WKYT named ‘Station of the Year’ by Kentucky Broadcasters Association

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - In a year marked by an ongoing pandemic, closely watched elections, and devastating flooding, the Kentucky Broadcasters Association named WKYT its “station of the year” during its third annual Excellence in Broadcasting Awards ceremony.

“As you know, our job is to inform and protect the community. I think that all of us that are part of the KBA do this day in and day out,” said WKYT President and General Manager Jeff Anderson when accepting the award. “The other part of our job is to support our community by getting involved and literally raising it up.”

Powered by major donors and hundreds of smaller contributions, the “Appalachia Rises” telethon on WKYT raised more than $1.3 million to help those impacted by March flooding. The telethon marked the third WKYT-produced telethon to ever pass the million-dollar mark.

Other community-focused projects over the past year included working with Children’s Charity of the Bluegrass and a year-long project called “Bridging the Great Health Divide” which examined health gaps that exist between the Appalachian regions and the rest of the nation.

In addition to “Station of the Year,” WKYT won three other awards in the statewide Kentucky Broadcasters Association competition:

• Best digital product: For coverage across its digital platforms, the judge’s said, “Great use of WKYT NOW desk for breaking news online through OTT live streaming. Really enjoyed the use of interactive elements like the touchscreen and graphics displaying vote counts during election segments, as well as the detailed info-graphic for the breakdown of COVID-19 cases.”
• Best weathercast: WKYT Chief Meteorologist Chris Bailey and Meteorologist Adam Burniston were honored for coverage on February 28 as severe weather moved across the state devastating many communities under floodwaters.
• Rookie of the Year: Former WKYT reporter Grace Finerman was honored for her work over the past year. “Grace presents herself confidently on camera and shows creativity in her storytelling, whether covering hard news or features,” the judges wrote.

The latest honors follow the Radio Television Digital News Association presenting WKYT with three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, including the coveted award for overall news excellence.

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