STAFF REPORT
GlasgowNews1.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Commonwealth Broadcasting staff were honored Sunday night, October 25, at the Kentucky Broadcasters Association’s 2026 Excellence in Broadcasting Awards in Louisville, earning recognition for their work in broadcasting, leadership and commercial production.
Maria Belcher won in the Behind the Scenes category, Patty Bell won in the Locally Produced Commercial category, and Chris Houchens received the Broadcast Leadership Award.
The awards recognize excellence in Kentucky radio and television, celebrating the creativity, professionalism, leadership and community commitment of broadcasters from across the state.
Commonwealth Broadcasting entered the ceremony with eight finalist honors across seven categories, reflecting the breadth of talent and work produced by the company’s radio stations and digital properties.
“We’re extremely proud of what our staff has accomplished and grateful to the KBA for recognizing their work,” General Manager Chris Houchens said. “We were competing alongside talented broadcasters from across the state, and to be recognized among the best in Kentucky is a tremendous honor. Both the nominations and awards reflect the talent, dedication and hard work of our entire team, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they do every day to serve our listeners, advertisers and community.”
Belcher won for her behind-the-scenes work supporting Commonwealth Broadcasting’s radio operations. Her responsibilities include commercial scheduling and continuity, helping ensure advertisers’ messages are placed accurately and air as scheduled.
Bell’s winning commercial for T’s Country Kitchen highlights Commonwealth Broadcasting’s commitment to helping local businesses connect with customers through creative, locally produced advertising. Bell was also a finalist for a commercial produced for Ace Construction.
Houchens received the Broadcast Leadership Award for his leadership of Commonwealth Broadcasting’s Glasgow operation, which includes five radio brands and a collection of digital media properties serving Glasgow, Barren County and surrounding communities.
The company’s other finalist honors included GlasgowNews1 for Overall Digital Presence, WCLU Mornings with Todd Steenbergen for Best Morning Show, digital specialist Macy Moad for Rookie of the Year, and WCLU’s red-carpet coverage of the Barren Inc. annual meeting for Use of Streaming Video.
Commonwealth Broadcasting operates radio stations and digital media properties across Kentucky. Its Glasgow area operations include WCLU, WHHT, Willie 94.1, 102.3 JACK-FM and Zing! 106.7, along with GlasgowNews1.com, a local news website, and Pegasus Media, its digital advertising division.
These recognitions reflect Commonwealth Broadcasting’s ongoing commitment to local journalism, quality programming, creative advertising and community service throughout south-central Kentucky.
Commonwealth Broadcasting staff gather in Louisville on Sunday, October 25, during the Kentucky Broadcasters Association’s 2026 Excellence in Broadcasting Awards. The conference brought together broadcasters from across Kentucky to celebrate excellence in the industry, share ideas and recognize the important role local radio and digital media play in serving communities across the Commonwealth.
