University radio station at Mount Vernon Nazarene University wins Station of the Year award

Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s WNZR 90.9 FM radio station has received the first-ever Christian Music Broadcasters University Station of the Year award earlier in June at the CMB Momentum 2023 conference in Orlando, Florida.

WNZR was one of only five university- or college-affiliated radio stations that were nominated for the station of the year award. Each of the nominated stations had to submit written summaries of their community service and 2022-23 Kingdom, a two minute video summarizing the station’s use of digital media, 10 minutes of imaging and production, and 10 minutes of audio of on-air performances. Stations were then evaluated by broadcasting professionals who used a rubric to assess the submitted materials. 

Mount Vernon Nazarene University Communication and Media majors, senior Allison Prouty from Warsaw, Ohio, and senior Jonathan Langdon from Ashland, Ohio, were in charge of WNZR’s award submission along with Joe Rinehart, the Department of Communication Chair and Assistant Professor. 

In an article posted on Mount Vernon’s website, judge Charles Van Dyke of Provident Label Group in Nashville, Tennessee was quoted about his impression of WNZR, saying, “There were two things that really stuck out to me the most about WNZR. First, community impact — seeing the way that these students and faculty advisers are leading them and getting out and being part of the community was very inspiring. It helps those students learn what to do when they get to a station outside the university environment. Second, they are active in digital and social media. Giving these students to a chance to just run with what they know and what they’ve grown up with, makes them great experts and gives them such a great training ground, so they can be a massive asset to a radio station once they graduate.”

Judge Beth Bacall, afternoon host at Salem Media Group’s 104.7 The Fish in Atlanta, Georgia, also gave her impression of the station, saying, “WNZR — your audio was excellent. You had the same cohesive message throughout all of your sound. You’ve got a lot of voices and a lot of talent! It was good to hear how all of you were speaking one-on-one to the listener and you were all speaking to the same listener.”

91.9 WGTS in Washington, D.C.’s judge Johnny Stone weighed in as well, saying, “Solid on-air sound. I love your face-to-face interaction with your community. Your Kingdom work — absolutely stunning and your digital platform, too. You guys knocked it out of the park — well deserved.”

Jonathan Langdon was on stage with Mike Basko, a senior from Forest Virginia, and Mackenzie Holder, a 2023 graduate from Johnstown, Ohio, at Momentum 23 and accepted the award when CMB’s Brittany Champion, Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Education, announced the winner.

Langdon reflected on the win, saying, “This is huge for me because it’s my second Momentum conference and I’ve made so many fantastic connections for my future. Thank you to everyone at CMB who supported our nomination. I’m so grateful for our listeners because their support allowed us to receive a scholarship to attend the conference. What an honor to join my friends Mackenzie and Mike in receiving this award and be very motivated for my senior year.”

WNZR’s Station Manager Marcy Rinehart also talked about the win, saying, “Our Lifeline theme this year was ‘God is in This Story,’ and that message kept running through my mind as we accepted this award. I’m thankful for the many sacrifices from listeners over the years to keep our station strong. I’m especially thankful for their prayers, and for the hard work from each student who has come through the doors of WNZR over the past three decades. As a student and as a station manager, I’m grateful to be a part of the legacy of WNZR and this story.”

Joe Rinehart added, “We are so full of gratitude and humbled to receive this honor. There is absolutely no way that any of this is possible without God, his blessing, and putting a dream in the hearts of faculty and students who got that FCC license approval and went on the air in 1986. I joined this team in 2005 and so I’m grateful. It’s all about partnership: Our university, our listeners, financial supporters and of course, our faculty, staff and student team, past and present.”

WNZR 90.9 FM has been in operation for 36 years as Knox County’s hometown Christian radio station. It broadcasts contemporary Christian music, weather, news, sports, and family-oriented programs at all hours of the day. WNZR is located in Founders Hall and is part of the Department of Communication at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. The video summary sent to the judges can be found here.

More information about the Communication and Media major at Mount Vernon Nazarene University can be found on its webpage.