FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Students from Marshall University’s public radio station, WMUL-FM, received four (4) Platinum Awards, eight (8) Gold Awards and six (6) Honorable Mention Awards in the MarCom Creative Awards 2019 Competition. The winners were posted on the MarCom Creative Awards website December 2, 2019.
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, said, “This is an outstanding accomplishment to be recognized as having produced a stellar live, remote broadcast of the 48th Annual Marshall Memorial Fountain Ceremony, having written and produced another long line of insightful sports packages and for an intriguing WMUL-FM promotional announcement. In addition, WMUL-FM student broadcasters and community volunteers were acknowledged as having created a compelling weekly statewide high school basketball talk program, play-by-play announcing of exciting Thundering Herd football games, maintaining a regularly updated sports Twitter and Instagram accounts. I am proud and grateful for the honor these MarCom Creative platinum, gold and honorable mention awards bestow on WMUL-FM, the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass
Communications, the College of Arts and Media and Marshall University. These MarCom Awards are a tribute to the continual quality and commitment of the radio station’s student volunteer staff to news and sports coverage, promotional creativity/production and maintaining a mobile and online presence by our FM 88 sports staff.”
The MarCom Creative Awards contest is an international competition that recognizes achievement by marketing and communication practitioners. Entries are judged by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. There were more than 6,000 entries in the MarCom Creative Awards 2019 Competition.
The MarCom’s prestigious Platinum Award is presented to those entries judged to be among the most outstanding entries in the competition. Platinum Winners are recognized for their excellence in terms of quality, creativity and resourcefulness. Approximately 18 percent of the entries won this award. Platinum Winners are listed on the MarCom Creative Awards website at www.marcomawards.com.
The Gold Award is presented to those entries judged to exceed the high standards of the industry. Approximately 18 percent of the entries received this award. Honorable Mention certificates are granted to those entries that meet the expectations of the judges. Approximately ten percent of the entries were Honorable Mention winners.
Winners of the MarCom Creative Awards Platinum, Gold and Honorable Mention Awards come from radio stations, advertising and public relations agencies, corporate communication departments, educational institutions, government entities, designers, writers, video production professionals, broadcast and cable operations and other business and individuals throughout the United States, Canada and several foreign countries.
The Platinum Award winning entries by WMUL-FM are in the following categories:
AUDIO/RADIO SPECIAL BROADCAST
“48th Annual Memorial Fountain Ceremony November 14, 2018,” a live remote, with hosts of the program Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, and Makaylah Wheeler a junior from Huntington, broadcast Wednesday, November 14, 2018. The remote broadcast was produced by Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PACKAGE/PODCAST
“Ajdin Peneva” written and produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Tuesday, March 6, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PACKAGE/PODCAST
“Rachel Rousseau, Conference USA Softball Player of the Week,” written and produced by Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, broadcast during Herd Roundup,” Friday, April 12, 2019, and made available online.
AUDIO/RADIO PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT
“WMUL Cult” an in-house promotional announcement broadcast in WMUL-FM’s Promotion Announcement rotation Thursday, September 26, 2019, and is still in rotation was written and produced by Zane Bowles, a junior from Sandstone, and features the primary voice talents of Zane Bowles, and the background cult chanting talents of David Adkins, a junior from Huntington; Derrick Bowen, a junior from Huntington; Haley Brown a freshman from Weirton; Andrew Corliss, a sophomore from Evans; Ashley Ross, a junior from Huntington; Tristan Shepard, a junior from Prichard; and Wesley Steele, a sophomore from Flatwoods, Kentucky.
