WKAR, the public media station serving Michigan’s capital region, won numerous Broadcast Excellence Awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. The awards were announced today in a special event streamed live by the MAB.

WKAR received ten Best in Category awards and nine Merit awards. Both WKAR-TV and WKAR-FM are finalists for the Station of the Year award, with the winners to be announced at the Broadcast Excellence Awards Gala in Detroit on April 6, 2024.

“We feel a great sense of pride in receiving these honors from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters,” said Shawn Turner, WKAR general manager. “The awards acknowledge the exceptional programming crafted by WKAR to engage, enlighten, and uplift our community. Recognition from our peers holds special significance to us, underscoring the dedication and proficiency that our team consistently brings to their daily efforts.”

The awards are intended to acknowledge excellence in television and radio among Michigan media stations. Award criteria range from production value and creativity to innovation and journalistic excellence.

There were more than 940 entries for this year’s Broadcast Excellence Awards. Judging is conducted by broadcasting peers outside the state of Michigan, with broadcast associations in Illinois, Maine, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and New Hampshire providing judges.

In the Public Television division, the WKAR Best in Category awards are:

• Cultural and Performing Arts: Music for Social Justice
• Independent Producer: Distinctly Michigan | Geezer Happy Hour
• Marketing Materials & Promos: Celebrating 50 Years | WKAR Radio Reading Service
• Special Interest: Beyond the Score with Al Martin
• Sports – Outdoor or Recreation: Beyond the Score with Al Martin
• Use of Multiplatform Media – Short Form: Curious About Careers

The TV Merit awards are:

• Cultural Programming: MSU Museum Exhibit Honors “Century of Service”
• Independent Producer: Distinctly Michigan | Good Morning Sunflower
• Mini-Documentary or Series: Building the Reading Brain
• News or Public Affairs Special: Beyond the Score with Al Martin
• News Special or Documentary: Building the Reading Brain
• Use of Multiplatform Media – Long Form: Serving Up Science
• Use of Multiplatform Media – Short Form: Serving Up Science | YouTube Shorts

WKAR-TV is a finalist in these categories to be announced at the gala in April:

• Station of the Year
• Community Involvement
• Membership Appeal
• Station Excellence

In Public Radio Group Two, the WKAR Best in Category awards are:

• Mini-Documentary or Series: Michigan State University | A Year of Recovery
• Feature/Use of Medium: Tease A Gogo Brings Holiday-Themed Burlesque to Mid-Michigan
• Music Feature or Special: Launching a New Piano Concerto with the Lansing Symphony
• Special Interest & Cultural Programming: Michigan Minute

The Radio Merit awards are:

• Hard News & Current Events: Spartan Sunday Event Welcomes Students Back to MSU Campus with Dogs, Flowers and Hugs
• Special Interest & Cultural Programming: Qué Onda Michigan

WKAR-FM is a finalist in these categories to be announced at the gala in April:

• Station of the Year
• Station Excellence

For complete award information, visit the 2024 Broadcast Excellence Awards website.

WKAR Public Media is a division of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University. WKAR provides Michigan’s capital region and the global community with award-winning original programming and the best from PBS and NPR via television channels WKAR-HD, WKAR World, WKAR Create and WKAR PBS Kids; and radio broadcasts at 90.5 FM, 102.3 FM/AM 870 and WKAR Radio Reading Service.

At wkar.org and video.wkar.org, the network offers live audio streaming, plus local news features, TV original full episodes and the best from NPR and PBS on-demand. WKAR provides additional community outreach with WKAR Ready to Learn Service and PBS LearningMedia. WKAR is funded in large part by community viewer and listener contributions with additional support from Michigan State University and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.