Sports play-by-plays, hard news features and documentaries: WTBU does it all.
Because of this coverage, Boston University’s student-run radio station nabbed four out of the 14 annual Associated Press awards for the 2009 fall and spring semesters. BUTV10 also gained recognition, BU’s fifth AP award this year.
WTBU won the Hard News Feature award for the piece, “Massachusetts Midwives,” the Documentary Award for “Made in Massachusetts,” the Sports Play-By-Play Award for coverage of BU’s NCAA hockey victory in the 2008-09 season and the Use of Sound Award for “Anatomy of A’cappella.” BUTV10 won the Continuing Coverage award, for a piece titled “G20 Protests Turn Violent.”
“I’m very proud that individuals from WTBU have been recognized by AP for their outstanding work, they deserve every bit of it,” said WTBU Station Administrator Sarah Berg, a College of Communication junior. “I’m also thrilled that this reflects well on WTBU as a whole . . . it’s nice to know that someone is aware of all of the hard work we all put into our shows.”
WTBU members said they are especially happy about the accomplishment because they are a smaller station than other contestants.
“It’s pretty phenomenal given that we’re a very small, not well-funded station,” said WTBU director and COM sophomore Kendra Long. “I think it’s sort of a tribute to the students and how much effort they are willing to put in, despite our size and despite our lack of funding, the fact that students are still able to do so much with relatively little.”
Long also expressed shock at their win over other schools, such as Emerson College.
“Honestly, when I found out that Emerson didn’t fare as well as we did, I was stunned,” she said. “I mean it’s one of Emerson’s biggest majors, it’s one of our smallest majors, but obviously the AP disagrees.”
WTBU faculty advisor and BU associate professor Anne Donohue said the eight or nine students from her class who contributed to the “Made in Massachusetts” piece all worked really hard to make it a success.
Donohue said that WTBU is known for usually excelling in the heat of competition.
“When we have applied we have won,” she said. “Not as many, but this was a big deal to win this many.”
Donohue said she believes radio news will remain strong, both at BU and across the country.
“WBUR and NPR are not hit by the same commercial pressures that reaches newspapers and TV stations,” she said. “There’s a future in radio news. People drive in cars, you can’t watch TV or read a newspaper in a car. So as long as that is how we get around, people will be listening to news on the radio and there’s a future in radio.”
WTBU public relations director and College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Tara Jayaker said the awards are a result of the staff’s commitment and dedication.
“We take what we do very seriously,” she said. “Our staff is very diverse and committed to excellence. Plus, we love what we do.”
The Marriot Hotel in Newton will host the AP awards ceremony on Friday, April 16.
“I can’t wait to see what else we accomplish during the rest of my time here,” Berg said.
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