"Excellence is its own reward."



 1590 WAKR congratulates our own Tina Kaufmann, the national Edward R. Murrow Investigative Reporting Award for her 2008 coverage of Akron's Hot Spots; and AkronNewsNow.com, repeating as top radio news website for a second consecutive year. Akron's MOST honored broadcast news, from the best of Ohio, to the best of the region - and now the best in the nation. 1590 WAKR IS Akron's News Authority.

The news department of the Rubber City Radio Group (WAKR-AM; WONE-FM; WQMX-FM and www.AkronNewsNow.com) has been recognized as finalists in eleven categories by the 2008 Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Awards. The finalists were awarded during the OAPB annual convention on Sunday, June 7, 2009 in Columbus.

Among the "Medium Market" Radio categories, judges awarded First Place:

Best Web Site:
News Staff, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron - AkronNewsNow.com

Extraordinary Coverage of a Scheduled Event:
News Staff, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron - "2008 Election"

Best Continuing Coverage:
News Staff, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron, "Bobby Cutts, Jr."

Best Investigative Reporting:
Tina Kaufmann, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron, "Bungalo Five"

Best Enterprise Reporting:
Tina Kaufmann, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron, "Bungalo Five and Hot Spots"

Best Anchor:
Larry States, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron

Best Reporter:
Tina Kaufmann, WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron

Outstanding Sports Operation:
WAKR-WONE-WQMX, Akron

"We are especially grateful for the judge's consideration of individual hard work and reporting by Tina Kaufmann, Larry States and Joe Jastrzemski as well as recognition for our entire news staff and operation," said Rubber City Radio Group Vice-President for Information Media Edward L. Esposito. "Despite much consternation that news may not be valued by our audiences, the strong showing by our news department and excellent work as shown by honors for our colleagues at WKBN, WMUB, WYSO, WOBL and others in the smaller and larger radio markets reflects the continuing commitment of local broadcasters to serve their communities."

The Rubber City Radio Group news and sports departments also won recognition by the OAPB as Outstanding News Operation in 2006 and 2007. www.AkronNewsNow.com was honored with a national Edward R. Murrow Award in 2008 as Best Website - Broadcast.