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Broadcast Excellence Awards

Congratulations Commercial Radio Stations of the Year

Market 1
WJR_Red_2022_600x600
Market 2
WJXQ-FM (Lansing)
WJXQ-FM (Lansing)
Market 3
WLEN-FM (Adrian)
WLEN-FM (Adrian)
Market 4
WKQS-FM (Negaunee)
WKQS-FM (Negaunee)

Congratulations Public Media Stations of the Year

Public Radio Group 1
WEMU-FM (Ypsilanti)
WEMU-FM (Ypsilanti)
Public Radio Group 2
WDET-FM (Detroit)
WDET-FM (Detroit)
Public Television
WKAR-TV (East Lansing)
WKAR-TV (East Lansing)

Congratulations Commercial Television Stations of the Year

Market 1
WDIV-TV (Detroit)
WDIV-TV (Detroit)
Market 2
WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids)
WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids)
Market 3
WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac)
WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac)
Market 4
WLUC-TV (Marquette)
WLUC-TV (Marquette)

Commercial and Network Radio Category Winners

Public Radio and Television Category Winners

Commercial and Network Television Category Winners

THANK YOU BROADCAST EXCELLENCE AWARDS SPONSORS

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Broadcast Excellence Awards Gala Special Guests and Presenters

Julianne Ankley Web
Julianne Ankley

Detroit Based Performer & Songwriter

BIO

Julianne Ankley

Julianne Ankley's soulful blue country, americana style hails from a small Michigan border town close to the shore of Lake Huron and within earshot of the musical influences of Detroit.    

With fourteen Detroit Music Awards, including the 2022 award for Outstanding Country Artist/Group, and & "Special Honoree" for the 2022 Outstanding Country Vocalist, Julianne and her band the Rogues are nominated for Outstanding Country Artist/Group for the 2023 Detroit Music Awards.  Julianne has been writing heartfelt songs and delivering electric performances, both solo and with her top-notch band The Rogues, for years.

Diane no Logo1 square
Diane Brewer

Executive Director, Michigan Education Trust

BIO

Diane Brewer

Diane started with the Michigan Education Trust (MET) in January 2003. She began advising purchasers and students on the use of their MET prepaid tuition contracts; interacting with students and universities to make the most of their benefits.  As a member of the outreach team, Diane co-hosts webinars, formal presentations, and marketing events. She as experience in policy issues, publishing reports, procurement, MET’s Charitable Tuition Program and the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund.

Serving as Deputy Director, Diane continued as legal liaison and assisted the executive director in a wide variety of policy, legal and staffing responsibilities.  Her tenure as Executive Director began in October 2020.

Diane graduated Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts with a Business Administration minor.

Jim Holcomb web
Jim Holcomb

President & CEO, Michigan Chamber of Commerce

BIO

Jim Holcomb

While the current president and CEO, Jim initially joined the MI Chamber in 2008 to lead its Business Advocacy Team where he designed, coordinated and implemented strategies to enact the MI Chamber’s legislative agenda and advance policies to strengthen Michigan’s business climate and economic competitiveness. From there, he became the Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Jim also directed the Chamber’s political action activities and the Michigan Chamber Litigation Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing important precedent issues before the highest courts in Michigan and nationally. His work has helped the Chamber consistently earn top honors as the “Most Effective Association” in a biennial survey of Michigan capital insiders. 

Robin Kinnie web
Robin Kinnie

President, Motor City Women & Audio Engineers of Detroit

BIO

Robin Kinnie

Robin Kinnie serves as President of Motor City Woman Studios, an audio post-production company and Audio Engineers of Detroit, an audio engineering trade school and recording studio. Her service for others extends to volunteering as an Advisory Board Member for Y Arts, the arts and humanities branch of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, Detroit PAL and Soundgirls.org. Robin is dedicated to creating a platform for underrepresented voices in broadcasting and podcasting. She has contributed to the Podcast Business Journal and published “The Top 10 Mistakes New Podcasters Make” and “The Motor City Woman Planner for New Podcasters” both available on motorcitywoman.com

She holds an undergraduate degree from the Eli Broad College of Business and a Masters’ degree in higher, adult, lifelong education from Michigan State University. Robin has been recognized by Walker’s Legacy as part of the ‘Top 25 Women Leading In the Detroit Community’, the Association for Women in Communications, a Diversity Business Leader by Corp! Magazine and was honored to be selected to be part of Pandora’s “Pass the Mic”, a campaign that celebrates women within the audio industry.

Dave Lorenz web
Dave Lorenz

President, Pure Michigan
Vice President, Travel Michigan

BIO

Dave Lorenz

Dave Lorenz serves as Vice President of Travel Michigan, where he is responsible for leading the state’s tourism branding, advertising, and public relations efforts, overseeing the award-winning Pure Michigan tourism campaign and coordinating overall statewide tourism initiatives. 

