March 8, 2026

2026 Crystal Mic finalists announced; placements revealed at Best of Broadcast Awards on April 18

1 week ago
Crystal Mic trophy on table with a radio themed background.

The Crystal Mic awards will be handed out April 18 at the INBA Best of Broadcast Awards dinner.

The judging for the 2026 INBA Crystal Mic Awards is complete, and we’re proud to reveal the list of finalists in each division and category.

The finalists are listed below in random order. Who wins first place and second place in each category will be revealed April 18 at the Best of Broadcast Awards event in Champaign. Get your tickets now.

SMALL MARKET TV

  • Best Station: WHBF; WAND
  • Paul Davis Best Newscast: WCIA “Mahomet Murders”; WCIA “Sean Grayson Verdict”
  • Best Morning Newscast: WQAD “GMQC Election Day”; 25 News “Pumpkin Fest”
  • Best Digital Presence: Eyewitness News (WTVO); WHBF
  • Best Reporter: Deron Molen, WAND; Sam Matheny, 25 News
  • Breaking News: WIFR: Town of Nora Evacuated; WIFR: Severe Storm Cancels Brat Days
  • Investigative Report: WGEM: Deputy DUI; Lizzie Seils, 25 News
  • Political Reporting: No Winners
  • Writing: Deron Molen, WAND; Caroline Reese, WAND
  • Sports Reporting: Patrick Cunningham, WMBD; Kyle Ainsworth, WGEM
  • Podcasting: Behind the Numbers, WGEM; CI Sports Zone, WMBD
  • Best Weather Operation: WCIA Weather Team; KWQC First Alert Weather
  • Use of Videography: Deron Molen, WAND; Kyle Vincent, 25 News

SMALL MARKET RADIO

  • Best Station: WNIJ; Illinois Public Media
  • Best Newscast: WGLT Staff; WTAX News Team
  • Best Digital Presence: WGLT; 102.3 The Coyote Rochelle Broadcasting
  • Best Reporter: Ethan Kruger, WSPY; Dave Dahl, WTAX
  • Breaking News: Farm Fields on Fire, Illinois Public Media; Madigan Sentencing, WTAX
  • Investigative Report: Life Under Oak Wood, WGLT; When Orders of Protection Don’t Protect, WGLT
  • Political Reporting: Eleven People, Five Seats, Illinois Public Media; A Normal $28,000 Campaign Contribution, WGLT
  • Writing: Dave Dahl, WTAX; Yvonne Boose, WNIJ
  • Sports Reporting: Peter Medlin, WNIJ; Lauren Wisdom & Micah Schnyders, WSPY
  • Podcasting: What We Brought, Illinois Public Media; Welcome to Forgottonia, Tri States Public Radio Host Rich Egger
  • Use of Sound: Jane Carlson, Tri States Public Radio; Rich Egger, Tri States Public Radio 

LARGE MARKET TV

  • Best Station: ABC7 Chicago, KSDK
  • Paul Davis Best Newscast: ABC7 Chicago: The Election of Pope Leo; ABC7 Chicago: DNC Finale
  • Best Morning Newscast: KSDK
  • Best Digital Presence: ABC7 Chicago
  • Best Reporter: Justina Coronel, KSDK; PJ Randhawa, NBC5 Chicago
  • Breaking News: KSDK Explosion; KSDK Garfield’s Survival
  • Investigative Report: Mark Maxwell, ADA Lawsuits
  • Political Reporting: Craig Wall, ABC7; Mark Maxwell, At the Margins of Power, KSDK
  • Writing: Mark Maxwell, KSDK
  • Sports Reporting: Mike Bush and Tom Stasiak, KSDK
  • Best Weather Operation: KTVI-TV Weather Department; ABC7 Chicago Staff
  • Podcasting: KSDK: And There You Have It
  • Use of Videography: Brian Ledford, KTVI
  • Randy Schwentker, Frank Cusumano, KSDK

LARGE MARKET RADIO

  • Best Station: St. Louis Public Radio; WBBM
  • Best Newscast: St. Louis Public Radio; WBBM, Cisco Cotto, Mai Martinez, Cameron Costanzo
  • Best Digital Presence: St. Louis Public Radio
  • Best Reporter: Terry Keshner, WBBM; Will Bauer, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Breaking News: Mike Madigan Convicted, WGN Radio; A Chicago Pope, WBBM
  • Investigative Report: Brian Munoz, Chad Davis, Kavahn Mansouri, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Political Reporting: Will Bauer, St. Louis Public Radio; Geoff Buchholz, WBBM
  • Sports Reporting: Rick Gregg, WBBM
  • Writing: Jeremy Goodwin, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Podcasting: We Live Here, St. Louis Public Radio; Interrupting the Next Mass Shooting, WBBM
  • Use of Sound: Jeremy Goodwin, St. Louis Public Radio; Marissanne Lewis-Thompson, St. Louis Public Radio
Mike Miletich
Capitol Bureau Reporter, WAND-TV, Decatur

Joining the INBA was one of my best life decisions. I met some of the best broadcast journalists while I was still a college student. Plus, I ended up getting a job through the connections I made!

Molly Jirasek
News Director, ABC57, South Bend, IN

One of my top goals in my career was to get to Chicago. Thanks to INBA I met Margaret Larkin. She remembered our great conversations about Chicago and first alerted me to a job opening in the city I might be interested in. Lo and behold, I got that job! INBA helped me reach my dream.

Nora Baldner
Professor, Quincy University

The support INBA gives to student journalists is vitally important as we all discover how technology is changing news dissemination, INBA monitors and actively encourages truth, transparency and accountability from students and their universities.

Michelle Eccles McLaughlin
Public Relations Account Manager, Horace Mann Insurance

INBA is an organization that really caters to continuing education for professionals. It offers a relatively inexpensive way to learn new things, reinforce best practices and network.

Andrew Tanielian
Freelance Video Journalist

INBA taught me how to network in a meaningful way. The scholarship process taught me how to endure a hard job interview and thrive.

Ryan Denham
Digital Content Director, WGLT (Normal)

I recently attended my first INBA conference—and it won’t be my last. The combination of professional and student journalists learning together is electric. Everyone learns from each other and walks away with new friends (and LinkedIn connections). I know I did.

Bob Roberts
Retired, WBBM-AM, Chicago

INBA is as much about friendship and as it is about achieving common goals. It provides two things individual newsrooms cannot: in-service training, and the ability to speak out on issues affecting the profession. But most of all, it brings newspeople together.

Jeff Bossert
Morning Edition Host, WVTF, Roanoke, Virginia

When I was working in radio for the first time, I had no idea whether I could truly handle the demands. But INBA made me curious and want to improve. Even now, when I’ve maybe worked a lot of hours or planned some stories that didn’t come together for one reason or another, what I learn from an INBA conference gets me re-invigorated about the business.

Jennifer Fuller
Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs, John A. Logan College

INBA is not only a great networking tool, it also provides advocacy and support for journalists in an ever-changing world.

Alexis McAdams
Fox News National Correspondent

INBA played a huge part in preparing me for my broadcasting career. The INBA conventions connect students with on-air talent and news directors who give feedback on now to improve your work. Through relationships I made at those conventions, I was able to obtain my first on air reporting job.

Aaron Eades
Former Morning Anchor at WCIA-TV, Champaign

As a student, it's often difficult to picture what working in the real world will be like. For me, the INBA bridged that gap by giving me the chance to talk to professionals who used to be in the same shoes I'm in now.

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