CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (July 2, 2009) - Virginia radio and television stations were recognized for excellence in broadcasting at the 72nd Annual Virginia Broadcasting Awards, held June 26th at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, Va. This year's gala event included a "Fire & Ice" reception and awards ceremony recognizing individual achievement in broadcasting (please see separate release).

Awards are based on projects first aired between January 1 and December 31, 2008, with the sole exception of the Outstanding Newscast Award. Commercial and non-commercial stations are judged separately, and the award categories are broken down by market size.

The VAB is grateful for the assistance of the West Virginia Broadcasters Association for the judging of all entries. Only VAB-member radio and television stations are eligible to participate.

2009 Fire & Ice Awards Winners photo slideshow  [Click Here to view photos in a Grid view]

Winners:

John Adams, 2009 Broadcast Advertising Hall of Fame Award	Leonard Wheeler, 2009 C.T. Lucy Distinguished Service Award	Joe Dashiell, 2009 George A. Bowles, Jr. Broadcast Journalism Award	George Randell, 2009 J. Jerry Freeman Engineering Award

Best Commercial

• Radio - Large Market, WNOR-FM, Radio - Large Market, Walgreens "Health Tour", 1st Place
• Radio - Large Market, WDYL-FM, Radio - Large Market, Capital Ale House - "Oktoberfest 2008", 2nd Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WBQB-FM, Radio - Medium Market, GW Regional Commission - Commute Fairy, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WWVB-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Wholesale Outlet "Norman", 2nd Place
• Radio - Small Market, WZBB-FM, Radio - Small Market, Doughton's Auto Service, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WMBG-AM, Radio - Small Market, Hometown Bottled Water, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WCAV-TV, Television - Commercial, Frontier Culture Museum, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WVIR-TV, Television - Commercial, Do Elliewood This Summer, 2nd Place

Best Documentary or Public Affairs Program

• Radio - Large Market, WAVA-FM, Radio - Large Market, A Tribute To Our Veterans, 1st Place
• Radio - Large Market, WNOR-FM, Radio - Large Market, ADD, 2nd Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WFLS-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Focus: Report From Kuwait, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WZRV-FM, Radio - Medium Market, The Valley Today, 2nd Place
• Radio - Small Market, WMBG-AM, Radio - Small Market, Ask the Expert-William & Mary  Bone Marrow Drive, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WABN-AM, Radio - Small Market, On the Wing-Abingdon High School, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WDBJ-TV, Television - Commercial, Inspiration Rising-Portrait of a Museum, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WRIC-TV, Television - Commercial, Virginia Tech-One Year Later, 2nd Place
• Television - Non-Commercial or Public, WBRA-TV, Television - Non-Commercial or Public, Blue Ridge Adventures: White Water, 1st Place
• Television - Non-Commercial or Public, WHRO-TV, Television - Non-Commercial or Public, Civil War in Hampton Roads: Battle of the Ironclads, 2nd Place

Best Human Interest Series

• Radio - Medium Market, WBTM-AM, Radio - Medium Market, WBTM's Mystery Guest, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WCNR-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Brian Wilson Interview, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WAVY-TV, Television - Commercial, Flashes of Hope, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WDBJ-TV, Television - Commercial, Officer Lawrence, 2nd Place
• Television - Non-Commercial or Public, WHRO-TV, Television - Non-Commercial or Public, Fil AM TV, 1st Place

Best Morning Show

• Radio - Large Market, WLNI-FM, Radio - Large Market, The Morningline, 1st Place
• Radio - Large Market, WRVA-AM, Radio - Large Market, Richmond's Morning News, 2nd Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WGRX-FM, Radio - Medium Market, More in the Morning-host: Denny More, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WINC-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Wink Wake-Up Show, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WGNT-TV, Television - Commercial, The Daily Buzz, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WWBT-TV, Television - Commercial, 12 News Today, 2nd Place

Best Public Service/Community Event

• Radio - Large Market, WDYL-FM, Radio - Large Market, Y101 Conserves-"The Life of a Soda Can", 1st Place
• Radio - Large Market, WKHK-FM, Radio - Large Market, Virginia Automobile Dealers Assoc.-"Best Time to Buy", 2nd Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WINC-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Chain of Checks 2008, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WGRQ-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Bring us your Bra Breast Cancer Awareness Promotion, 2nd Place
• Radio - Small Market, WKWI-FM, Radio - Small Market, Toy Drive, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WMBG-AM, Radio - Small Market, Vacation in Williamsburg, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WVEC-TV, Television - Commercial, Cost of DUI, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WVIR-TV, Television - Commercial, Broadcasters for Blood "Brady Bunch", 2nd Place
• Television - Non-Commercial or Public, WVPT-TV, Television - Non-Commercial or Public, Kids Book Festival, 1st Place

