KPR Wins Station of the Year for 19th Time

LAWRENCE – Kansas Public Radio, based at the University of Kansas, has earned the Station of the Year award for a record 19th time from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB). The KAB announced the award Aug. 12. 

The Station of the Year award was first presented in 1996. KPR won the prize that first year and has now earned the KAB's highest honor more than any other radio or TV station in the state.  

In addition to the coveted top prize, the public radio station received eight individual accolades, including three first-place awards, four second-place awards and one honorable mention.

The individual honors were earned in public affairs programs, complete newscast, sports feature, hard news feature/enterprise, news feature and editorial/commentary. This year's individual awards for KPR:

News Feature

First place: “Abused, Neglected, Rescued, Saved; How JAG-K Helped a Kansas Girl Reclaim Her Life," by KPR's J. Schafer 

Honorable Mention: “Where Are All the Birds? Ranch Hand Wonders Why So Many Have Vanished from Chase County,” by J. Schafer. 

Hard news feature/enterprise

Second place: “LMH Health Eliminates Health Insurance for 3 Dozen Part Time Employees,” by J. Schafer.

Complete Newscast:

Second place: “Morning Edition News with Tom Parkinson.”

Public Affairs Program:

Second place: “KPR Presents: Woodstock, 50 Years Later,” by KPR’s Kaye McIntyre.

Sports Feature:

First place: “The NAIA Title Basketball Game That Wasn't... and What Lies in Store,” by Greg Echlin, edited by J. Schafer.

Editorial/commentary:

First place: “KU Professor's New Book: Remembering Emmett Till,” by KPR commentator Rex Buchanan, edited by J. Schafer

Second place: “How the Success of Vaccines Led to Less Vaccination,” by KPR commentator John Richard Schrock, edited by J. Schafer.

In years past the KAB awards would be distributed to winners at the KAB Convention in October. Due to COVID-19, this year’s convention will be held virtually, and the awards will be mailed out to their recipients prior to the virtual convention.
 
KPR, 19-time winner of the KAB's Station of the Year award, is licensed to the University of Kansas. KPR broadcasts on 91.5 FM and 96.1 FM in Lawrence, 89.7 FM in Emporia, 91.3 FM in Olsburg-Junction City, 89.9 FM in Atchison, 90.3 FM in Chanute, and 99.5 FM and 97.9 FM in Manhattan. KPR can also be heard online at kansaspublicradio.org. KPR also operates KPR2, a news-talk programming stream, which can be heard on an HD receiver or on KPR’s website.