Students from the College of the Ozarks radio station, KCOZ, receive recognition at the Missouri Broadcasters Association Awards Banquet held in Osage Beach. Pictured (left to right): Raegan Moore, senior marketing major; Josh Williams, assistant professor of communication arts and KCOZ station manager; Kat Anderson, senior Christian apologetics major; Aubrie Fewin, senior video production major.

On June 1, 2024, students from the College of the Ozarks radio station, KCOZ, received recognition at the Missouri Broadcasters Association Awards Banquet held in Osage Beach. KCOZ was nominated for and won three awards. More than 200 awards were presented to Missouri’s radio and TV stations during the MBA Awards ceremony, and nearly 900 submissions were received.  

“One of the wonderful things about attending the MBA Awards each year is that our students get to experience their hard work being recognized, not by their student peers, but by industry professionals from across the state of Missouri,” said Josh Williams, assistant professor of communication arts and KCOZ station manager. “It’s a great opportunity for them to be acknowledged for all their hard work. They do a fantastic job creating a radio station that our entire campus and surrounding community can be proud of.”

This year’s awards were in the following categories:

• First Place for Small Market Radio in the category of Social Media Star: This award is given to a radio station based on their social media presence. They are judged on listener/viewer engagement, creativity, and station branding. KCOZ social media is overseen by Raegan Moore, senior marketing major.
• First Place for Small Market Radio in the category of Video Content by a Radio Station: This award recognizes the most outstanding and creative video created by and for a radio station. KCOZ won for the video “KCO to the Z Rap,” which was created by Aubrie Fewin, senior video production major.
• Second Place for Small Market Radio in the category of Public Service Announcement or Campaign: This award is given for best demonstrating a response to needs or issues in their communities. KCOZ won for a student focused PSA called “The Writing Center,” which was produced by Kat Anderson, senior Christian apologetics major.

This year’s awards mark the success of the current program. In 2023, KCOZ won four certification of merit awards. In 2022, KCOZ won three first place awards, and in 2021, KCOZ won one first place and one certification of merit.

KCOZ can be found locally at 91.7 FM, streamed through www.kcoz.live, or on the app by searching “KCOZ radio” in the app store.

Missouri Broadcasters Association

The Missouri Broadcast Association membership is open to all owners and/or operators of a radio or television station. Their mission is to promote the success and prosperity of Missouri’s broadcasters and the survival of the broadcasting industry by representing members’ points of view in legislative and regulatory processes, serving as a source of training, and encouraging the highest standards in broadcasting by recognizing and sharing examples of excellence and achievement.

To read more about the Missouri Broadcasters Association, visit https://www.missouribroadcasters.org/