WMSC Named CBI Radio Station of the Year, Wins 7 National Awards

MONTCLAIR, N.J. — WMSC 90.3 FM, Montclair State University’s radio station, was named Radio Station of the Year and won six other national awards at the 2026 National Student Production Awards, hosted by College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI). The honors were announced Oct. 17 at the 2026 National Student Media Convention in Philadelphia.

CBI, a member-driven organization for media students and advisers, received more than 940 entries in 41 categories this year and named as many as four finalists in each category. WMSC competed against student media outlets nationwide, and all seven of its finalist entries across six categories won an award.

“I’m so proud of our station and everyone at WMSC that makes us who we are,” said Chris Cirone, WMSC’s station manager. “This award is a testament to the diligent effort and dedication of our members. Those behind WMSC are not only some of the hardest working people I’ve met, but also the kindest and most considerate, so to have our work recognized at the national scale is truly an honor.”

The National Student Production Awards recognize student work in radio, television and digital media outlets, with categories that include news reporting, sports, podcasts, documentaries, interviews and station imaging. 

WMSC’s Winning Entries

Audio Division

• First place, Radio Station of the Year: WMSC 90.3 FM
• First place, Best Hard News Reporting: “On the Road: Immigration”
• Second place, Best Audio Interview: Aaron De Jesus from “1776” Interview (Sola Fidé Johnson)

Combined Division

• First place, Best Student Media Website: wmscradio.com (Ash Schnoor, web director)

Video Division

• First place, Best Special Broadcast: “Focus: AI” (Ariana Meshi and Miky Arias)
• Third place, Best Hard News Reporting: “On the Road: Free the Press”
• Third place, Best Special Broadcast: “First Mountain Music Festival” (Ash Schnoor, executive producer)

Behind the Award-Winning Work

The station’s April 27, 2026 broadcast that was part of the College of Communication and Media’s FOCUS productions, examined how artificial intelligence is reshaping news and media.

“The AI broadcast challenged us to break down a rapidly changing topic and make it informative and accessible for our audience,” said Ben Capp, WMSC’s engineering director and its 2025-26 news director. 

“Video journalism gives us another way to bring important stories to life,” Capp said. "With 'On the Road: Free the Press,' the team wanted to use storytelling to give our audience a closer look at the subject and encourage them to think more deeply about the issues being covered.”

The Best Student Media Website award is WMSC’s third straight win in the category. 

“Winning this award for the third year in a row is such an insane feat,” said Ash Schnoor, WMSC’s web director, who thanked former web directors Rashmika Vinakota and Emily McCormack.

Schnoor also executive produced the broadcast of the First Mountain Music Festival, the university’s first fully student-produced concert, held Feb. 13, 2026, in Memorial Auditorium. The free show featured five local acts and the broadcast was produced with students from concert production and Film and Television classes. “Putting on a 100% student-produced event of this caliber is a huge step for us,” Schnoor said.

Sola Fidé Johnson, a member of WMSC’s news team, interviewed Aaron De Jesus of Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of “1776.” 

“One of the things I love most about journalism is the opportunity to sit down with people, hear their stories, and share perspectives that audiences might not otherwise get to experience,” Johnson said.

This national recognition comes as WMSC nears its 60th year of broadcasting.

See the full list of 2026 CBI National Student Production Awards winners and finalists.

This article is adapted from a press release written by Ash Schnoor, web director of WMSC 90.3 FM.