Mr. Lorenz is Chair of the National Council of State Tourism Directors and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Travel Association. He also serves as Chair of Great Lakes USA, our regional international marketing consortium and Cruise the Great Lakes, our two-nation destination cruise marketing organization. Dave is on the Board of Directors for Michigan Cares for Tourism, Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, MotorCities National Heritage Area, West Michigan Tourism Association, Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Grand Rapids Hotel Advisory Board.

Prior to Travel Michigan, Mr. Lorenz was the Manager of Partnerships and Promotions, for Meijer, Inc. He also has 14 years of experience in radio broadcasting in roles varying from announcer and news reporter to numerous management positions.

John Mason web
John Mason

On-Air Host, WDMK-FM (Detroit) & PA Announcer, Detroit Pistons

BIO

John Mason

MASON is the iconic morning host on 105.9 KISS-FM in Detroit and the renowned public address announcer for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.  He’s a highly in- demand emcee and is credited with coining the popular chant "Deeeeee-troit Basket-Ball!"   

Detroiters wake up each morning to MASON and long-time colleague Angie Starr on 105.9  KISS-FM.  They play the Motor City’s best blend of Smooth R&B and Old School while providing  their unique, fun take on the people and happenings in the area. Mason's flamboyant voice has been showcased at many sporting events including the 2007 NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas and the international ALL-STAR game in Cyprus & Turkey in  2005. He was courtside as the PA announcer as his beloved Pistons won back-to-back NBA  Eastern Conference titles in 2004 and 2005, and most notably saw them win the NBA title  in 2004, upsetting the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games.  When a Pistons home game is featured on national television, you can bet the ESPN or TNT cameras will be focused on Mason multiple times during the broadcast. Mason won a television Emmy for Urban Chartbusters on Detroit’s NBC - WDIV-TV.  He’s also an acclaimed motivational speaker!

Claude Molinari web
Claude Molinari

President, Visit Detroit

BIO

Claude Molinari

Claude Molinari has been the President and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DBA Visit Detroit) since January 1, 2021. In this role, Molinari is responsible for overseeing the operations of Visit Detroit and developing its strategic direction. He provides the leadership and direction necessary to enable Visit Detroit to bring meetings and conventions, leisure and business visitors to metropolitan Detroit and accelerate economic growth for the region.

He leads the creation of the annual sales and marketing plan of the bureau which outlines the direction Visit Detroit will take to attract tourism and meetings business to the region. He additionally oversees the development of the annual budget.

Market Divisions

Commercial Radio

Market 1: Detroit Metro Area

Market 2: Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, & Tri-Cities

Market 3: Adrian, Cadillac, Jackson, Port Huron, & Traverse City

Market 4: Alpena, Escanaba, Marquette, & Others

Commercial Television

Market 1: Detroit Metro Area

Market 2: Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, & Tri-Cities

Market 3: Cadillac, Jackson, Lansing, & Traverse City

Market 4: Alpena, Escanaba, Marquette, & Others

Statewide Broadcasting Networks

Radio
Television

To enter in the Statewide Broadcasting Networks divisions, entrants must be a Michigan-based producer of network and syndicated programming. Entry must be aired on Michigan licensed broadcast stations. Statewide broadcasting networks are not eligible for Station of the Year.

Public Radio

Group 1: Public radio stations with a $2 million budget or less.

Group 2: Public radio stations with more than a $2 million budget.

Public Television

All public television stations will compete in one public television division

Station of the Year

All public and commercial radio and TV stations entering the Broadcast Excellence Awards will be eligible for the Station of the Year.

Commercial Station of the Year Awards: Points for Station of the Year will be calculated as follows: Best Award = 10 points; Merit Award = 5 points; and 10 additional points per winning entry (both Best and Merit) will be awarded in the following weighted categories:

Commercial Radio
Commercial
Community Involvement
Continuing Coverage
Newscast
Personality*

*Stations may enter any of the listed Personality categories. If a station wins Best or Merit in more than one Personality category, the highest points won in any of the Personality categories will be applied to the Station of the Year competition.

Commercial Television
Community Involvement
Breaking News Story
Newscast
Sports
Weathercast

Public Radio & Television Awards: Points for Station of the Year will be calculated as follows: Best Award = 10 points; Merit Award = 5 points with the exception of the Station Excellence category.

For a station to be eligible for Station of the Year they must have entered the Station Excellence category. The winners of both the Best and the Merit Award in the Station Excellence category will receive an additional 60 points to be counted toward Station of the Year.

Tie Breaker
In the event of a tie for both commercial and public stations, the station with the most Best awards will be awarded Station of the Year.  If a tie remains, the station who placed highest in the Community Involvement category will be awarded Station of the Year.

Broadcast Excellence Awards Categories

Download Commercial & Network Radio Category Descriptions
Download Commercial & Network Television Category Descriptions
Download Public Radio Category Descriptions
Download Public Television Category Descriptions

Broadcast Excellence Awards Rules

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