by Alli Inglebright
The College of Journalism and Mass Communications won six gold awards at the Nebraska Broadcasters Association 83rd Annual Convention Wednesday, Aug. 16 in Omaha.
The college took home four awards in the radio division and two in the television division.
“We think it’s important for students to see how their work compares to the best work of other students at other schools,” said Rick Alloway, CoJMC professor and faculty member. “These head-to-head competitions allow students to showcase their best work and also to see and hear the best work of students elsewhere.”
This is the third year the NBA has included student awards in its annual competition. The CoJMC has won multiple awards each year.
The NBA was formed in 1934 as a way to advance the interests of the full service radio and television broadcast industry across Nebraska. They seek to increase the respect and credibility of broadcasting as a whole, help broadcasting stations better serve their publics and advance the broadcasting industry.
Five students accepted the awards Wednesday night, including:
-
Abbie Petersen, junior, accepted the award for Best Radio News Story on behalf of her team’s 2016 election coverage
-
Bree Samani, senior, won Best Radio New Feature for her story on the Bridge Detox Center
-
Zach Penrice, junior, won Best Radio Sports Story for his story about national anthem activism
-
Tommy Rezac, senior, won Best Radio Live Sports Event for his call of the Nebraska-Oregon game
-
Bailey Hurley, senior, won Best Television News Story and Best Television News Feature for her stories “What’s In Your Drink?” and “Inmate Talks,” respectively.
The competition is a great way for students to gain experience and build their resumes.
“First and foremost, doing good work is what makes our students competitive in their careers. The awards are primarily recognition of that good work,” Alloway said. “In addition, though, the awards help students demonstrate the quality of their work, since it has been independently and impartially judged to be the best by working professionals. That is beneficial for students’ resumes and demo materials.”
