March 05, 2001

WKU Wins National Title In Hearst Broadcasting Competition

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University has claimed the national title in just its second year of entering the broadcasting competition of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation's Journalism Awards Program.

"The word is getting out that Western is strong not only in print journalism and photojournalism but in radio and TV news as well," said Terry Likes, adviser for the student broadcasting program.

Six of Western's entries in the eight radio and TV contests finished in the top 10 and three broadcasting students qualified as national semifinalists in the 41st annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

"The merger of the journalism and broadcasting programs seems like a good fit when you look at the Hearst competition," Likes said of the 1999 merger that created the WKU School of Journalism and Broadcasting.

Last year, Western won the Hearst competition's overall intercollegiate title for the first time ever with a first-place finish in photojournalism (its 11th consecutive photo title) and fourth-place finishes in broadcasting and print journalism. This year's final results will be announced in April.

"It's exciting and gratifying to know that students in our broadcasting program achieved a first-place overall finish in only their second year of entering the competition," said Jo-Ann Albers, director of the School of Journalism and Broadcasting.

The School of Journalism and Broadcasting will receive a $10,000 award for winning the broadcasting title.

Western also will receive matching awards of $2,500 for students honored in the radio news and television news contests.

In radio news, Lisa Hughes, a Scottsville junior, finished second and received a $1,500 award, while Meredith Reeves, a Fort Mitchell junior, finished sixth and received $500.

In television news, Amy Jones, a Morehead senior, finished sixth and received $500. Chris Freeman, a junior from Newburgh, Ind., finished 13th.
Hughes joins Aimee Reed, a Columbia senior, and Julie Goodwin, a Louisville senior, as national broadcasting semifinalists. In the first round of broadcast competition, Reed was third and Goodwin was fifth in radio features.

Five semifinal winners will advance to the national finals in San Francisco. Last year, Reed advanced to the national finals.

Likes said Western faculty and students should be commended for building a strong program that can compete on a national level with schools like Syracuse, Florida, Missouri and Northwestern.

"We knew we had a good program," Likes said. "This verifies it."

For more information, contact the School of Journalism and Broadcasting at (270) 745-4143. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via E-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.