Chapman Radio takes home four awards at broadcasting ceremony
Photo Courtesy of Chapman Radio
The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) supports media outlets and organizations from both colleges and high schools. Held annually, the IBS conference celebrates the achievements of student-run media, offers roundtable discussions from industry experts and provides networking opportunities with professionals in the field.
In 2024, IBS reported that over 3,000 entries were submitted from more than 100 schools across the country and the globe.
This year, the conference was held March 7 to 8 in New York City, where Chapman University’s own Chapman Radio nominees were in attendance. The award categories included On-Air, Promotions and Marketing, Production and Web/Digital.
Chapman Radio, an award-winning college radio station, has received 16 nominations and three wins at IBS in the past three years.
On top of this achievement, the station has been consistently named one of the top 20 college radio stations in the country by the Princeton Review.
On Air
Best Specialty Show (non-music) winner: “RealiTea Check”
“RealiTea Check,” a radio show that was up for the award, won the category award for overall Best Specialty Show (non-music).
Hosted by psychology majors Cecilia Ward, Maya Milne, Brooke Duncan and strategic and corporate communications major Megan Lasala, all seniors, the show focuses on “The Bachelor” franchise. The hosts watch episodes of the reality series and offer their insights and discussions on air.
After airing for just one full semester in fall 2024 and earning their first nomination with only three submitted episodes, the radio show attended IBS and will be returning to Chapman with a trophy.
“After winning this award, I definitely think this will be something we will try to keep pursuing after graduation. We are all graduating this May, and to have the opportunity to keep doing our show on our own would be so fun!” said Ward
Find “RealiTea Check” live on Chapman Radio on Thursdays at 3 p.m., or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Best Celebrity or Artist Interview nominee: SOFI TUKKER interview
Chapman Radio DJ and The Panther music editor Maika Suaya, a junior creative producing major, had the opportunity to conduct a short interview with SOFI TUKKER during the 2024 HARD Summer Music Festival.
The festival was held on August 3 and 4 of last year in Inglewood, California, and Chapman Radio DJs worked as press for the concert series.
“Joining Chapman Radio has definitely helped me see that I wanted to go into the entertainment world in a more of a music scene rather than film,” said Suaya.
She elaborated on the opportunities Chapman Radio has given her, such as touring the Spotify and iHeartRadio offices, which have been some of her most cherished memories.
Best Comedy Program nominee: “Fade In/Fade Out”
DJ Host and senior cinematography major Will Verchere-Gopaulsingh’s radio show was nominated for Best Comedy Program at the IBS ceremony.
The radio show focuses on improvising film plots with its guests. Accompanied by each movie’s soundtrack, each episode immerses listeners as guests improvise a new genre and film every week.
While The Panther reached out to him for comment, we were unable to receive a response as of this article’s publication.
You can tune in to “Fade In/Fade Out” on Sundays at 10 p.m. on Chapman Radio.
Promotions and Marketing
Best Station Contest nominee: Chapman Radio Matchomatics
A group of eight Chapman Radio DJs came together to create “Matchomatics,” a program designed to unite people with similar music tastes.
Junior public relations, advertising and entertainment marketing major Teresa Arisawa spoke on behalf of the group.
“At my high school, they had Matchomatics, but it was more so a general questionnaire; it wasn’t specifically revolving around music,” Arisawa told The Panther.
In combination with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, Arisawa took what her high school did but catered the questions toward artists and genres listened to, so people could meet their music match.
“I think at Chapman, most people listen to pop music, a lot of mainstream stuff, rather than punk and underground,” she said. “I think we’re getting a better read on the student body and every year, we’re growing trying to make Chapman Radio a more welcoming organization and better fit the needs of the students.”
Best Show Promotional Poster winner: “State of Mind” - Press Start!
“State of Mind” has been on air since seniors Chloe Wong, public relations and advertising major, and Lisa Wong, a broadcast journalism and documentary major, were freshmen. Each week, a theme is chosen and the two share songs based on the prompt.
This was the duo's first trip to the IBS awards.
Chloe Wong said it was surreal to listen to keynote speaker Al Roker.
While Lisa Wong loved playing tourist for the weekend in her home city of New York.
