CHADRON – Several Northeast Community College media students were the recipients of a combined 36 awards at the recent Nebraska Collegiate Media Association (NCMA) Golden Leaf Awards at Chadron State College here.
Student staff members of KHWK, Northeast’s campus radio station, received 15 awards, including first place finishes in Radio Air Personality, Feature News, News Story and Newscast categories. The station was also runner-up for the title of NCMA Radio Station of the Year.
Student staff members of Hawk TV, Northeast’s campus TV station, received 17 awards, including first place finishes in Television Commercial, General News Reporting, Live Remote Reporting, Newscast, and Promotional Announcement categories. This is the second consecutive year that Northeast has been awarded first place for TV Newscast, as well as sweeping the Live Remote category, which includes live coverage of Hawks sports. Hawk TV was also awarded the title of runner-up for TV Station of the Year.

Brian Anderson, broadcasting instructor, said he is extremely proud of the accomplishments of the student broadcasters.
“This is a huge honor. It is a representation of the countless hours of hard work and dedication to learning this craft and becoming successful broadcasters. This group of sophomore students is extraordinary and it shows in the caliber of submitted entries and the awards earned,” he said. “This is the second year in a row that Hawk TV has been chosen for best TV newscast, as well as completing a full sweep of Live Remote Reporting. It is also the first time Northeast has scored this high in the overall Station of the Year rankings. I couldn’t be more proud of these students.”

The Viewpoint, Northeast’s online college newspaper, won four awards. Jackson Miller, Norfolk, and Seth Johanson, Pierce, earned first place in Use of a Digital Medium for Public Service for their story on the creation of a video for the Elkhorn Valley Museum and Research Center by students in the Digital Cinema and Media program, while Joe Lose, Kansas City, MO, received second place for his Blog, One Man’s Opinion. In Video Journalism, Angela Richart, Oakdale, and Johanson, captured first place for their multimedia story on musicians, Xandria Gregory and Renee Bracken, and third place for Karly Liska, Verdigre, and Johanson, for their story on storm chaser, Trent Bosler.

Viewpoint adviser Nancy Sutton Smith said this contest demonstrates to students that multimedia, including video and audio in all their news stories, is critically important now that media is online and interactive.
“First, the contest shows students what the professional journalism market is looking for. The digital media judges are often professional journalists and understand how quickly the profession is changing. Second, it helps them gauge the quality of their work and what new multimedia tool is out there that professionals are using. Northeast has the latest media software and that is why our students did so well in this contest.”
Anderson said, “Our students are competing against juniors and seniors at four-year institutions. The level of competition is tough. Our students are responding well and are answering with high quality output.“
Along with Northeast, other member schools of the Nebraska Collegiate Media Association include Wayne State College, Chadron State College, Peru State College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Hastings College and Doane College.
KHWK/Hawk TV can be found on Cable One Channel 19 on the Northeast Norfolk campus or on Channel 20 throughout Norfolk and other Cable One communities. The Northeast Viewpoint can be found online at www.neviewpoint.com.