Students from Marshall University’s public radio station, WMUL-FM, received five Platinum Awards, seven Gold Awards and eight Honorable Mention Awards in The Hermes Creative Awards 2017-18 Competition, announced June 18 from Dallas, Texas.
Administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, the Hermes Creative Awards program is an international competition recognizing outstanding creativity, design, innovation, presentation and technical merit in emerging media, while promoting philanthropic marketing and communication efforts. There were approximately 6,000 entries this year from throughout the United States and 22 other countries.
The Hermes Creative Awards offer the Platinum Award for exceeding a high standard of excellence while serving as a benchmark for the industry; the Gold Award for exceeding the high standards of the industry’s norm; and the Honorable Mention Award for meeting the expectations of the judges. The three levels of winners are listed at www.hermesawards.com.
“These platinum awards are outstanding accomplishments in recognizing our broadcasting students as having produced some of the best sports packages, sports programs, sports play-by-play and training manuals in the country,” said Dr. Chuck G. Bailey, professor of radio-television production and management in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University and faculty manager of WMUL-FM. “I am proud and grateful for the honor these Hermes Creative Awards bestow on WMUL-FM. The Gold Awards are further tributes to the news/sports reporting/ podcasts, newscasts, sports play-by-play, promotional announcement production skills and social media talents of our broadcast students in competition with professional practitioners.
“Overall, this tremendous effort helps to build upon the second most successful year ever by the volunteer student staff of WMUL-FM in garnering recognition for Marshall University, the College of Arts and Media, as well as the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications from state, regional and national broadcasting organizations that evaluate the work done at campus radio stations.”
The Platinum Award winning entries by WMUL-FM were:
Audio News Package/Podcast: Marshall University President Jerome Gilbert Responds to West Virginia State of the State Address,” written and produced by Adam Stephens, a junior from Nitro, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Feb. 10, 2017.
Audio Sports Feature Packages/Podcast: “A Changed Chase Litton,” written and produced by Luke Creasy, a senior from Huntington, broadcast during the “Cutting Edge Sports Radio Network Pregame Program” prior to kickoff of the Marshall versus Miami (Ohio) football game Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, and also made available online.
Audio Sports Play-by-Play Programming: WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall football versus Kent State University played at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington Sept.16, 2017. Students calling the football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were: Luke Creasy, play-by-play announcer; Dylan Stone, a junior from Henderson, color commentator; Adam Rogers, a graduate student from Milton, sideline reporter; Marquez Davila, a senior from Sterling, Virginia, spotter; and engineers Austin Creel, a senior from Parkersburg, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM Operations Manager from West Hamlin.
Audio Sports Program: The Feb. 24, 2017, edition of a collaborative high school sports radio program between WMUL-FM and WFGH-FM in Fort Gay that is broadcast to a statewide audience. “Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia” ran from 9 p.m. to midnight each Friday night during the high school basketball season, with its audio signal originating from the studios of WMUL-FM, but includes a high definition video signal coming from the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Television Studio A. Volunteer hosts Ryan Epling, Ric Morrone, Joe Linville and Bill Cornwell, as well as guests, provided fans with continual score updates, interviews and analysis of the evening’s games.
Print Media/Publications/Training Manual: The three-volume “WMUL-FM Operations Manual,” originally written by Bailey, was thoroughly updated during the summer of 2016 by student Michael Stanley. The manual was written for the student and community volunteer staff members of the campus radio station.
The Gold Award winning entries by WMUL-FM were:
Audio Newscast: The “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” broadcast April 14, 2017. The students who participated in this newscast were: Luke Creasy, producer; Matt Groves, a senior from Ripley, anchor; Kyra Biscarner, a junior from Marysville, Michigan, anchor; Nathan Thomas, a senior from Charleston, weather; and Adam Rogers, sports anchor.
Audio News Package/Podcast: “Marshall University Day at the Capitol,” written and produced by Adam Stephens and broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” March 31, 2017.
Audio Sports Package/Podcast: “Kent State Head Coach Paul Haynes Returns to the Sidelines” written and produced by Luke Creasy, a senior from Huntington, broadcast during the “Cutting Edge Sports Radio Network Pregame Program” prior to the Marshall versus Kent State football game, Sept.16, 2017.
Audio Sports Program/Podcast Series: “Herd Roundup” with hosts Adam Rogers and Luke Creasy broadcast April 14, 2017, and also made available online.
Audio Sports Play-by-Play Programming: WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall Football versus Cincinnati played at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2017. The students calling the football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were: Play-by-play announcer Luke Creasy; color commentator Dylan Stone; executive producer Adam Rogers; spotter Gabi Warwick, a recent graduate from Martinsburg; and engineers Nick Arguelles, a sophomore from Great Cacapon, West Virginia, and Austin Creel.
Audio Promos: “WMUL-FM Allergies” an in-house promotional announcement broadcast in WMUL-FM’s Promotion Announcement rotation May 29, 2017, through the present time, written and produced by Bryce Smith, a freshman from Huntington, with technical assistance by Adam Rogers and featuring the additional voice talent of Brian Leonard, a recent graduate from Huntington.
Social Media Site: Instagram: WMUL’s FM 88 Sports Instagram account is recognized for its use during sporting events and continual coverage of Marshall sports throughout the academic year. The Sports Instagram account is overseen by Adam Rogers and Luke Creasy. It’s found at http://www.instagram.com/wmul_sports/.
The Honorable Mention Award winning entries by WMUL-FM were:
Audio News Package/Podcast: “Protests on Marshall’s Campus,” written and produced by Matt Groves, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” April 20, 2017.
Audio Podcast: “Ryan Yurachek Houston Flood Relief,” written and produced by Adam Rogers, broadcast during the “Cutting Edge Sports Radio Network Pregame Program” prior to kickoff of the Marshall versus Miami (Ohio) football game Sept. 2, 2017, and also made available online.
Audio Sports Play-by-Play Programming: WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall football versus North Carolina State University played at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, Sept. 9, 2017. The students calling the football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were: Play-by-play announcer Adam Rogers; color commentator Luke Creasy; analyst/on-site producer Chuck Bailey; and engineer Spencer DuPuis, a sophomore from Leesburg, Virginia.
Audio Public Service Announcements: “Huntington the Opioid Center,” an in-house public service announcement broadcast in WMUL-FM’s Public Service Announcement rotation starting May 12, 2017, and is still in rotation, written and produced by Adam Rogers. Production assistance was provided by Franklin Norton, a junior from Huntington; Lilly Dyer, a junior from Huntington; and Sadie Helmick, a junior from Paden City.
Social Media Site/Twitter Overall: WMUL’s Twitter account (@WMUL_Radio) is recognized for its use during station events, for coverage of campus/community news and updates from the local music scene throughout the academic year. The Twitter account is overseen by Adam Rogers and Austin Creel.
Social Media Site/Twitter Overall: WMUL’s FM 88 Sports Twitter account (@WMUL_Sports) is recognized for its use during sporting events and continual coverage of Marshall sports throughout the academic year. The Twitter account is overseen by all members of the FM 88 Sports Staff.
Print Media/Writing/Ad Copy and Audio Ad Campaign categories: “Marshall’s W. Page School of Journalism and Mass Communications sports journalism program promotional announcements” in an advertising campaign written and produced by Chuck Bailey, which began airing Sept. 2 on all WMUL-FM programming and Dec. 8, 2017, statewide on twenty radio stations along with three cable television channels during “Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia.”
Including these 20 awards, the WMUL-FM student broadcasters have won their second highest grand total ever with 130 awards for the 2017-2018 academic year.