2017 EIB Award Winners

Below are the recipients who demonstrated exceptional vision and transformative performance this year.

MEL BURKA DISTINGUISHED BROADCASTER AWARD

  • Roger Sheppard - WTAP TV, Parkersburg, WV

LEGENDARY STATION OF THE YEAR

  • WQBE-FM - Charleston, WV

BEST TELEVISION STATION OF THE YEAR

  • WVVA TV - Bluefield, WV

DISTINGUISHED WEST VIRGINIAN AWARD

  • David Barnette

RADIO CATEGORIES

AC/Oldies Station of the Year

  • Ranked (R): WVA
  • Unranked (U): Todays 97.5 WLTF

CHR Station of the Year

  • Ranked (R): WHAJ 104.5
  • Unranked (U): Star 95

Country Station of the Year

  • Ranked (R): WDGG
  • Unranked (U): WBRB The Bear

News/Talk Station of the Year

  • Ranked (R): 580 WCHS
  • Unranked (U): 1340 & 93.7 WEPM

Rock Station of the Year

  • WRZZ-FM

On-Air Personality

  • Ranked (R): WRZZ Mike Cameron
  • Unranked (U): WCDK - Cindy Taylor

Best Morning Show

  • Ranked (R - TIE): WCLG - Better Than Your Morning Show
  • Ranked (R - TIE): WQBE-FM - Al Woody - The Morning Air Show
  • Unranked (U): WLTF - Rona Menash

Best Newscast

  • Ranked (R): WCHS - Chris Lawrence
  • Unranked (U): WEPM - Hans Fogle

Best Talk Show

  • Ranked (R): WBES-FM - Brandon Lowe - The Brandon Lowe Show
  • Unranked (U): WRNR - Hannah Geffert - Mid Morning With Hannah

Best Sportscast

  • Ranked (R): WHKX - Dan McMahon
  • Unranked (U): WEIR - Joey Klepack

Best Play-by-Play

  • Ranked (R): WJLS - Fred Persinger II - Beckley Basketball
  • Unranked (U): WCDK - Joey Klepack - Big Red Football

Best Radio Promotion

  • WVAQ - Laurel Slone

Best Radio Creative

  • WMXE - Kenny McClain - Adelphia's

Best Use of Digital Media

  • 98.7 The Beat - Patrick Rhinehart

NETWORK CATEGORIES

Network Sports Play-by-Play

  • Kyle Wiggs - SSAC Basketball Championships

Network Sportscast

  • MetroNews Afternoon Sportscast - Garrett Cullen

Network Long-Form News Program

  • MetroNews Sports Brunch
  • WOWK TV - WV Auto Show - Bryan Hughes

Network Breaking News or Event Coverage

  • MetroNews Network - Chris Lawrence - First Impressions at Queen Shoals

Network Talk Show

  • Talkline - Hoppy Kercheval

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Best Community Outreach

  • WVVA TV - Rebuild WV Telethon

Best Locally Produced Television Show

  • WVNS TV: Valerie Sullivan - The 1,000 Year Flood Helping Our Neighbors

Best Sportscast

  • Ranked (R): WBOY TV - Nick Ferrell
  • Unranked (U): WVVA TV - AJ Good

Best Investigative News Story or Series

  • WCHS TV - Leslie Rubin - Shakedown Behind Bars

Best General Assignment Reporting

  • WSAZ TV Kathryn Robinson

Best Coverage of Breaking News

  • WOWK TV Nicki Walter - Family Stranded By Flood

Best Newscast: AM

  • WDTV 5 News Daybreak

Best Newscast: PM

  • WSAZ TV - Kelsey Hoak - News Channel Three Tonight

Best Anchor

  • WCHS TV Whitney Wetzel

Best Weathercaster

  • WTAP TV - Tom Battle

Best Photojournalist

  • WVVA - Matt Irvin

Best Use of Digital Media

  • WVNS TV - Douglas Fritz

Best TV Creative

  • WVNS TV - David Mott - We're All In This Together