WJCU 88.7 FM continues to set the standard for excellence in student broadcasting, earning top honors at the 鈥攐ne of the most competitive student media contests in the country. This marks the fourth time since 2022 that WJCU has been recognized by the BEA, and for the first time in station history, it has secured a first-place win.
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Nikolena Samac 鈥27, Bobby Gerome 鈥25, and Aidan Houck 鈥25 earned the top prize in the Best Social Media category for their work on WJCU鈥檚 sports Instagram page (@wjcusports). This victory follows another major achievement for Samac, who recently received the People鈥檚 Choice Content Creator Award from the International Student Broadcasting Championship (ISBC) for her contributions to WJCU Sports鈥 digital presence.
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WJCU also saw success in the Graduate Audio Competition, where Zachary Sinutko 鈥24, 鈥25G, Emily Davala 鈥24, 鈥26G, and Jayden Beddingfield 鈥25, took home second place for 808 and Mixtapes, their hip hop radio show which airs on Tuesday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight.听
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鈥淭hese awards are a testament to the creativity, dedication, and talent of our students,鈥 said Jasen Sokol, Director of WJCU 88.7 FM. 鈥淲inning first place at the BEA Festival of Media Arts is a historic achievement for WJCU, and I couldn't be prouder of the team for their outstanding work in sports media and audio production.鈥澨
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WJCU鈥檚 Director Honored in Faculty Audio Competition
In addition to WJCU鈥檚 student achievements, Jasen Sokol, Director of WJCU 88.7 FM, was honored in the Faculty Audio Competition for Long Form Audio Production at the BEA, earning an Award of Excellence for his work on the World College Radio Day Global Simulcast.
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The program features an exclusive interview with Pete Williams, former NBC News Justice Correspondent and JCU Journalist-in-Residence, as he discusses the evolving landscape of journalism and media and provides advice for students interested in pursuing careers in the field.听
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You can listen to the full interview , with Sokol鈥檚 conversation with Williams beginning at the 7:24 mark.
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Looking Ahead: WJCU at the BEA Convention
Award winners and finalists will be honored at the BEA Festival of Media Arts Convention, held April 5-8 in Las Vegas in conjunction with the . The WJCU team will attend the conference to receive their awards, connect with industry leaders, participate in hands-on workshops, and further develop their skills in media and entertainment.
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These latest accolades add to WJCU鈥檚 growing reputation as a powerhouse in student broadcasting. Since 2022, the station has received 80 national and international award nominations, securing 16 wins, including the prestigious 2024 International Student Broadcasting Championship Station of the Year award.
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For a full list of WJCU鈥檚 awards and honors, visit .