“As corny as it is, the most memorable part was meeting the people,” she said. “It was so refreshing to meet other broadcasters and radio lovers and see how other people do things in different universities’ newsrooms and stations.”
“To see our marketing work acknowledged on a national level in some way is so humbling and surreal,” Lisa Wong told The Panther. “I’m super proud and happy for Chloe, especially because she was the mastermind behind our winning poster.”
“Having our own radio station has been an awesome experience,” Chloe Wong said. “It is crazy to think that a poster I worked on at 5 a.m. is number one in the nation.”
Best Press Release nominee: “Be a Lobster Make a Splash”
Being a lobster is a reminder that life’s too short to hide in our shells, according to host sophomore broadcast and documentary major Jenna McLaughlin. On her show, “Be a Lobster Make a Splash,” she shares both wisdom and embarrassing stories.
“Creating my radio show has been rewarding because it has really helped me to get out of my comfort zone and become the best version of myself,” McLaughlin told The Panther.
Before beginning her podcast, McLaughlin had heard of the IBS award conference and made it her goal to attend; this year, she achieved it.
“The most memorable part of attending IBS was meeting other like-minded creative individuals and spending time in New York meeting people who live so fully and unapologetically, which is what my podcast is all about,” she said.
Production
Best ID Streaming Station nominee: Toasty Ones
As DJs, Suaya and fellow junior creative producing major Smith Romney, with the help of advisor Travis Bartosh, created a sound bite to identify and promote Chapman Radio between songs or shows.
Although not a podcast or formal radio show, these few seconds of advertising the station are crucial to Chapman Radio’s reputation. It offers something very personal to the DJs who connect much of their success back to their opportunities at Chapman Radio.
“Producing my own show on Chapman Radio has really set me up for a career in the film or music industry,” Romney told The Panther. “I now have a tangible portfolio of things I have worked on and created.”
Additionally, being a part of Chapman Radio has allowed the pair to travel to the IBS awards two years in a row.
“The conference is a great place to meet people surrounded in broadcast media and radio, to learn a lot and also to make some great connections,” Romney said. “Also, to hang for a few days in NYC is always great!”
Web/Digital
Best Podcast nominee: “Murder Mixtape” - Motown Murder: The Story of Marvin Gaye
During the hour of “Murder Mixtape,” senior broadcast journalism and documentary major and self-proclaimed crime boss Rosemary Wright tells true crime stories and plays songs that accompany each narrative.
Wright began her show in the summer of 2024, making this her first IBS conference.
“I am working towards a career as a television news reporter, so I love that murder mixtape has gotten to combine my broadcasting skills, my storytelling skills and my investigation skills with my love for a true crime,” she said.
“Murder Mixtape” is not Wright’s only show, as she is also the current podcast editor for The Panther.
“Just starting my radio broadcasting journey last summer and now being nominated for the best podcast award is honestly so surreal,” Wright said. “Although I did not win, I did make it to the top five out of over 1,000 submissions from universities all over the world, and that is honestly so validating and motivating as I work towards my career as a television news reporter.”
Best Social Media Campaign winner: “Is it OK?” - Is Hookup Culture OK?
“Is it OK?” hosts a guided conversation on a new controversial topic each week. In addition to hosts Suaya and Romney, the show welcomes two guests from opposing sides on the matter.
Last year, the duo was nominated for the best social media campaign, but this year, they were able to take home the victory.
“(It) felt good to redeem ourselves after concluding our show this past semester,” Romney said.
In addition to the award, hosting “Is it OK?” has provided an abundance of opportunities.
“The podcast has been a very strong piece of work I have been able to present to different companies and expand my network,” Suaya told The Panther.
Best station
Best Streaming Only Station (under 10,000 students) winner: Chapman Radio
Chapman Radio DJs have attended the IBS award conference three years in a row. Five shows were nominated in the 2021-2022 school year, with one winner. In 2022-2023, six were nominated, with only one winner. Then again, in 2023-2024, five shows were nominated and the station came back with one winner.
However, this year, with 10 nominations and four winners, one of which was overall Best Streaming Only Station (under 10,000 students), these DJs undoubtedly display the quality of Chapman Radio.