NEW YORK — Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) recently announced its annual Golden Mic Awards finalists, and Pendleton Heights’ WEEM radio and students were named finalists in dozens of categories.
WEEM-FM, along with other secondary and post-secondary broadcast programs from across the state and nation, will meet in New York City for the annual awards and broadcasting conference.
WEEM, which won the Best Radio Station award in 2016, earned finalist honors this year in more than 60 categories, including a fourth-straight nod for Best Radio Station.
Awards will be presented as part of the IBS’s 79th annual conference March 1 to 3 at Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City.
“I couldn’t be prouder,” Pendleton Heights radio instructor and WEEM General Manager Chris Green wrote in a press release about the awards. “The students that are a part of our program are so talented and deserve all the accolades they have received. I hope that their peers and the community appreciate the amount of work and dedication it takes for them to achieve what they have and will continue to achieve.”
While many high schools, colleges and universities are cutting media programs, WEEM continues to grow, in part, thanks to its community support, according to the press release.
WEEM, on air since 1971, has many corporate sponsors and receives donations from individuals throughout the year to help fund and support programs and initiatives.
WEEM features live programming, original student-produced content (news, sports, business, public affairs and more) and produces nearly 100 live sports events annually.
The station also plays host to several events (including an annual pro wrestling show to raise money for charity that attracts nearly 2,000 attendees annually), sells sponsorships and volunteers with community groups. Students volunteer part of their summer to the continued operation of the station and its events.
Following their national awards trip, WEEM students will take part in the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters (IASB) State Conference and awards March 11 in Indianapolis.
WEEM’S 2019 Golden Mic nominations
Best High School Radio Station — WEEM (fourth consecutive nomination, 2016 winner)
Best Morning Show — Addie & Mason in the Morning / Addie Rogers and Mason Fridley (seniors)— WEEM’s Em and Claire Show won the award in 2018
Best On-Air Personality — Madison Goodnight (senior)
Best Specialty Music Show — WEEM Clear’s Classics / Andrew Clear and Cole King (seniors)
Best Talk Show — WEEM Community Connections / Jack Hudson (sophomore)
Best Public Affairs Program — WEEM Community Connections / Jack Hudson (sophomore) three individual episodes finalists in this category
Best Specialty Program — WEEM Grand Cole Opry (Classic Country Music Hour) / Cole King (senior)
Best Program Director — Evan Fredericks (senior)
Best Music Director — Chaston Green (sophomore)
Best Promotions Director — Andrew Clear (senior)
Best Social Media Director — Madison Harmon (senior)
Best News Director — Hudson (sophomore)
Best Sports Director — Kaleb Alumbaugh and David Stahly (co-directors, juniors)
Best Business Director — Paiton Keeney and Addie Rogers (co-directors, seniors)
Best Graduate Adviser — Drew Carey (Bob and Tom Show, WEEM/PHHS alum and member of advisory board)
Best Graduate Adviser — Zoe Dwiggins (Ball State Student, News Link and IPR contributor, WEEM/PHHS alum and member of advisory board)
Best Faculty Adviser — Chris Green (Radio Instructor and WEEM General Manager)
Best Overall On-Air Schedule — WEEM (Variety of programming)
Best Overall Sports Schedule — WEEM
Best Station Playlist — WEEM
Best Training Manual — WEEM
Best Staff Training Method — WEEM
Best Newsletter — WEEM (two finalists in category)
Best Station Facilities — WEEM
Best Promo Series — WEEM Donor Thanks
Best Event Promo — WEEM Open House Announcement
Best Public Service Announcement — Christmas Adoptions / Brynn Teague (senior)
Best Public Service Announcement — Texting and Driving / Jaden Precup (senior)
Best Newscast — Madison Goodnight (senior)
Best Newscast — Nolan Mosby (sophomore)
Best Campus News Coverage — Paiton Keeney (senior) and David Stahly (junior)
Best Underwriting Spot — Cassidy Brandom (sophomore)
Best Underwriting Spot — Chaston Green (sophomore)
Best Football Play-by-Play — Kaleb Alumbaugh (junior) and Trevor Martin (sophomore)
Best Women’s Basketball Play-by-Play — Trevor Martin and Zion Cook (sophomores)
Best Sports Interview — Kaleb Alumbaugh (junior)
Best Sports Pre- and Post-Game Show — Ian Bailey and Trevor Martin (sophomores)
Best Contest or Promotional Event — WEEM Arabian Rumble (Pro Wrestling Show)
Best Live Broadcast Promotional Event — WEEM Open House
Best Live Music Broadcast —WEEM Pendleton Heights Choir’s Yuletide Celebration
Best Community Outreach Event — WEEM Riley and Sons Honor Flight Car Show
Best Community Volunteer Program/Personality — WEEM Community Connections/Jack Hudson (sophomore)
Best On-Air Pledge Drive — WEEM Open House
Best Logo — WEEM Clear’s Classics (Saturday Morning Program)
Best Show Promotional Poster — WEEM Locker Posters
Best Giveaway Item(s) — WEEM Arabian Rumble Tickets
Best Giveaway Item(s) — WEEM Radio Playhouse
Best Promotional Poster — WEEM Arabian Rumble
Best Station Press Release — WEEM (three finalists in category)
Best Website — www.917weem.org
Best Station Blog — Relatable Rach/Rachel Tupps (junior)
Best Station Blog — The Bopper Blog/Quinn Miles (junior)
Best Station Blog — Sarah’s Stories/Sarah Hale (senior)
Best Use of Twitter — WEEM (@917weem)
Best Use of Instagram — WEEM (@917weem)
Best Use of Social Media — WEEM
Best Phone App — WEEM (Android and IOS versions)
Best Use of Sound Effects — WEEM Football Open
Best Station Liner/Sweeper — WEEM (three finalists in category)
Best Station ID — WEEM Football Open ID
Tom Gibson Award for Outstanding Radio Engineering — David Seal and Chris Green (winner)
Other Indiana programs being recognized include: Lincoln Junior High School, Carmel High School, New Albany High School, Ben Davis, Goshen College, Indiana State University and Indiana University-Bloomington.
Indiana is home to about 60 high school and college broadcasting programs.
Learn more about the programs through the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters at www.iasbonline.org.
For more about IBS, visit collegebroadcasters.us.