ACP - 2021 Broadcast Pacemaker finalists

ACP names top broadcast news programs

Pacemaker competition names 7 finalists
as ‘the best of the best’ in the award’s second year

Sept. 30, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS — Honoring the nation’s best, the Associated College Press named seven student-produced news broadcasts as finalists in its annual prestigious Pacemaker competition.

Pacemaker finalists will be recognized and the Pacemaker winners announced virtually at 6 p.m. ET Thursday, Oct. 14, during the Fall National College Media Convention.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” executive director Laura Widmer said. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

The prestigious Pacemaker recognizes overall excellence and distinguishes the top student media produced during a particular school year. The award started shortly after the association was founded in 1921 and is often regarded as the most-competitive, most-honored award in collegiate journalism.

Over the decades, Pacemakers have been awarded to online, newspaper, magazine and yearbook. The broadcast Pacemaker competition was added in 2020.

“As digital platforms expand, a growing number of student media operations are producing outstanding broadcast news programs,” associate director Gary Lundgren said. “It is exciting to offer Pacemaker recognition for these broadcasts.”

The news programs competed directly against each other and three award-winning broadcast educators selected the winners. Of the seven finalists, four will be named Pacemakers.

News programs produced by two-year and four-year schools competed in separate categories. Frequency, school enrollment and whether the program was live or recorded were factors taken into consideration.

Finalists are alphabetical by state.