The "E. B. Craney Awards" are named in memory of Montana broadcast pioneer Ed Craney. The "EBs" recognize excellence in local news, production, promotion and public service. The awards are presented annually during the Montana Broadcasters Association convention. These awards are sponsored through the generosity of the The Greater Montana Foundation (www.greatermontana.org) which Mr. Craney established to encourage communication, with an emphasis on electronic media, on issues and trends of importance to Montanans.

2023 E.B. Craney Awards

Non-Commercial Radio Program of the Year
Winner:
Montana Public Radio-Pea Green Boat-Jake Birch, Producer
Runner-Up:
Yellowstone Public Radio-Flavors Under the Big Sky-Stella Fong, Host
Radio Podcast
Winner:
Montana Public Radio, Shared State Season 2
Radio Commercial
Winner:
Shawn Hertel, STARadio, Great Falls "Right Diagnosis"
Runner-Up:
Tommy Evans, Missoula Broadcasting Company, Missoula, "Tommy Evans Radio Commercial Entry"
Radio Copywriter
Winner:
Shane Cox, KBOW/KOPR/KGLM/KQRV, Butte
Runner-Up:
Julie Moore, The Montana Radio Company, Helena
Radio News Story
Winner:
Aaron Bolton, Montana Public Radio, Missoula "More older Americans become homeless as inflation rises and housing costs spike"
Runner-Up:
Peter Christian, Town Square Media, Missoula "Montana Police Response to Epidemic of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths"
Radio Newscast of the Year
Winner:
Troy Mellinger, STARadio, Great Falls "Minute-To-Minute News Update"
Runner-Up:
Peter Christian, Town Square Media, Missoula
Radio On-Air Broadcaster of the Year
Winner:
Dave & Ally in the Morning, Silver Star Communications, Bozeman/Big Sky
Runner-Up:
Shawn Whitney, Townsquare Media, Missoula
Radio Program of the Year
Winner:
Lynne Turner-Fitzgerald, Anthony Media, Billings "Boomers"
Runner-Up:
KC Kloppel, Townsquare Media, Missoula "Real Estate Revolution"
Radio Public Service
Winner:
Aubrey Nilsen, Missoula Broadcasting, Missoula "Public Service Announcements"
Runner-Up:
Stewart Davis and Kurt Kittleson, Montana Radio Company, Helena
Radio Sports Coverage
Winner:
Colter Nuanez, Andrew Houghton & Geoff Safford, Missoula Broadcasting Company, Missoula "ESPN MT Radio Sports Coverage of the Year"
Runner-Up:
Tony Vigliotti, New Media Broadcasters, Havre "MSU Northern Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees, Bright Shining Lights and Prep Sports Preview Weekly Shows"
Radio Sportscaster of the Year
Winner:
Colter Nuanez, Missoula Broadcasting Company, Missoula
Runner-Up:
Geoff Safford, Missoula Broadcasting Company, Missoula
Radio Station Promotion
Winner:
Troy Mellinger, STARadio, Great Falls "Big Game Watch Party"
Runner-Up:
Shawn Hertel, STARadio, Great Falls "Red Friday"
TV Daily News Report
Winner:
Russ Riesinger, KTVQ, Billings "Remembering the Blizzard of 1955"
Runner-Up:
Jonathan May, NBC Montana, Bozeman "Eastbound vehicles back up for miles amid I-90 closure in Livingston"
TV Digital
Winner:
NBC Montana News Team, Missoula "NBCMontana.com Digital Entry"
Runner-Up:
Non Stop Local, Cowles Media Montana, Missoula/Billings "Brawl of the Wild: Game On!"
Non-Commercial TV Program of the Year
Winner:
Breanna McCabe, Montana PBS, Missoula "Higgins Ridge"
Runner-Up:
Anna Rau, Montana PBS, Missoula "Rise of the Freemen"
TV Podcast
Winner:
Sydney Hanson, Cowles Montana Media, Missoula "Montana Murder Mysteries"
Runner-Up:
Tim McGonigal, KRTV, Great Falls "McGonigal's Chronicles: Arlyne Reichert"
TV Breaking News
Winner:
KTVQ News Team, KTVQ, Billings "Historic Montana Floods"
Runner-Up:
Non Stop Local, Cowles Montana Media, Missoula "WAA June 14th, 2022"
TV Commercial
Winner:
Andrew Demarest, KULR, Billings "Yellowstone Art Museum - Rhyming Spot"
Runner-Up:
Shawn Newton, MTN, Helena "Shawn Newton - Television Commercial"
TV Feature News
Winner:
Shaun Rainey, Cowles Montana Media, Missoula "Amazing Maddie"
Runner-Up:
Brandon Sullivan, KXLF, Butte, "For Mel"
TV Hard News
Winner:
Russ Riesinger, KTVQ, Billings "Burning Below the Surface"
Runner-Up:
John Sherer, KBZK, Bozeman "War on Wolves"
TV Newscast of the Year
Winner:
KTVQ News Team, KTVQ, Billings "KTVQ 5:30 News - Crime at the Colonial"
Runner-Up:
NBC Montana, KECI, Missoula "NBC Montana News at 10 February 8 2023"
TV On-Air Broadcaster of the Year
Winner:
Andrea Lutz, KTVQ, Billings
Runner-Up:
Russ Riesinger, KTVQ, Billings
TV Program of the Year
Winner:
Carley Rainey, KBZK, Bozeman "Mystery On The Snake River"
Runner-Up:
Kevin Maki, KECI, Missoula "Montana Moment Special"
TV Public Service
Winner:
Shawn Newton, KXLH, Helena ""The Conversation" - Lewis & Clark Public Health"
Runner-Up:
James Rafferty, KBZK/MTN, Bozeman "MTN Flood Relief"
TV Sports Story or Series
Winner:
John Martin, KULR, Billings "The History of American Football and Frank Shively"
Runner-Up:
Brandon Sullivan, KXLF, Butte "The Shot"
TV Sportscaster of the Year
Winner:
Shaun Rainey, KTMF, Missoula
Runner-Up:
Robbie Whittle, NBC Montana, Bozeman
TV Station Promotion
Winner:
James Rafferty, KPAX/MTN, Missoula "KPAX/MTN Television Station Promotion"
Runner-Up:
Crystal Meeks, KTVQ, Billings "Q2 Community Campaign"
TV Weathercaster of the Year
Winner:
Andrew Curtis, KTVH, Helena
Runner-Up:
Tracy Smith, KULR, Billings
TV Writer-Commercial and Public Service
Winner:
James Sanders, KPAX, Missoula "James Sanders Script Commercials 2023"
Runner-Up:
Alex Lillie, KPAX, Missoula "Mainstreet Toys Childhood Memories"
TV Writer-News and Long Form Programming
Winner:
Breanna McCabe, Montana PBS, Missoula "Higgins Ridge"
Runner-Up:
Kevin Make, NBC Montana, Missoula "Montana Moment"