Kansas radio and television professionals gathered in Wichita Monday for the 2026 Kansas Association of Broadcasters convention and awards ceremony.
The day was filled with breakout sessions focused on programming, management, sales and engineering. The awards ceremony capped off the evening meal with a celebration of the work on the radio, on screen and in the digital space.
Kaitlyn Mauro, Hutchinson & Larned News Director for Ad Astra Radio, won First Place in the Medium Market Radio division for her Public Affairs Program “Hutchinson Zoo Nights Before Christmas,” for KXKU-FM Hutchinson. Mauro says she grew up around livestock and getting close to the reindeer was a fun assignment.
The company’s website, www.adastraradio.com was honored as the best online resource for digital content in a medium sized market. Curator and designers behind the screen, Brenna Eller (Digital Content Director) and Aaron Napier (VP & Chief Programming Officer) commented they enjoy the daily task of keeping the website fresh and relevant.
KMCP-FM McPherson was also recognized with a 2nd Place Award for Excellence in Multimedia/Digital Storytelling Ad Astra Radio’s coverage of the McPherson County All Schools Day in May.
The Kansas Association of Broadcasters boasts 293 full power stations in Kansas with 259 radio station members and 39 television station members.
