WMUL in running for awards

by J.J. SPICHEK
reporter

WMUL, the campus radio station, has been nominated for 16 of 35 awards in audio production and three of four in audio script writing by the Organization of International Radio and Tele-vision Society (IRTS), said Vince Payne, a Hansford senior majoring in radio/TV, who also is sports director of WMUL.

People from around the world who are employed in radio and TV are involved with IRTS, Payne said.

Audio Awards

News Package: Jason Littell, Nicky Walters and Patrick Sheenan. Sports/Feature Package: Nicky Walters. News/Sports/Feature Segment: Vince Payne and Nicky Walters. Documentary Program: Todd McCormick, Nicky Walters, Vince Payne, Chris Roberts, Sean Walters, Robert Harper, Bryan Casto, Shawn Seagroves and Sean McDowell. Public Affairs/Interview: Vince Payne, April Vitello and Nicky Walters. News/Magazine Program: April Vitello, Brandy Barkey, Patrick Sheehan and Shellie Webb. Commercials /Promos/PSAs: Christian Bavle. Instructional/Industrial/Promotional Program: Vince Payne and Jason Littell. Sports: Play-by-Play or Post-Game Programming: Vince Payne, Kenney Barnette, Robert Harper and John Ellifritz. Script Writing Comedy Program or Segment ­ Audio Script: Christian Anton Baylen. Instructional/Industrial/Promotional Audio Script: Jason Littell.

The IRTS has an honorary division called Alpha Epsilon Rho (AERho), Payne said.

"It's one of the larger organizations as far as broadcasting goes, and is based out of New York City," he said.

AERho has a professional organization and a student organization Marshall is part of, he said.

"The competition that we are entering is audio, video and script writing," Payne said.

"Since things didn't change from the audio side, we entered the audio competition and we entered the audio script writing competition."

Payne said any school affiliated with the IRTS chapter can enter the competitions.

The IRTS competition makes the staff work harder and promotes healthy competition between each other, he said.

"If everyone was for themselves, then we couldn't stuff our trophy cases," Payne said.

This competition is similar to being nominated for the Grammy Awards, he said.

Since 1985, under the supervision of faculty adviser Chuck Bailey, WMUL has won more than 300 state, regional and national awards, Payne said. In 1993, Marconi named WMUL College Station of the Year, he said. In 1992 and 1996, WMUL was named College Station runner-up by the National Association of College Broadcasters (NACB).

Brandy Barkey, Point Pleasant senior majoring in broadcast journalism, said she is honored to be nominated for the audio category News/Magazine Program.

"These awards will separate the best from the rest," she said. "Competition makes us work harder among each other."

The group's adviser is Professor Dan Hollis.