WAMC/Northeast Public Radio Wins at 19th Annual Communicator Awards

ALBANY, NY (05/01/2013)(readMedia)-- WAMC/Northeast Public Radio has been honored by the Communicator Awards with two prestigious Gold Awards of Excellence and one Silver Award of Distinction.

WAMC's President and CEO, Alan Chartock, received a Gold Award of Excellence for his one hour interview with musician, composer and activist Sean Lennon in the Overall Program category. Their conversation focused on Lennon's campaign to ban fracking in New York State. The interview was produced by Associate News Director Patrick Donges.

The other winner of the Gold Award of Excellence in Production/Use of Music was WAMC's Senior Producer, Ian Pickus, for his interview with musician Michael Feinstein about the Great American Songbook.

In the News category, the News Department won an Award of Distinction for their live coverage of Hurricane Sandy as the superstorm hit the northeast. Throughout the evening, News Director Katie Britton, Assistant News Director Patrick Donges, and host Brian Shields spoke with community leaders, power companies and reporters throughout the region, updating listeners on the storm that left hundreds of thousands without power and billions of dollars in damage in its wake.

"It's always gratifying when our staff members are recognized for their hard work," says President and CEO Alan Chartock, "and particularly so when the awards come from our industry peers. We have invested a great deal in the News Department and we're happy to see those dollars paying dividends."

The winning stories can heard via podcast at www.wamc.org.

The Communicator Awards is the leading international awards program recognizing big ideas in marketing and communications. Founded nearly two decades ago, The Communicator Awards receives over 6,000 entries from companies and agencies of all sizes, making it one of the largest awards of its kind in the world.

The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of Visual Arts, an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative and marketing firms. IAVA members include executives from organizations such as Airtype Studio, Big Spaceship, Conde Nast, Coach, Disney, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Estee Lauder, Fry Hammond Barr, Lockheed Martin, MTV Networks, Pitney Bowes, rabble+rouser, Sotheby's Institute of Art, Time, Inc, Victoria's Secret, Wired, and Yahoo! To learn more about the IAVA please visit www.iavisarts.org.

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International. The station is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states. Stations and translators are in twenty-four locations throughout the region.

WAMC-FM 90.3 FM HD, Albany; WAMC, 1400 AM, Albany; WAMK 90.9 FM HD, Kingston; WOSR, 91.7 FM, Middletown; WCEL, 91.9 FM, Plattsburgh; WCAN, 93.3 FM, Canajoharie; WANC, 103.9 FM, Ticonderoga; WRUN, 90.3 FM, Remsen-Utica; WAMQ 105.1 FM, Great Barrington, MA; WWES 88.9 FM, Mt. Kisco; 90.1 WANZ Stamford, NY,93.1 FM, Troy; 99.3 FM, Oneonta; 97.1 FM, Hudson; 107.1 FM, Warwick; 107.7 FM, Newburgh; 103.9 FM, Beacon; 96.5 FM, Ellenville; 106.3, Middletown; 102.1, Highland, NY and 90.9 FM, Milford, PA.; 97.3 FM, Cooperstown; 88.7 FM, Lake Placid, and on-line at www.wamc.org; www.facebook.com/wamcradio; www.twitter.com/wamcradio