Jacksonville, AL – As originally reported by Brett Buckner of JSU’s Media Department.
Jacksonville State University’s student newspaper, The Chanticleer, received national recognition at the annual College Media Association (CMA) conference, securing six Pinnacle Awards, including the prestigious Website of the Year (standalone). This accolade celebrates excellence across coverage, content delivery, multimedia, and service to the campus community.
According to the CMA, the Website of the Year award acknowledges publications excelling in design, reporting, writing, editing, cross-platform integration, and interactivity. This honor reflects the comprehensive effort of the 2023-2024 Chanticleer staff, noted Editor-in-Chief Madeline Ricard.
“They worked their butts off,” Ricard said. “They were doing a great job of looking at every area of campus, whether it was news, features, or sports, and they wrote about it. I’m proud of the work that they did, and I think this award is a good reflection of everything that they covered and everything that they focused on.”
Ricard emphasized that while awards are appreciated, they are not the staff’s primary goal. “Ultimately, our goal as journalists is to inform those who are reading our stories,” she said. “We are here to serve the general population, whether that’s Jax State students, alumni, faculty, or members of the community.”
In the age of digital media, creating an engaging online presence is essential, and winning Website of the Year underscores the Chanticleer’s ability to meet its audience’s needs, said Ben Cunningham, JSU’s director of student media.
“The Chanticleer used to be a weekly newspaper, and it was hard to get students to think about news as something that should be communicated quickly,” Cunningham explained. “Now, they’re no longer tied to a weekly print schedule. If a story breaks, they jump on it and tell it to the audience right away. They’ve adapted to that idea really, really well.”
In addition to its website achievement, The Chanticleer won:
- Second place in Best Feature Story for Anna Barrett’s article on Jax State Housekeepers.
- Honorable mention in Best Game Story for Maddie Reid’s coverage of Jax State Baseball player Caleb Johnson’s grand slam.
- Honorable mention in Best Profile for Ricard’s feature on Jax State Director of Bands, Ken Bodiford.
Cunningham praised the staff’s dedication to serving the campus community. “It’s really nice to see that work pay off when the students ask those questions, get those answers, and do a good job publishing it all on a well-designed website.”
Jax State’s student radio station, WLJS 91.9 FM, also earned accolades, including:
- Second place for Best Audio Newscast for Tanner Kughn’s Cocky Talk segments.
- Honorable mention in Best Sports Newscast for Hayden Coker’s weekly show, The Afternoon Slate.
- Honorable mention in Best Audio Promo/PSA for the promo 50K for 50 Years, created by Aidan Cathey, Katie Cushing, and Cassie Peterson.
These achievements highlight the collective talent and dedication of JSU’s student media organizations, reinforcing their role as a vital part of the university’s community.
