Wabash Valley College’s TV station, News Channel 15, has been named the 2023 winner of the Nation’s Best Community College TV Station Award by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System. This is the third time in the past four years the station has won the award.
In addition, Radio/TV major Maggee Bleyer was a national finalist for the Best Radio Commercial and Best TV Commercial/Production award categories.
“The nominations are a direct reflection of the effort these students put in,” Broadcast Services Specialist Eli Grimes remarked. “It’s so impressive that the work submitted is worthy of achievement, but not specifically intended to win awards. The work they do every day is quality and to be nominated for an award is further proof of that. As for the program, it’s further evidence that this department time and time again brings out the creative aspects of students while also helping prepare for a successful future in this industry.”
In the past, the Radio/TV Program received several nominations and awards including Best Sports Report, Best Sports Program, Best News Report, Best Graphics, Best TV Promo, and other categories. News Channel 15 has won the Nation’s Best Community College TV Station award multiple times. Two of those times were in 2020 and 2022. “Every year, it seems someone in the program is nominated for a different award which speaks to all the different avenues one can take [in the Radio/TV Program],” Grimes stated.
College and university students across the country submit content to the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System every year. Out of the massive amounts of students that submit work to the awards program, only around five students are nationally nominated as a finalist for each awarded category.
“I often say I will put the amount and quality of the work our students are asked to produce up against any college in the country,” Lead Instructor and Director of Broadcasting Kyle Peach said, praising the program’s students and their work. “Receiving these nominations from a reputable national organization like the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System confirms that our students and the training we provide are among the best in the country. It's equally impressive that our students aren't just competing with other community college students, but with students at quality university programs, yet their work is deemed to be equally as impressive.”
The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System announced WVC as the winner, and Maggee as a finalist, this past weekend in New York. “To me, WVC is a special place,” Peach expressed. “I am a former WVC student, now a teacher and employee. To be able to see our program nationally recognized warms my heart. It is further proof of the excellence we provide for our students and community.”
