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2026 NAB Marconi Radio Award Finalists Announced; Four in Michigan!

July 31, 2026

This past Tuesday (7/28), the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced the finalists for the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards.  The finalists in various categories include WJR-AM (Detroit), WIOG-FM (Saginaw) and WDZZ-FM (Flint).  In addition, WLEN-FM (Adrian) President, CEO and General Manager Julie Koehn received a nomination in the Legendary Radio Manager of the Year category.

The winners of the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards will be announced during a special dinner program brought to you by Xperi on Tuesday, October 20, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City, the evening before NAB Show New York 2026 begins. 

Known as “radio’s biggest night,” the annual event brings together broadcasters from across the country to celebrate excellence in radio and recognize the year’s outstanding stations, personalities, podcasts and industry leaders. Tickets, tables and sponsorship opportunities are now available. To learn more or reserve your place, visit NAB.org/Marconis. 

Established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards recognize overall excellence in radio by honoring outstanding stations, on-air personalities, podcasts and industry leaders. 

This year’s NAB Marconi Radio Award finalists: 

LEGENDARY STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KFI-AM, Los Angeles, CA 
  • WCBS-FM, New York, NY
  • WIVK-FM, Knoxville, TN
  • WJR-AM, Detroit, MI
  • WLW-AM, Cincinnati, OH

LEGENDARY RADIO MANAGER OF THE YEAR  

  • Joey Cummings, South Seas Broadcasting Inc., Pago Pago, AS 
  • Tery Garras, KXLY-FM, Spokane, WA
  • Julie Koehn, WLEN-FM, Adrian, MI
  • Mitch Rosen, WSCR-AM, Chicago, IL
  • David Yadgaroff, Audacy, Philadelphia, PA

NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

  • Anna & Raven, WEZN-FM, Compass Media Networks, Metro Fairfield, CT 
  • El Free Guey Show, TelevisaUnivision, Houston, TX
  • Ryan Fox, Westwood One, Dallas, TX
  • Ryan Seacrest, Premiere Radio Networks, Inc., Los Angeles, CA
  • The Bob & Sheri Show, WKQC-FM, Beasley, Charlotte, NC

MAJOR MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

  • The Andie Summers Show, WXTU-FM, Philadelphia, PA 
  • Ellen K, KOST-FM, Los Angeles, CA
  • Patty Jackson, WDAS-FM, Philadelphia, PA
  • Karson and Kennedy, WBMX-FM, Boston, MA
  • Riggs, Katelyn & Erica, KKBQ-FM, Houston, TX

LARGE MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

  • Paul Castronovo, WBGG-FM, Miami, FL 
  • Rebecca Cressman, KSFI-FM, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Karen Dalessandro, KSLX-FM, Phoenix, AZ
  • Heather & Matty, WWLI-FM, Providence, RI
  • Justin, Scott and Spiegel, WIYY-FM, Baltimore, MD

MEDIUM MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

  • The Blake Show with Kelly and Todd, WMGX-FM, Portland, ME 
  • Buzz Jackson, KIIM-FM, Tucson, AZ
  • Joe & Tina Mornings, WZSR-FM, Crystal Lake, IL
  • Ron Olson and Karen Perrin, WRVR-FM, Memphis, TN
  • Ben Davis & Kelly K, WDJX-FM, Louisville, KY

SMALL MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

  • The Cosmo & Kat Show, KTXY-FM, Columbia, MO 
  • Chris Lawrence, WCHS-AM, Charleston, WV
  • Ian Rambo, KQRQ-FM, Rapid City, SD
  • The Ryan Smetzer Show, WIKZ-FM, Hagerstown, MD
  • Stafford and Frigo, KDXY-FM, Jonesboro, AR

MAJOR MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • WBEB-FM, Philadelphia, PA 
  • WBMX-FM, Boston, MA
  • WCBS-FM, New York, NY
  • WSCR-AM, Chicago, IL
  • WTMX-FM, Chicago, IL

