WAUSAU, Wis. -- WSAW NewsChannel 7 was honored as Station of the Year during the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Virtual Awards Gala for the fifth consecutive year. The event recognizes excellence in broadcast journalism in both radio and television during the 2021 calendar year. WSAW was honored with a total of 21 awards, including five first-place awards.  Sister station, FOX WZAW, claimed three additional awards, including one first-place award for ‘Best Evening Newscast’.

“It is an honor to have your staff’s work judged by peer as best of class for our market size,” said WSAW Vice President and General Manager Al Lancaster. “We have a great team at WSAW.”

Other top honors include ‘Best Living On-Scene Reporting’, ‘Best Specialty Programming’, ‘Best Original Digital Content’ and ‘Best Online Personality’.

The WBA television awards competition is divided into three categories: Large Market (Milwaukee), Medium Market (Green Bay and Madison), and Small Market (Wausau/Rhinelander, LaCrosse/Eau Claire, and Duluth/Superior).

First-place Awards:

Best Evening Newscast – Feb. 4, 2021 (WZAW)

Best Live On-Scene Reporting – Emerson Lehmann Live Reporting Compilation

Best Specialty Programming – The Home Enhancement Show 2021

Best Topical Promotion – Fighting for the Future

Best Original Digital Content – NewsChannel 7 Sports Podcasts

Best Online Personality – Holly Chilsen Social Media

Other awards:

Best Evening Newscast – July Storm Clean-up

Best Weathercast – Chad Franzen Meteorologist Compilation (WZAW)

Best Spot News – July Storm Leaves People Cleaning Up

Best News Writing – Three Generations of Athens Basketball

Best Hard News/Investigative – Billed for a COVID-19 Vaccine

Best Series or Documentary – Finding Refuge in Central Wisconsin

Best Feature – Rudolph Rock Turns 50

Best Use of Video – You Know You’re From Medford: Cole Hartl

Best Sports Reporting – The Perseverance of Noah Eckleburg

Best Significant Community Impact – Share Your Holidays

Best Significant Community Impact – Buddy Check 7 Awareness Week

Best Specialty Programming – The Wausau Conservatory of Music – 40^th Anniversary

Best Image Promotion – Anchor Changes – Musical Chairs

Best Image Promotion – Local News Matters

Best Topical Promotion – Shaken Baby Syndrome

Best Web Story – Need to Be Heard

Best Online Personality – Mark Holley Social Media (WZAW)

Best Online Personality – Kassandra Sepeda Social Media