Best Station Promotion/Contest

• Radio - Large Market, WKHK-FM, Radio - Large Market, Hands on Corollathan, 2nd Place
• Radio - Large Market, WMXB-FM, Radio - Large Market, MPG, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WFLS-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Egg Smash 2008, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WINC-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Critics' Corner, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WVBT-TV, Television - Commercial, Fox 43 - Fast Talker Image x 3, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WGNT-TV, Television - Commercial, G.W. on the CW, 2nd Place

Outstanding Feature Reporting

• Radio - Large Market, WRVA-AM, Radio - Large Market, Americas Newest Citizens, 1st Place
• Radio - Large Market, WAVA-FM, Radio - Large Market, Religious Persecution in Iraq, 2nd Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WFLS-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Rudy (Niche Herman, reporter), 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WINC-FM, Radio - Medium Market, Yuletide Young & Old, 2nd Place
• Radio - Non-Commercial or Public, WHRV-FM, Radio - Non-Commercial or Public, Hearsay with Cathy Lewis: Tattoos, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WJMA-FM, Radio - Small Market, Dog Finds Purse, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WAVY-TV, Television - Commercial, Tricare Wheelchair, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WVIR-TV, Television - Commercial, UVA Athletics, 1st Place

Outstanding News Series

• Radio - Large Market, WRVA-AM, Radio - Large Market, Back To School-2008, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WFLO-AM/FM, Radio - Small Market, People Talk, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WTVR-TV, Television - Commercial, Virginia Vanishing, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WVBT-TV, Television - Commercial, Deportation Dilemma, 2nd Place
• Television - Non-Commercial or Public, WVPT-TV, Television - Non-Commercial or Public, Virginia Farming, 1st Place

Outstanding Newscast

• Radio - Large Market, WRVA-AM, Radio - Large Market, January 13, 2009 4:30 pm Newscast, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WBTM-AM, Radio - Medium Market, Chuck Vipperman, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WCHV-AM, Radio - Medium Market, Outstanding Newscast, 2nd Place
• Radio - Small Market, WJMA-FM, Radio - Small Market, Noon News 1/15/09, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WFTR-AM, Radio - Small Market, News at Noon, January 13, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WTVR-TV, Television - Commercial, January 15th 6pm Newscast, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WRIC-TV, Television - Commercial, 8 News at 6, 2nd Place

Outstanding Sports Coverage

• Radio - Medium Market, WINA-AM, Radio - Medium Market, WINA Sports, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WBTM-AM, Radio - Medium Market, George Washington High School Football, 2nd Place
• Radio - Non-Commercial or Public, WMLU-FM, Radio - Non-Commercial or Public, WMLU Sports Coverage, 1st Place
• Radio - Small Market, WABN-AM, Radio - Small Market, Abingdon High School Football Midget League Playoff, 2nd Place
• Radio - Small Market, WBBC-FM, Radio - Small Market, WBBC Local Sports Highlights, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WAVY-TV, Television - Commercial, WAVY Sports Team, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WCAV-TV, Television - Commercial, CBS19 Sports, 2nd Place

Outstanding Website

• Radio - Large Market, WDYL-FM, Radio - Large Market, www.y101rocks.com, 1st Place
• Radio - Large Market, WKLR-FM, Radio - Large Market, www.965KLR.com, 2nd Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WINA-AM, Radio - Medium Market, www.wina.com, 1st Place
• Radio - Medium Market, WGRQ-FM, Radio - Medium Market, www.959WGRQ.com, 2nd Place
• Television - Commercial, WSET-TV, Television - Commercial, www.wset.com, 1st Place
• Television - Commercial, WVIR-TV, Television - Commercial, www.nbc29.com, 2nd Place
• Television - Non-Commercial or Public, WVPT-TV, Television - Non-Commercial or Public, www.wvpt.net/index.html, 1st Place

The Virginia Association of Broadcasters has been working to advance broadcasting since 1937. The Association provides legal advice, holds sales, news and production educational seminars, and provides government relation services for its members. The VAB sponsors scholarship and internship programs to help educate and train future broadcasters, and the annual awards program recognizes excellence in broadcasting among its member stations. For more information on the VAB, please visit: http://vabonline.com/membership/benefits.aspx