The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s student-run radio station, WSUM 91.7 FM, was named best in the nation at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Media Awards Saturday.
Along with the No. 1 placement, WSUM received four other awards including Best Sports Play-by-Play (hockey), Best News Interview, Best Mobile App and Best College Radio Station of More Than 10,000 Students. WSUM was also a finalist in five other categories including Best On-Air Personality, Best Morning Show, Best Community Outreach Event, Best Promo Series and Best Show Intro.
WSUM members Vincent Hesprich and Johnny Raider accepted the awards on behalf of the radio station. Raider, the station’s production director, said winning the national award was a testament to generations of WSUM members who invested in the station.
“The sound you hear right now on the air reflects both the grit of the station’s history and the energy of the current group. I think this award recognizes all of that collective effort,” Raider told The Daily Cardinal. “I couldn’t have been more proud to accept that award on behalf of all these amazing people.”
In addition to their recognition, the station also celebrated its 24th birthday the following day. General Manager Kelsey Brannan, a WSUM alum, is proud of the students and community members’ dedication that helped them receive the award.
“The timing invites us to reflect on the thousands of WSUM members, present and past, whose hard work made this achievement possible,” Brannan told the Cardinal. “This award belongs to our entire WSUM community.”
The award show was held in New York City and hosted by IBS, an organization that supports both college and high school media outlets and organizations. Each year, the organization hosts their annual conference to recognize outstanding student media outlets. According to their website, they’ve received over 3,000 submissions from schools across the country and the globe.
WSUM has over 200 members and a variety of shows ranging from music, sports, news and talk. Their mission is to provide the community of UW-Madison, and the greater Madison area, with alternative news and entertainment while allowing their members to have on-hands experience to prepare them for the professional field of radio broadcasting.
The station has also previously received awards from the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association, College Broadcasters, Inc. and Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.
WSUM will attend the 2025 Wisconsin Broadcasters Student Forum this weekend in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
