April 20, 2026

Illinois journalists recognized with INBA Crystal Mic Awards

3 hours ago

The crew from Illinois Public Media celebrated their win for Best Station in the Small Market Radio division at the INBA Crystal Mic Awards on Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Champaign. Photo by Rachel Lippmann

Illinois Public Media in Urbana, WAND-TV from Decatur and ABC7 and WBBM radio from Chicago each took home the Crystal Mic Award for Best Station in their respective divisions during April 18’s INBA Best of Broadcast Awards in Champaign.

The INBA handed out awards in about a dozen categories in each of four divisions, small- and large-market TV and small- and large-market radio.

Here are the final results. Look for more photos of award winners soon on the INBA Facebook page.

SMALL MARKET TV

The crew from WAND-TV, including (from left) Erika Ahola, Caroline Reese, Mike Miletich and news director Rod Hissong celebrate WAND’s win in the Best Station category of the Small TV Division on April 18, 2026.
  • Best Station: First place: WAND, Decatur; Second: WHBF, Quad Cities
  • Paul Davis Best Newscast: 1: WCIA, Champaign “Mahomet Murders”; 2: WCIA “Sean Grayson Verdict”
  • Best Morning Newscast: 1: WQAD, Quad Cities “GMQC Election Day”; 2: 25 News, Peoria “Pumpkin Fest”
  • Best Digital Presence: 1: WHBF; 2: Eyewitness News (WTVO, Rockford)
  • Best Reporter: 1: Deron Molen, WAND; 2. Sam Matheny, 25 News
  • Breaking News: 1: WIFR: Town of Nora Evacuated; 2: WIFR: Severe Storm Cancels Brat Days
  • Investigative Report: 1: Lizzie Seils, Kyle Vincent, Nick Cheesman, 25 News, Peoria; 2: WGEM: Deputy DUI
  • Writing: 1: Deron Molen, WAND; 2: Caroline Reese, WAND
  • Sports Reporting: 1: Kyle Ainsworth, WGEM; 2: Patrick Cunningham, WMBD
  • Podcasting: Behind the Numbers, WGEM; CI Sports Zone, WMBD
  • Best Weather Operation: 1: KWQC First Alert Weather; 2: WCIA Weather Team
  • Use of Videography: 1: Deron Molen, Erika Ahola, Jake Bedell, 2: WAND; Kyle Vincent, 25 News

SMALL MARKET RADIO

  • Best Station: 1: Illinois Public Media, Urbana; 2: WNIJ, DeKalb
  • Best Newscast: 1: WGLT Staff, Normal; 2: WTAX News Team, Springfield
  • Best Digital Presence: 1: WGLT; 2: 102.3 The Coyote Rochelle Broadcasting
  • Best Reporter: 1: Dave Dahl, WTAX; 2: Ethan Kruger, WSPY, Plano
  • Breaking News: 1: Farm Fields on Fire, Illinois Public Media; 2: Madigan Sentencing, WTAX
  • Investigative Report: 1: Life Under Oak Wood, WGLT; 2: When Orders of Protection Don’t Protect, WGLT
  • Political Reporting: 1: Eleven People, Five Seats, Illinois Public Media; 2: A Normal $28,000 Campaign Contribution, WGLT
  • Writing: 1: Yvonne Boose, WNIJ; 2: Dave Dahl, WTAX
  • Sports Reporting: 1: Peter Medlin, WNIJ; 2: Lauren Wisdom & Micah Schnyders, WSPY
  • Podcasting: 1: What We Brought, Illinois Public Media; 2: 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: 1: ABC7 Chicago, 2: KSDK, St. Louis
  • Paul Davis Best Newscast: 1: ABC7 Chicago: The Election of Pope Leo; 2: ABC7 Chicago: DNC Finale
  • Best Morning Newscast: 1: KSDK
  • Best Digital Presence: 1: ABC7 Chicago
  • Best Reporter: 1: PJ Randhawa, NBC5 Chicago; 2: Justina Coronel, KSDK
  • Breaking News: 1: KSDK Explosion; 2: KSDK Garfield’s Survival
  • Investigative Report: 1: Mark Maxwell, ADA Lawsuits; 2: Mark Maxwell, Condemned: Corrupt Building Inspector Fired
  • Political Reporting: 1: Mark Maxwell, At the Margins of Power, 2: KSDK; Craig Wall, ABC7
  • Writing: 1 and 2: Mark Maxwell, KSDK
  • Sports Reporting: 1: Frank Cusumano and Randy Schwentker, KSDK
  • Best Weather Operation: 1: ABC7 Chicago Staff; 2: KTVI-TV Weather Department, St. Louis
  • Podcasting: 1: KSDK: And There You Have It
  • Use of Videography: 1: Brian Ledford, KTVI; 2: Randy Schwentker, Frank Cusumano, KSDK

LARGE MARKET RADIO

  • Best Station: 1: WBBM, Chicago; St. Louis Public Radio
  • Best Newscast: 1: WBBM, Cisco Cotto, Mai Martinez, Cameron Costanzo; St. Louis Public Radio
  • Best Digital Presence: 1: St. Louis Public Radio
  • Best Reporter: 1: Terry Keshner, WBBM; 2: Will Bauer, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Breaking News: 1: A Chicago Pope, WBBM; 2: Mike Madigan Convicted, WGN Radio
  • Investigative Report: 1: Brian Munoz, Chad Davis, Kavahn Mansouri, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Political Reporting: 1: Geoff Buchholz, WBBM; 2: Will Bauer, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Sports Reporting: 1: Rick Gregg, WBBM
  • Writing: 1: Jeremy Goodwin, St. Louis Public Radio
  • Podcasting: 1: We Live Here, St. Louis Public Radio; 2: Interrupting the Next Mass Shooting, WGN Radio
  • Use of Sound: Marissanne Lewis-Thompson, St. Louis Public Radio; Jeremy Goodwin, St. Louis Public Radio
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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