Howie's Best in Local Media, Community Relations

WDIO.com has been named the Northland's Best Local News, Weather and Sports Website. The site features the finest, most professional and trusted up-to-the-minute hyper-local content in the Northland. 10/13's The Lift, hosted by local media rock star Baihly Warfield, ranks first in the magazine show category. WDIO Sports' Spencer Pierce is the top-ranked sports anchor.

My Best of Local Media Picks for August 2024 (drum roll, please):

Best Community News Website – WDIO.com

Best TV News Director – Alex Buie of WDIO/WIRT-TV, a College of St. Scholastica graduate who began her career in community television at the station in 2016. She has shined in various roles, including photographer, producer, senior producer, and assistant news director, ultimately becoming the news director, where her strong leadership guides the Northland's best news, weather, and sports teams.

Best TV Sports Anchor/Reporter – WDIO's Spencer Pierce, a former high school baseball player from Connecticut (Syracuse University, Newhouse School) joined the station's sports team in August 2023. “As an athlete in high school, I would always turn on my local news channel and hope that my name would be mentioned,” said Pierce. “I’m excited for Northland athletes to turn on WDIO and hear their names in highlights or stories.”

Best TV Meteorologist – WDIO's seasoned meteorologist Justin Liles wins this prestigious category by a wide margin. He recalls being inspired to pursue weather forecasting at a young age while watching Kermit the Frog present weather updates on Sesame Street. He thought, if a frog can do it, why can't he? "The weather in the Northland is always changing; it's never dull and it affects our daily lives," Liles said. Originally from Ogilvie, Liles is a 2002 graduate of St. Cloud State and has been part of the WDIO team since 2005.

Best TV Magazine Show – The Lift, WDIO. A must-watch.

Best Community Newspaper/Publisher – Pine Knot News (Carlton County), a hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners and lots of local news. Jana Peterson, publisher

Best Radio Talk-Show Host – Brad Bennett, KDAL

Best Sports Columnist – John Gilbert, Duluth Reader (formerly with StarTribune) and Kerry Rodd, Pine Knot News

Best Print Reporter – Jana Hollingsworth, StarTribune, Duluth's only seven-day home-delivered newspaper

Best Still Photographer – Jed Carlson, Duluth Media Group

Best Business Website – BusinessNorth.com

Best College Website – Lake Superior College

Best High School Website – Hermantown Community Schools, the runaway winner in the category

Best Advertising Agency – Swim Creative, a collective of thinkers, tacticians and creatives that build brands through collaboration, insight and, quite frankly, hard work.

Best Radio Sports Broadcaster – Bruce Ciskie, KDAL 610

Best Community Relations Directors – Dana Kazel, St. Louis County; Lucie Amundsen, DECC

Best Marketing (Business) – Mark Mahla, Grandma's Restaurants

Best Communications (Education) – Jesse Robinson, Lake Superior College

Best Advertising Design – Members Cooperative Credit Union, Grandma's Restaurants, Lyric Kitchen Bar