LARGE MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KTMY-FM, Saint Paul, MN 
  • WALK-FM, Long Island, NY
  • WHQG-FM, Milwaukee, WI
  • WWRM-FM, Tampa, FL
  • WYXB-FM, Indianapolis, IN

MEDIUM MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • WBTJ-FM, Richmond, VA 
  • WHBC-AM, Canton, OH
  • WMFS-FM, Memphis, TN
  • WPOR-FM, Portland, ME
  • WYCT-FM, Pensacola, FL

SMALL MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KBHP-FM, Bemidji, MN 
  • KMMX-FM, Lubbock, TX
  • KNDE-FM, College Station, TX
  • WIOG-FM, Saginaw, MI 
  • WYOT-FM, Rochelle, IL

ADULT CONTEMPORARY (AC) STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KBIG-FM, Los Angeles, CA 
  • KRWM-FM, Seattle, WA
  • KSTP-FM, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN
  • KUIC-FM, San Francisco, CA
  • WKJY-FM, Long Island, NY

BEST RADIO PODCAST OF THE YEAR  

  • “Flying Through Fog: A Podcast for PANS/PANDAS Caregivers,” WTRC-FM, South Bend, IN 
  • “Purple Daily,” KSTP-AM, Saint Paul, MN
  • “Supporting Sobriety,” WIBC-FM, Indianapolis, IN
  • “The Install with Greg Cosell,” WGFX-FM, Nashville, TN
  • “Uinta Triangle,” KSL-FM, Salt Lake City, UT

CHR STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KNDE-FM, College Station, TX 
  • KQMV-FM, Seattle, WA
  • KRBE-FM, Houston, TX
  • KTXY-FM, Columbia, MO
  • WBLI-FM, Long Island, NY

CLASSIC HITS STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KONO-FM, San Antonio, TX 
  • KOOL-FM, Phoenix, AZ
  • WCBS-FM, New York, NY
  • WGTZ-FM, Dayton, OH
  • WSRV-FM, Atlanta, GA

COLLEGE STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • WHPC-FM, Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY 
  • WMSC-FM, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
  • WOLF Radio, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA
  • WRRC-FM, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ
  • WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ

COUNTRY STATION OF THE YEAR 

  • KCLR-FM, Columbia, MO 
  • KFGE-FM, Lincoln, NE
  • KIKV-FM, Alexandria, MN
  • KKBQ-FM, Houston, TX
  • WUSY-FM, Chattanooga, TN

NEWS/TALK STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KFI-AM, Los Angeles, CA 
  • KXL-FM, Portland, OR
  • WHPT-FM, Tampa, FL
  • WLW-AM, Cincinnati, OH
  • WSB-AM, Atlanta, GA

RELIGIOUS STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • WFMV-AM, Columbia, SC 
  • WGTS-FM, Washington, DC
  • WJOU-FM, Huntsville, AL
  • WLVU-FM, Nashville, TN
  • WMCA-AM, New York, NY

ROCK STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • WIIL-FM, Chicago, IL 
  • WIYY-FM, Baltimore, MD
  • WNCX-FM, Cleveland, OH
  • WPLR-FM, New Haven, CT
  • WXTB-FM, Tampa, FL

SPANISH LANGUAGE STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KOVE-FM, Houston, TX 
  • WAMR-FM, Miami, FL
  • WLZL-FM, Washington, DC
  • WZTU-FM, Miami, FL

SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • KTCK-FM, Dallas, TX 
  • WEEI-FM, Boston, MA
  • WGFX-FM, Nashville, TN
  • WIP-FM, Philadelphia, PA
  • WJOX-FM, Birmingham, AL

URBAN STATION OF THE YEAR  

  • WCFB-FM, Orlando, FL 
  • WDAS-FM, Philadelphia, PA
  • WDZZ-FM, Flint, MI 
  • WEDR-FM, Miami, FL
  • WHQT-FM, Miami, FL
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