The Gold Award winning entries are in the following categories:
AUDIO/RADIO NEWSCAST
The “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88” broadcast Wednesday, November 14, 2018. The students who participated in this newscast are:
David Adkins, a junior from Huntington; (Producer)
Taylor Speight, a senior from Washington D.C. (Anchor)
Leslie Wilson, a community volunteer from Huntington; (Anchor)
Tristan Poston, a senior from Huntington; (Weather)
Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia; (Sports Anchor)
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PACKAGE/PODCAST
“Men’s Basketball Prepares for the Big Dance” written and produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Wednesday, March 14, 2018.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PACKAGE/PODCAST
“Malik Thompson Feature” written and produced by Savanah Matney, a senior from South Point, Ohio, broadcast during “Herd Roundup,” Friday, October 26, 2018.
AUDIO/RADIO PROGRAM
WMUL-FM’s Classroom Concert Series—featuring the band “Colly.” The live interviews were conducted by host of the program Austin Creel, a recent graduate from Parkersburg. The producers of the live band playing recording session were Sam Adkins, a recent graduate from Huntington, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin. The program was broadcast over WMUL-FM and posted online Thursday, April 19, 2018.
SOCIAL MEDIA SITE/TWITTER OVERALL
WMUL’s FM 88 Sports Twitter account is recognized for its use during sporting events and continual coverage of Marshall sports throughout the academic year. One may follow it at @WMUL_Sports. The Twitter account is overseen by all members of the FM 88 Sports Staff.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PROGRAM
“Herd Roundup” with host Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast Friday, April 6, 2018.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PROGRAM
The Friday, March 8, 2019, edition of a collaborative high school sports radio program between WMUL-FM and WFGH-FM in Fort Gay, West Virginia that is broadcast to a statewide audience. “Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia” runs 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, Bill Cornwell and guests provide fans with continual score updates, interviews and analysis of the evening’s games.
AUDIO SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY PROGRAMMING
WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall Football versus Florida Atlantic played
at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday, October 20, 2018. The students calling the football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:
Play-by-play announcer— Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia;
Color commentator— Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Penn.;
Sideline Reporter— Savanah Matney, a senior from South Point, Ohio;
Spotter—Elijah Smith, a senior from Beckley;
Engineers—Wesley Steele, a sophomore from Flatwoods, Kentucky and
Matthew Moore, a graduate from Huntington.
The Honorable Mention Award winning entries are in the following categories.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PACKAGE/PODCAST
“Running Game Hitting its Stride” written and produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast during the Cutting Edge Sports Radio Network Pregame Program prior to the Marshall versus Florida International college football game, Saturday, October 28, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PROGRAM
“Sportsview featuring Marshall Women’s Basketball Head Coach Tony Kemper along with players Taylor Porter and Ashley Saintgene” with host Luke Creasy, a recent graduate from Huntington. The program was produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia and was broadcast Wednesday, April 25, 2018.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY PROGRAMMING
WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall football versus University of Texas at San Antonio played at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday, November 17, 2018. The students calling the college football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:
Play-by-Play announcer — Nick Verzolini, a junior from
Stewartstown, Pennsylvania;
Color Commentator – Andrew Rogers, a sophomore from Clarksburg;
Engineer — Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia.
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 Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, and Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania. One may find it at http://www.instagram.com/wmul_sports/.
VIDEO/AUDIO/TELEVISION (BROADCAST & CABLE) SPORTS PROGRAM
The Friday, March 8, 2019, edition of a collaborative high school sports radio program between WMUL-FM and WFGH-FM in Fort Gay, West Virginia that is broadcast to a statewide audience. “Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia” runs 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, Bill Cornwell and guests provide fans with continual score updates, interviews and analysis of the evening’s games.
VIDEO/AUDIO/FILM STUDENT PRODUCED PROGRAM
WMUL-FM’s Classroom Concert Series—College Radio Day Special featuring the solo artist “Cooper Henderson.” The live interview was conducted by host of the program Austin Creel, a recent graduate from Parkersburg. The producers of the playing and singing recording session were Sam Adkins, recent graduate from Huntington, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin. The program was broadcast over WMUL-FM and posted online Friday, October 5, 2018.