{"id":625104,"date":"2026-09-15T09:47:39","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T14:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/?p=625104"},"modified":"2026-09-16T09:20:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:20:19","slug":"2026-broadcast-pacemaker-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/2026-broadcast-pacemaker-finalists\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Broadcast Pacemaker finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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NSPA names top news broadcasts<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Pacemaker competition recognizes 18 finalists for excellence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept. 16, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MINNEAPOLIS \u2014 Honoring the nation\u2019s best, the National Scholastic Press Association has named 18 scholastic news broadcasts as finalists in its prestigious Pacemaker competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NSPA Pacemaker finalists will be recognized and the Pacemaker winners announced for the first time on Nov. 21, at the NSPA Awards Ceremony during the JEA\/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention<\/strong><\/a> in Orlando.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Pacemaker is the association\u2019s preeminent award,\u201d executive director Laura Widmer said. \u201cNSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NSPA Pacemaker award has a rich tradition and the association started presenting the award to high school newspapers a few years after the organization was founded in 1921. Throughout the years, yearbooks, magazines, online sites and broadcast programs were added to the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 18 Pacemaker finalists represent seven states. California and Florida set the pace with four finalists followed by California and Texas both with three. Six of the finalists will earn Pacemakers. Each school entered three programs from the 2025-26 school year. A team of three judges, collegiate broadcast professors and professionals in the broadcast industry, viewed each entry discussing and analyzing its strengths and weaknesses before selecting the finalists and Pacemakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe winning entries stood out for not just their technical quality, but in the stories being covered,\u201d Gary Lundgren, associate director and contest coordinator, said. \u201cThe writing, editing, hosting and the willingness to tackle relevant topics make these exceptional newscasts from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For judging, high school shows were divided into live and pre-recorded categories. The frequency of the broadcast was also considered. All middle school\/junior high broadcasts competed in a separate category. Two junior high\/middle school broadcasts were recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe quality of the broadcasts is incredible and gets stronger each year,\u201d Lundgren said. \u201cIt is exciting to watch the growth in broadcast programs in high schools across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Please join us at the JEA\/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention<\/a><\/strong> Nov. 19-22, 2026, in Orlando.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The convention offers hundreds of instructional sessions, keynote speakers from national newsmakers, dozens of media critiques, JEA\u2019s popular on-site media contests and the announcement of NSPA Pacemaker winners. NSPA also offers a convention Best of Show competition that celebrates current student media work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2026 Broadcast Pacemaker finalists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by state<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Good Morning John Burroughs
<\/strong>John Burroughs High School
Burbank, California
Producer\/editor: Kyra Svab
Adviser: Ryanne Meschkat<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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