A year ago, Steve Scott returned to a familiar place, near where he grew up in California.

This fall he also stepped back into a familiar role, as PA announcer for an NBA team: the Golden State Warriors. 

“It’s been fun,” Steve said. “I think I may have forgotten how much fun it is.” 

Steve started behind the mic for the Chicago Bulls, first as the backup, then full-time from 2002-2006.  This was during the time he was News Director and anchor at WLS radio. 

It’s also when he was elected 3 times as president of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association.

“At that time we were fighting hard to get cameras in the courts. It was a battle and it was eventually won after I left to go to New York.  I’m proud to be even a small part of making that happen.” 

Steve and his wife Jeanne moved to New York in 2006, when he was hired as an anchor for WCBS radio.  He became involved with the New York Press Club, again serving three terms as president.  In his “free” time, he handled Public Address for the New York Knicks. 

WCBS went off the air in 2024, sending Steve back into the job market.  The Scotts made a cross-country move for his new role at KCBS in San Francisco.  Steve had grown up in Stockton and had attended San Jose State University.  Fun story about that: he didn’t graduate as a younger man, taking a full-time radio job instead, but was able to earn his last credits starting in 2019.  His graduation ceremony in 2020 was cancelled by COVID, but he still counts earning his diploma as one of his proudest accomplishments. 

A chance meeting at the radio station led to his third NBA gig.

“I was coming out of the kitchen, and the Warriors PR staff just happened to be walking by. I was introduced, and the Senior VP comes over and says you know we’re looking for a PA Announcer.”   

Since October, he’s been in what he calls “the best seat in the house” in the Chase Center, where much feels familiar.  

“What is kind of weird is the head coach is Steve Kerr, and I announced him when he was with the Bulls, as a player.”  

The Warriors’ General Manager is Mike Dunleavy, Jr., whom Scott also announced in his playing days. And a current Warriors player is Gary Payton II, whose dad Gary Payton Sr., was on the court in the earlier years of Scott’s announcing career. 

Scott says he wasn’t necessarily looking to do PA again, but with five regular season home games behind him, he’s feeling good.  Now he’s checking the schedule to see if he can make a trip back for the INBA’s Spring Awards on April 18. 

His memories of INBA are of being around similar people who can understand the ups and downs of the business.

“Whether they work in Chicago or Carbondale, or any town in between, we were all in it together.”  

The INBA is thrilled to release the winners of our second annual INBA Crystal Mic Awards. The awards will be presented at our Fall Convention in Bloomington on Saturday, Oct. 8. To register, head to our Eventbrite link. You can also book a room at the Parke Regency Hotel and Conference Center at our group rate through Sept. 16. To book now, click here.

Small Market Radio

Best Station                          

1st place               WCBU-FM, Peoria                                              

2nd place              WNIJ-FM, DeKalb

Best Newscast                     

1st place               WGLT-FM, Normal                                              

2nd place              WLBK, DeKalb

Best Reporter                      

1st place               Joe Deacon, WCBU-FM, Peoria                                        

2nd place              Lyndsay Jones, WGLT-FM, Normal

Breaking News                     

1st place               WMBD, Peoria, “BioUrja Ongoing Disaster”                                  

2nd place              WILL, Urbana, “Rare December Tornado Hits Coles County”

Best Digital Presence         

1st place               WVIK-FM, Quad-Cities

2nd place              WNIJ.org/Hola, DeKalb

Investigative Report           

1st place               WNIJ-FM, DeKalb, Peter Medlin, “Water Woes”

2nd place              WIUM-FM, Macomb, Jane Carlson, “A One Hospital Town”

Sports Report                      

1st place               WILL, Urbana, “Women’s Basketball Hires Shauna Green As Head Coach”

2nd place              WIUM-FM, Macomb, Jane Carlson, “A National Champion”

Use of Sound                       

1st place               WTAX, Springfield, “Fair Fare”

2nd place              WVIK-FM, Quad Cities, “Do You Want To Work On The Railroad?”

Best Writing                         

1st place               WTAX, Springfield, Dave Dahl

2nd place              WNIJ-FM, DeKalb, Yvonne Boose

Large Market Radio

Best Station                          

1st place                WBBM-Chicago                                   

Best Newscast                     

1st place               WBBM-Chicago                                   

2nd place              WLS-Chicago

Best Reporter                      

1st place                Lisa Fielding, WBBM, Chicago                                          

2nd place              Eric Schmid, KWMU, St. Louis

Investigative Report           

1st place                KWMU, St. Louis, “Lack Of Tornado Safe Rooms For Metro East Warehouses”

Sports Report                      

1st place                WBBM, Chicago, “Sports Report with Jeff Joniak”

Use of Sound                       

1st place                KWMU, St. Louis, “This app lets you see what Cahokia Mounds looked like 1,000 years ago”

2nd place              WBBM, Chicago, Lisa Fielding

Small Market TV

Best Station                          

1st place               WREX-TV, Rockford                                            

2nd place              WCIA-TV, Champaign

Paul Davis Best Newscast                  

1st place               WREX-TV, Rockford                                            

2nd place              WGEM-TV, Quincy

Best Reporter                      

1st place                Mike Miletich, WGEM-TV, Quincy                                    

2nd place              Shelby Kluver, WQAD-TV, Moline    

Breaking News                     

1st  place              WGEM-TV, Quincy, “Firefighters Battle Fire And Ice”

2nd place              WIFR-TV, Rockford, “Jury Finds Floyd Brown Guilty Of Second Degree Murder”

Best Digital Presence         

1st place               WREX-TV, Rockford

2nd place              WMBD-TV, Peoria

Investigative Report           

1st place               WEEK-TV, Peoria, Kyle Beachy, “Panhandling in Peoria: How A Pandemic Has Fueled A Problem”

2nd place              WAND-TV, Decatur, Deron Molen/Eric Ahola, “Transferring Trauma”

Sports Report                      

1st place               WQAD-TV, Moline, “La Panterita”

2nd place              WEEK-TV, Peoria, “All-American Hometown Hero”

Use of Video                        

1st place               WQAD-TV, Moline, “John Deere Strike”

2nd place              WMBD-TV, Peoria, “Destination Illinois: Bob & Tom Excellent Adventures”

Best Writing                         

1st place               WIFR-TV, Rockford, Mike Garrigan

2nd place              WQAD-TV, Moline, Josh Lamberty

Best Weather Operation

1st place               WGEM-TV, Quincy

2nd place              WREX-TV, Rockford

Large Market TV

Best Station                          

1st place               KSDK, St. Louis                                    

2nd place              WLS-TV, Chicago

Paul Davis Best Newscast                  

1st place               KSDK, St. Louis                                    

2nd place              WLS-TV, Chicago

Best Reporter                      

1st place                PJ Randhawa, KSDK, St. Louis                                           

2nd place              Emily Manley, KTVI, St. Louis

Breaking News                     

1st  place               WGN, Chicago, “Oak Brook Mall Shooting”                   

Best Digital Presence         

1st place               WLS-TV, Chicago

2nd place              KSDK, St. Louis

Sports Report                      

1st place               KSDK, St. Louis, “Justin Hardy Story”

2nd place              WGN, Chicago, “Ukrainian Boxers”

Use of Video                        

1st place                KSDK, St. Louis, “Stone Carver”

Best Writing                         

1st place                KSDK, St. Louis, Mike Bush

Best Weather Operation

1st place                WLS, Chicago

CLICK HERE to register. You have the option of attending the whole weekend, or just Saturday.

Small Market Radio

Large Market Radio

Small Market Television

Large Market Television