KJHK 90.7 FM, the student-run radio station at the University of Kansas, recently received 24 broadcasting awards – more than any other college or university media outlet in the state – from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. The 2014 KAB award count is a record for KJHK, exceeding the previous station record of 20 KAB awards received in 2013.
KJHK students brought in awards for undergraduate radio news and sports coverage, graduate radio programming, and the station’s website, www.kjhk.org. In the graduate radio division, KJHK students won 10 of the 11 honors awarded. A full list of KJHK’s 2014 KAB Student Broadcasting Awards is included at the end of this release.
The 2014 Student Broadcasting Awards, organized by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, are given as part of a statewide contest that recognizes outstanding student work in media across nearly 20 categories, with entries submitted by student radio and television stations. Colleges and universities of all sizes compete in the undergraduate and graduate divisions; KAB also honors work by high school students and interns in separate categories. The 2014 honorees were announced on Monday, March 17. Student winners from the KJHK Sports Staff attended an awards luncheon at the annual KAB Student Seminar on Tuesday, April 1 in Salina, bringing home plaques for all student winners.
KJHK students were recognized for state honors in radio and television categories, and won first-place undergraduate awards in categories including Hard News, Enterprise News, News Feature, Sports Feature, Sportscast and Station Website. This is the second consecutive year www.kjhk.org has been awarded top state honors in the website category. KJHK’s graduate students took first place in categories including Station Promotional Announcement, Hard News, Enterprise News, News Feature, Documentary, Entertainment Program and Promotional Activity.
“Over the past several years we’ve really committed to the idea that college radio can be so much more than merely FM radio,” said KJHK Station Manager Lucas Homer, who won first place in the graduate radio Station Promotional Activity category for the 2013 KJHK Farmers’ Ball, a local battle of the bands.
“Through investment in equipment, technology, and most importantly developing student leaders, we’ve built a space that allows the freedom to be wildly creative and to produce compelling original content,” Homer said. “Whether it is videos, podcasts, blogs or live events, we’re always looking for ways to further connect with our listeners in a way that celebrates the KJHK identity and our surrounding community. These awards are a validation of that philosophy.”
KJHK also recently won five regional honors in the Mark of Excellence Awards contest, hosted by the Society of Professional Journalists. Student work recognized by SPJ included KJHK News pieces in the In-Depth Reporting and Features Reporting categories, and Best Affiliated Website for www.kjhk.org.
On Friday, March 28, KJHK Program Coordinator Margaret Hair spoke with reporter Cailey Taylor of “Good Morning KU” about the student-run radio station’s recent honors. A clip of that interview is available at http://ustre.am/_34Ngk:22wi.
Full list of KJHK 2014 honors from the KAB Student Broadcasting Awards:
- 2nd place public affairs program, undergraduate radio – Claire McInerny, Wil Kenney – “Student Senate Election Special”
- 1st place hard news package, undergraduate radio – Christine Noriega – “Q&A with Queers and Allies”
- 2nd place hard news package, undergraduate radio – Kaitlin Brennan – “Changing Laws of Digital Privacy”
- 1st place enterprise news package, undergraduate radio – Beth Fentress – “Censorship and Controversial Art”
- 1st place complete news feature, undergraduate radio – Kalen Stockton – “War of the Worlds in Context”
- 2nd place complete news feature, undergraduate radio – Wil Kenney – “Quidditch on Campus”
- 3rd place complete news feature, undergraduate radio – Beth Fentress – “Wonder Fair Gallery”
- 1st place complete sports feature, undergraduate radio – Brennan Keller, Zach Stegenga – “Wayne Simien interview”
- 2nd place complete sports feature, undergraduate radio – Farzin Vousoughian – “Blake Schuster interview”
- 1st place sportscast, undergraduate radio – Farzin Vousoughian, Ben Allen, GJ Melia, Roderick Baugh – “The Jayhawk Zone, Feb. 10, 2014”
- 2nd place sportscast, undergraduate radio – Alex Blau, Shane Jackson – “Pre-game show, KU vs. OSU MBB”
- 1st place station website, undergraduate radio – Sarah Brennan, Taylor Umbrell, Marc Schroeder – www.kjhk.org
- 2nd place station promotion announcement, undergraduate TV – Michael Engelken, Taylor Umbrell – “Live @ KJHK promotional video”
- Honorable mention station promotion announcement, undergraduate TV – Matt Primovic, Maranda Jones, Jake Waters, Lucas Homer, Claire McInerny, Marc Schroeder – “Sh*t DJs Do training video”
- 1st place station promotion announcement, graduate radio – Scott Ross – “Dancing Bear Variety Hour: Kanye”
- 2nd place station promotion announcement, graduate radio – Vince Meserko – “The Jookhouse promo”
- 1st hard news package, graduate radio – Scott Ross – “Chris Snipes: Images of Our Town”
- 1st place enterprise news package, graduate radio – Scott Ross – “Food Utopias”
- 1st place complete news feature, graduate radio – Scott Ross – “Tolkien in the Park: A Day with Dagorhir”
- 2nd place complete news feature, graduate radio – Justin Wilson – “Backpacks: Tools, Fashion Accessories, Personal Statements”
- 1st place documentary, graduate radio – Scott Ross – “Not-so-distant Africa”
- 1st place entertainment program, graduate radio – Scott Ross, Justin Wilson, Phil Garland – “Dancing Bear Variety Hour episode 3”
- 2nd place entertainment program, graduate radio – Sara Leavens – “Sunflower Reading Series episode 3”
- 1st place promotional activity, graduate radio – Lucas Homer – Farmers’ Ball 2013
KJHK, a 2600-watt FM station serving the University of Kansas and the surrounding area since 1975, focuses on showcasing new independent music as well as providing innovative news, sports, and local music coverage, programmed entirely by KU students. The station is staffed by nearly 150 student volunteers and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It enjoys a broad and loyal listenership, but also delivers on an important mission. KJHK also provides content on its website at www.kjhk.org, and through its iPhone app.
KJHK is a student organization administered through the Union Programs Office of the KU Memorial Unions, a not-for-profit affiliate of the University of Kansas. The station provides KU students with a unique and personal development experience centered in the communication of culture and the cultivation of leadership. More information about KJHK can be found at www.kjhk.org.