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WGLT Newsroom Tops Radio Stations in Illinois
WGLT has been recognized by both the Illinois Associated Press (AP) and the Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) for excellence in 2004. The RTNDA awarded WGLT two prestigious regional Edward R. Murrow awards for excellence in Electronic Journalism. Last week, the AP also awarded the WGLT News Room nearly a third of all awards given to downstate radio stations, including its most prestigious award, the Best Reporter, and Best News Writer to Charlie Schlenker. "The wide range of accomplishments shows the breadth and solidity of WGLT reporters," said General Manager Bruce Bergethon. "GLT listeners and the Bloomington, Normal, and Peoria communities are fortunate to have a resource providing in-depth information presented in a thoughtuful manner."

WGLT won nearly a third of all awards given to downstate radio stations, leading the pack with five awards: Best Reporter, Charlie Schlenker; Best Sports Report, Charlie Schlenker; Best Newswriter, Charlie Schlenker; 2nd place Best Newscast, Willis Kern, Charlie Schlenker, and Jim Browne; and 2nd Place Best Investigative Report, Charlie Schlenker.

The AP honored WGLT News Department for Journalistic Excellence for the fourth consecutive year. This is the third year in a row Schlenker was named top News Writer and the fourth consecutive year WGLT has won a Sports Reporting Award. The News Department has won 20 awards in the last four years from the AP and 33 awards in the last 10 years.


WGLT's Charlie Schlenker

Schlenker, WGLT Assistant News Director, grew up in Rock Island, Illinois, and graduated from Augustana College in 1984. He entered radio by chance, when the then Station Manger of WGLT suggested Schlenker look into the campus NPR affiliate. Schlenker started as a newsreader and classical music announcer and has gone on to practice journalism in Lasalle-Peru, Champaign-Urbana, and Bloomington-Normal. He's won more than two dozen wire service news awards.

WGLT stands for "We Gladly Learn and Teach," the motto of Illinois State University. Currently located in the Old Union Building on the ISU campus, WGLT has evolved from a student run station heard only in the dorms to a full service NPR affiliate that brings "News, Blues and All That Jazz" to a Central Illinois audience of more than 30,000 a week.
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