March 22, 2024

Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM at Michigan State University Receives State and National Awards

Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM, Michigan State University's student-run radio station and media organization, is excited to announce that the entire organization as well as individual staff members were recognized for their work with national awards in the Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Competition, the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts and the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Michigan Student Broadcast Awards.
 
A total of 18 student media organizations were honored in the Associated Collegiate Press Online Pacemaker Competition. Impact 89FM was the only broadcast station recognized amongst a field of their newspaper and online-only journalistic peers.
 
“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” ACP Executive Director Laura Widmer said. “NSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.”
 
The Pacemaker was presented at the ACP Spring National College Media Conference, in La Jolla, California on March 9, 2024. Engagement Editor Sabrina Girardi, News Editorial Assistant Maco Jeleniewski and Video Editor Ana Wagen attended the conference to accept the award.
 
Additionally, Senior News Producer Tessa Kresch was recognized for her audio drama Mortem Corp in the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts Student Audio Competition. She placed second in the Comedy or Drama category.
 
At the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Michigan Student Broadcast Awards, Impact 89FM took home many individual honors and scholarships. The awards were presented at the Michigan Student Broadcast Awards Luncheon in Lansing on March 18, 2024. A full list of awards is below.
 
Editorial

  • Honorable Mention: How Centrism Worsens the Israel-Palestine Crisis – Maco Jeleniewski

Live Sports Coverage

  • Second Place: Men's Basketball: MSU vs. Duke – Zach Surdenik, AJ Evans

On-Air Personality or Team

  • First Place: News Time with Tessa Kresch and Rachel Fulton – Tessa Kresch, Rachel Fulton
  • Third Place: Exposure with Tessa Kresch – Tessa Kresch

Promotional Announcement

  • Honorable Mention: Top 5 at 5 Giveaway – Nicolas Flores, Andrew Miller-Thomas, Jake Rhodes

Public Service Announcement

  • Honorable Mention: Parking at MSU – Andrew Miller-Thomas, Nicolas Flores

Sportscast

  •  Honorable Mention: Green and White Report: College Football Lookaround – Zach Surdenik, AJ Evans, Matt Merrifield

Talk Show

  • Honorable Mention: The Reporter Roundtable: Memorial Trees and Climate Change's Impact on Fall Foliage – Molly Wright

Use of Social Media

  • First Place: Impact 89FM Social Media – Rachel Kozlowski, Jake Rhodes, Impact 89FM Staff

Scholarships

  • MAB Foundation Scholarship – Rachel Fulton
  • MAB Foundation Scholarship – Tessa Kresch
  • Gary A. Reid Scholarship – Claire Bacarella
  • Leicinger-Biederman Scholarship (via Ross Biederman) – Maco Jeleniewski
  • James H. Quello Scholarship (via Karole White) – Brooke Ringstad

 
Work was broadcast in the Lansing area on 88.9 FM and published online through Impact 89FM's website at impact89fm.org and social media channels.
 
 
Contacts:
Delaney Rogers, Station Manager, roger432@msu.edu, 517-884-8900
Jeremy Whiting, General Manager: jwhiting@msu.edu, 517-884-8901
 
 
About Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM:
Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM is one of the largest student organizations on the campus of Michigan State University, with over 150 students in paid or volunteer staff roles. The media organization broadcasts twenty-four hours a day and is always available online. Funding is provided by the students at Michigan State University.
 
MSU Student Radio traces its heritage back to the 1950s with the first AM carrier current stations which broadcast in the residence halls. On February 24, 1989, Impact 89FM started broadcasting on 88.9 FM in the Lansing market under the call letters WDBM. A web stream and online presence were added on October 5, 1999.
 
Leaders at the radio station pride themselves not only on the quality of the broadcast and online programming, but also the opportunities offered to the staff of the station. Every student who expresses an interest, is willing to devote the necessary time, and follows the station guidelines has the opportunity to be part of the organization.


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