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WGLT News Best in Downstate
WGLT Winners from left:
Charlie Schlenker, Jim Browne,
and Willis Kern
WGLT’s News Department was honored by the Associated Press for Journalistic Excellence for the fifth consecutive year and has won multiple Edward R. Murrow regional awards for the second year in a row. This year, WGLT won more first place awards that any other downstate radio station and more total awards than any other radio station in Illinois outside Chicago. “GLT's news department is a continuing source of pride for the station and for the entire University,” said General Manager Bruce Bergethon. “One of the most satisfying aspects of this year's awards is that they reflect the versatility of our journalists, as well as the excellence of the teamwork that brings GLT's daily information service to central Illinois.

 

In the Associated Press competition, WGLT won four first place awards in this year’s contest: Best Newscast – Willis Kern, Jim Browne, Charlie Schlenker, Best Investigative Series – Charlie Schlenker, Best Hard News Feature – Willis Kern, Best Use of Sound – Charlie Schlenker. The newscast judged best downstate the past year was delivered on WGLT at 5:30 p.m. on March 28 and was anchored by Kern with contributions from Browne and Schlenker. Schlenker’s examination of the Bloomington Police Department’s use of tasers over a one year period took top honors in the Investigative category. His feature on fencing, “Blades and Boldness,” was judged first in the Use of Sound division. Kern’s report on a faith-based group’s march on a Bloomington hotel, protesting unpaid wages for immigrant workers, took first place honors in the Hard News Feature category.


Charlie Schlenker accepting his Edward R. Murrow Award from ABC-TV News Correspondent Elizabeth Vargas.

In the last five years, the WGLT News Department has won 24 awards from the Associated Press for Journalistic Excellence, and 39 awards in the last decade. In addition, WGLT’s Charlie Schlenker won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and one national Murrow award last year.

This year, Schlenker won again in the Murrow regional competition in the Best Writing Category. He also anchored this year’s winning entry in the Best Newscast division, which included contributions from Morning Edition host Jim Browne and News Director Willis Kern. Kern’s report about a faith-based group’s march on a Bloomington hotel protesting unpaid wages for immigrant housekeepers won the award for Best Hard News Feature. More than 3200 entries were received nationwide for this year’s competition. GLT’s honors come from the Region 7 small market radio division, which includes stations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana as well as Illinois. Each regional award competes for national honors to be announced this summer.

WGLT is the NPR/PRI affiliate public radio station licensed to Illinois State University broadcasting at 89.1 FM in central Illinois and in Peoria at 103.5 FM. In addition to locally produced news, GLT carries National Public Radio news programs Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. GLT offers local jazz programming during the week and blues on the weekend and also broadcasts worldwide at www.wglt.org. Throughout 2006, WGLT is celebrating 40 years on the air. 
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