2025 Downstate Silver Dome Awards Finalists
*Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.
The Chicago Silver Dome Award finalists will be released at a later date.
Best Station Promotion
WEEK - "Mission Space"
WEEK - "Prep Rally 2024"
WIFR - "Focus"
Best Light Feature
WAND - "A Halloween To Remember"
WCIA - "Meet Milo"
WEEK - "Crew 309"
Best Program, Series, or Documentary
KFVS - "Echoes of the Storm"
WEEK - "St. Jude Telethon"
WQAD - "Once in a Lifetime Chance"
Best Investigative Report
KFVS - "Road Work Ahead"
WGEM - "County Deputy DUI Dismissal"
WMBD - "Roosevelt Myles"
Best News Hard Story
KFVS - "Family Speaks Out After Fatal Fire"
WAND - "Sentenced To Wait"
WMBD - "Caught in the System"
Best Newcast
WGEM - "News at 10"
WQAD - "News 8 at 10"
WQAD - "GMQC at 11"
Best Multicultural Reach
WCIA - "Courtney Carson's Story"
WEEK - "Central Illinois Diversity"
WMBD - "Honoring Black History"
Best Continuing Coverage
WCIA - "Suspect in Crash Used Fake ID"
WIFR - "Vets Roll 2025"
WQAD - "The Death of Jackson Kradle"
Best Reporter
KFVS - Jeffrey Bullard
WEEK - Madison Porter
WCIA - Amanda Brennan
Best Sportscaster
WEEK - Jim Mattson
WGEM - Brendan Reidy
WMBD - Patrick Cunningham
Best Weathercaster
WEEK - Balint Szalavari
WEEK - Brian Walder
WCIA - Jacob Dickey
Best Videographer
WEEK - Kyle Vincent
WCIA - Tony Krohn
WMBD - Sara Allen
Station of the Year
WEEK
WGEM
WMBD
Best Commercial
WFMB - "Steak N' Shake"
WPBG - "Adam Merrick Ski Jump"
WSPY - "Homemade With Love"
Best Station Promotion
WCIL - "49 Years of CIL-FM Listeners"
WOOZ - "Logo Your Lawn Promo"
WOOZ - "Quit Thrombin' Around"
Best Feature
WHMS - "LOCALS 2025"
WSPY - "Memorial for K9 Hudson"
WSPY - "Surviving the Storm"
Best Morning Show
WLFZ - "Dina & DJ Blake Mornings"
WPBG - "Morning Drive w/ John & Nancy"
WSWT - "Janine & Scott"
Best Use of Non-Broadcast Media
WFMB - "217 Tales"
WFMB - "Eating Around the 217"
WFMB - "IL State Fair Mullet Championship"
Best Station Imaging
WCIL
WUEZ
WYMG
Best News Reporter
WDWS - Mary-Lynn Foster
WSPY - Ethan Kruger
WTAX - Dave Dahl
Best Radio Personality
WDBR - Sarah Smerz
WFMB -Josh Roberts
WYMG - JJ Gerard
Best General Manager
WEFT - Eric Bohlen
WTAX - Chris Bullock
Station of the Year
WEFT
WFMB
WOOZ
Best Commercial
WALS - "Deer Season"
WDAN - "Dave's Double Barrel BBQ"
WMIX - "Woodlawn Haunted Woods"
Best Station Promotion
WALS - "Mutt Madness"
WMIX - "Teddy Bear Toss"
WMIX - "Letters of Thanksgiving"
Best Feature
WDAN - "Danville's Aquatic Center"
WRMJ - "Sherrard Basketball"
WYOT - "Lost Nation Shooting"
Best Morning Show
WAJK - "Brad & Jaimie in the Morning"
WLPO - "Rod & Tom in the Morning"
WYOT - "Coyote Morning Show"
Best Use of Non-Broadcast Media
WAJK - "Friday First Bites"
WCSJ - "Superfan Meets Staff"
WCSJ - "Trying Different Sodas"
Best Continuing Coverage
WDAN - "United Way Radiothon"
WDAN - "Operation Honor Guard"
WYOT - "Election Special 2024"
Best Station Imaging
WALS - "WALS Crew Online"
WLPO - "Starved Rock News"
WSTQ - "Teacher of the Year"
Best Humorous News Story
WCSJ - "Turbo the Tortoise"
WJVO - "Raising Stink"
Best News Reporter
WCSJ - Justin Ritz
WRMJ - Ty Taylor
WYOT - Charles Van Horn
Best Sportscaster
WALS - Zane Trumann
WDAN - RJ Crace
WRMJ - Ty Taylor
Best Radio Personality
WDAN - Tom Barnes
WMIX - RJ Price
WYOT - Kris Wexell
Station of the Year
WDNL
WMIX
WYOT
The Downstate Silver Dome Awards will be awarded at IBA2025 on October 27th at the DoubleTree Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield.
