OBU Student Broadcasters Continue Award-Winning Tradition

For the second straight year Oklahoma Baptist University crowned the most winners at the annual Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Student Competition, bringing home 16 awards this season. Seventeen Oklahoma colleges and universities submitted 216 entries in 26 categories.

Seniors Todd Shepherd and Nick Jones won four awards each. Shepherd, a senior from Shawnee, won first places in television spot news and television play by play, second place in television photography and third place in television promotion spot. Jones, a senior from Huntington, Ind., won first places in music video and television feature story, second place in television spot news, and second place in television promotion spot.

Seniors Tyler James and Grant Downing won three awards each. James, a senior from Marshall, Texas, won first places in television promotion spot and television public service announcement, and second place in television sports play by play. Downing, a senior from Derby, Kan., won first place in television entertainment, second place in television commercial and third place in television sports coverage.

Junior Kirk Meyers of Sherman, Texas, won third place in television public service announcement and Van Alstyne, Texas, sophomore H.R. Sweat won third place in music video.

"Probably the most remarkable achievement was the sweeping of all the awards in two categories - television sports play by play and television promotion spots," said Dr. Roger Hadley OBU professor of telecommunication. "In three other categories, OBU won two of three awards - making us our own best competition."

The OBEA Student Conference was held in conjunction with the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters annual Convention. The OAB awarded six competitive scholarships. Junior Matt Tinley of Miami, Fla., was one of the recipients.

"Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of the competition to me was the number of professional broadcasters who came up to me during the conference and told me how impressed they were with the quality of our students' work," said Hadley.

OBU's winning tradition in telecommunications will be open to the public on May 6 when the students will host their Second Annual Film Festival in Craig-Dorland Theatre at 8 p.m. Admission is free.