received the honor.
The station was a winner in multiple categories, including Best Morning Show Team for “Mark & Walt in the Morning”, Best Newscast and Best Breaking News Coverage by News Director Walt Lindala, Best Play-By-Play Sports for Mark Evans and Gregg Nelson’s coverage of Negaunee Miner football, and Best Commercial for Evans, Ava Larson and Eric Tasson.
The station also won Best Feature /Use Of Medium for a special “Night Before Christmas” feature production with actor Barry MacGregor.
SUNNY 101.9 also was recognized with several Merit awards for categories including Investigative Story, Newscast, Feature Programming, Marketing Materials and Promos and Use of New Media.
mediaBrew Communications President/Founder Chuck Williams said , “At mediaBrew, our mission is local coverage with a heavy focus on community involvement. This recognition by our peers in the broadcast industry validates our continued investment in local talent who cover the news, sports and events and activities in our hometown. I’m very proud of our team!”
Other mediaBrew Communications stations and on-air talent recognized at this year’s Broadcast Excellence Awards included “The Sports Drive” local sports talk show with Luke Ghiardi and Tyler Young on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1 and 99.9 as Best Regularly Scheduled Broadcast Team.
A Merit award for Special Show Broadcast was earned by WFXD-FM and producer Eric Scott for the “American Country Gold with Elmer Aho Tribute Show”.
Below are the Broadcast Excellence Awards won this year by mediaBrew Communications:
Morning Show Broadcast Personality or Team
Best – WKQS-FM
Mark & Walt in the Morning
Credits: Mark Evans, Walt Lindala
Play-By-Play Sports
Best – WKQS-FM
Negaunee Miner Football
Credits: Mark Evans, Gregg Nelson
Newscast
Best – WKQS-FM
Newscast 12-27-2022
Credits: Walt Lindala
Merit – WKQS-FM
Newscast 8-25-2022
Credits: Walt Lindala
Breaking News Story
Best – WKQS-FM
Morning Traffic Crash
Credits: Walt Lindala
Commercial
Best – WKQS-FM
Chocolay Lions Club Halloween Party
Credits: Mark Evans, Ava Larson, Eric Scott
Feature/Use of Medium
Best – WKQS-FM
Barry MacGregor Night Before Christmas
Credits: Walt Lindala, Mark Evans
Feature Programming
Merit – WKQS-FM
Heikki Lunta Winter Fest
Credits: Walt Lindala
Investigative Story
Merit – WKQS-FM
Sheriff On Sextortion Suicide
Credits: Walt Lindala
Marketing Materials & Promos
Merit – WKQS-FM
Negaunee Miners Celebrate 25 Years on Sunny 101.9
Credits: Mark Evans, Eric Tasson
Mini-Documentary or Series
Merit – WKQS-FM
Suicide Clean-Up Fund
Credits: Walt Lindala
Use of New Media (Single Project)
Merit – WKQS-FM
Negaunee Miners Sports Broadcasting
Credits: Sabrina Laforais
Use of New Media (All Encompassing)
Merit – WKQS-FM
mediaBrew Quarterly Giveaways
Credits: Sabrina Laforais
Regularly Scheduled Broadcast Personality or Team
Best – FOX Sports Marquette 105.1 WFXD-DT2
The Sports Drive
Credits: Luke Ghiardi, Tyler Young
Special Show Broadcast Personality or Team
Merit – WFXD-FM
Elmer Aho Tribute Show
Credits: Eric Scott
-mediaBrew Communications News
