WKNC Wins Big at International Broadcasting Awards

WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 earned numerous awards from the inaugural International Student Broadcasting Championship. Launched in October 2023 by Australian-based company RAMP Media, the aim of the competition is “to find the best emerging talent in the world and expose them to the industry and potential employers on a global level.”

NC State student radio was well represented on that global level, earning nine finalists and two first-place awards across six categories.

KONDE Brown, a fourth-year student studying communication and the station’s 2022-2023 production manager, earned first place in the audio production-sponsorship category for a portfolio containing donor announcements for the North Carolina Museum of History’s The Power of Women in Country Music Exhibit and the National Humanities Center’s talk with internationally renowned author and thinker Amitav Ghosh.

WKNC’s other winner was Rose Kelley, a third-year student studying political science and the station’s content manager. Kelley’s political history podcast “In the West Wing” was named first place in the best podcast talent category. Kelley had some stiff competition, with fellow WKNC podcasts “Beccy on Tour” by Beccy Schaden and “On Black.” from Alexis Grant, Jeanine Ikekhua and Hamsata Mazou among the finalists.

Grant, a third-year student studying material science engineering, Ikekhua, a fourth-year student studying communication and international studies and Mazou, a third-year student studying business administration, were finalists for best established podcast for “On Black.,” a podcast about living and evolving while Black. Kelley’s “In the West Wing” was a finalist in the same category. Both podcasts also earned finalist recognition in the people’s choice podcast award, which featured public voting.

A fourth-year student studying business administration and marketing, Schaden was a finalist for best new podcast. Launched in August 2023, “Beccy on Tour” details Schaden’s adventures during her semester abroad at NC State. One of those adventures included a talk with News & Observer investigative journalist (and Student Media alumnus) Tyler Dukes, which was a finalist for best interview. Finally, Adrian Lopez, a fifth-year student studying social work, was a finalist for their interview with musician Jeff Rosenstock.

Finalists in the International Student Broadcasting Championship came from the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.