The NAB has revealed no less than 50 finalists for the 31st annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards. The honors recognize radio stations for their “outstanding year-round commitment to community service,” and among the AMs and FMs singled out are a Top 40 station in South Florida, a heritage News/Talker in the Twin Cities, and an Urban One hip-hop leader in Big D.
Winners will be announced and the finalists honored at the newly created We Are Broadcasters Celebration, scheduled for Tuesday, April 10 during the 2018 NAB Show in Las Vegas.
This year’s finalists include KBFB-FM “97.9 The Beat” in Dallas-Fort Worth; Entercom News/Talker WCCO-AM 830 in Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Cox Media Group‘s WFLC-FM “Hits 97.3” in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale.
The honored stations range in market size from Buffalo to Bemidji, Minn., and include a variety of owners and formats.
The list of 2018 finalists is as follows:
| KBFB-FM Dallas, Texas | KYGO-FM Denver, Colo. |
| KBHP-FM Bemidji, Minn. | WBLK-FM Buffalo, N.Y. |
| KCYY-FM San Antonio, Texas | WCCO-AM Minneapolis, Minn. |
| KFOR-AM Lincoln, Neb. | WDRV-FM Chicago, Ill. |
| KFTK-FM St. Louis, Mo. | WEZL-FM Charleston, S.C. |
| KGSR-FM Austin, Texas | WFLC-FM Miami, Fla. |
| KHJK-FM La Porte, Texas | WHKO-FM Dayton, Ohio |
| KLVB-FM Citrus Heights, Calif. | WINS-AM New York City, N.Y. |
| KMOK-FM Lewiston, Idaho | WJJY-FM Brainerd, Minn. |
| KMVP-FM Phoenix, Ariz. | WKAQ-AM San Juan, P.R. |
| KNDE-FM College Station, Texas | WKML-FM Fayetteville, N.C. |
| KOYE-FM Tyler, Texas | WKRQ-FM Cincinnati, Ohio |
| KPEK-FM Albuquerque, N.M. | WLBC-FM Muncie, Ind. |
| KRLC-AM Lewiston, Idaho | WOR-AM New York City, N.Y. |
| KRSP-FM Salt Lake City, Utah | WRLT-FM Nashville, Tenn. |
| KSFI-FM Salt Lake City, Utah | WSB-AM Atlanta, Ga. |
| KSL-AM Salt Lake City, Utah | WSHE-FM Chicago, Ill. |
| KSRO-AM Santa Rosa, Calif. | WSOY-AM Decatur, Ill. |
| KSTP-FM St. Paul, Minn. | WTMJ-AM Milwaukee, Wis. |
| KTAR-FM Phoenix, Ariz. | WTMX-FM Chicago, Ill. |
| KTMY-FM St. Paul, Minn. | WVAZ-FM Chicago, Ill. |
| KTTS-FM Springfield, Mo. | WWJ-AM Detroit, Mich. |
| KUPL-FM Portland, Ore. | WWPR-FM New York City, N.Y. |
| KXKT-FM Glenwood, Iowa | WYRK-FM Buffalo, N.Y. |
| KXLG-FM Watertown, S.D. | WZFX-FM Fayetteville, N.C. |
Of note is the presence of WKAQ-AM 580 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which proved to be a valuable lifeline to listeners across the U.S. commonwealth in the days and weeks after Hurricane Maria.
Ten Crystal Radio Award recipients will be chosen by a panel of judges representing the broadcast industry, community service organizations and public relations firms.
Also at the We Are Broadcasters Celebration, television and film actress Kristen Bell [Frozen, Veronica Mars] will receive the NAB Television Chairman’s Award.
