WDET took home 25 awards at the Society of Professional Journalists – Detroit Chapter awards banquet Wednesday night, including four First Place honors.

Radio

Breaking/Spot News Reporting

First Place: Russ McNamara, ‘Uncommitted’ delegates hold DNC sit-in after refusal to allow Palestinian speaker at convention

Second Place: Alex McLenon, Trump talks auto industry, ruffles feathers with Detroit diss during Michigan campaign stop

Community/Local News Reporting

Second Place: Pat Batcheller, Grosse Ile voters could authorize a plan to buy one of the island’s two bridges

Third Place: Nargis Rahman, Muslims in metro Detroit celebrate Ramadan differently as war in Gaza rages

Fourth Place: Quinn Klinefelter, Michigan’s 10th Congressional race is a rematch of nation’s third-closest election

Education Reporting

First Place: Sascha Raiyn, Detroit Students Follow the Path of the Buffalo Soldiers in Yosemite

Second Place: Sascha Raiyn, A look at the university board races on the ballot in Michigan

Third Place: Nargis Rahman, Pro-Palestinian students, faculty share concerns at virtual WSU BOG meeting

Feature Reporting

Second Place: Tristan McFolley, Tickets to drive-through holiday lightshow at Eloise Asylum

Third Place: Rob Reinhart, CuriosiD: What happened to Detroit jazz venue Strata Concert Gallery?

Fourth Place: Amanda LeClaire, CuriosiD: Is the medicinal magic of Vernors a myth or reality?

General News Reporting

Second Place: Russ McNamara, Quinn Klinefelter, Nargis Rahman, Jenny Sherman – Democratic National Convention

Third Place: Nargis Rahman, Uncommitted delegates at DNC aim to put pressure on Harris’ Gaza policy

Fourth Place: Quinn Klinefelter, Detroit deploys new election security after 2020 chaos

News/Public Affairs Reporting

Second Place: Robyn Vincent, Tia Graham, Sam Corey, Cary Junior, David Leins – The Metro, Dec. 10, 2024

Third Place: Robyn Vincent, Tia Graham, Sam Corey, Cary Junior, Jack Filbrandt – The Metro, Nov. 18, 2024

Fourth Place: Cary Junior, Sam Corey, David Leins, Robyn Vincent, Tia Graham – The Metro, Dec. 9, 2024

Newscast

First Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 7:04 a.m. May 31, 2024

Second Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 5:04 a.m. Feb. 6, 2024

Third Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 5:04 a.m. June 6, 2024

Fourth Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 5:04 am July, 22, 2024

Sports Reporting

First Place: Alex McLenon, Downtown Detroit Grand Prix attracts new and old fans in second year

Second Place: Quinn Klinefelter, Detroit Lions first home playoff in 30 years vs. Stafford

Third Place: WDET News, NFL Draft

Digital

Digital Media Presentation

Third Place: Jenny Sherman, 2024 WDET Voter Guide

For the full list of SPJ Detroit’s Excellence in Journalism award winners, visit spjdetroit.org.

WDET 101.9 FM, Detroit’s nonprofit radio station, was named Public Radio Station of the Year during the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) Broadcast Excellence Awards ceremony held Saturday at MotorCity Casino’s Sound Board Theater.

WDET won several categories of awards including Station Excellence and Community Station of the Year and was awarded Station of the Year for the third time in the past four years within the Public Radio Group 2 category.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the MAB and the prestigious network of Michigan public media broadcasters,” said WDET General Manager Mary Zatina. “This year’s award recognition means even more to us given we were celebrating 75 years as Detroit’s Public Radio station and made significant schedule and programming changes based on listener and member data and their requests for what they wanted from us as we move into the future.”

Honors all around WDET

The MAB also honored WDET with nine additional awards, including the Station Excellence award for its 75th-year accomplishments submission, “best ofs” and “merits.”

“WDET has been telling Detroit’s most important stories since 1949, so it’s especially meaningful to be honored by MAB during this anniversary year,” said WDET Program Manager Adam Fox. “These awards recognize our excellence in news, music, and current affairs — and our ongoing commitment to serving Detroit with more local programming, and hosts who reflect and celebrate our community.”

• Station Excellence – Public Radio Group 2 (Large market category): “Bold Moves – 75 Years of Detroit Radio”, WDET Staff
• Best Membership Appeal: “WDET Farms”, WDET Production Staff
• Best Community Involvement: “MichMash Live”, Hernz Laguerre, Cheyna Roth, Zach Gorchow, Alethia Kasben
• Best Newscast: “WDET News 5:04 a.m. July 22, 2024”, Pat Batcheller
• Best Musical Programming: “In The Groove – Jack White World Premiere”, Ryan Patrick Hooper
• Merit Feature/Use of Medium: “Detroit Students Follow the Path of the Buffalo Soldiers in Yosemite”, Sascha Raiyn
• Merit Special Interest & Cultural Programming: “MichMash – Mackanac“, Cheyna Roth, Alethia Kasben, Hernz Laguerre
• Merit Musical Programming: “Modern Music Holiday Special”, Jon Moshier
• Merit Use of Multiplatform Media Promotional/Membership Materials: “Jack White Surprise Album Reveals Promotional Materials”, Ryan Patrick Hooper, Jenny Sherman, Dave Kim

Lots of throwbacks today led by birthday candles for Gil Scott Heron and Marvin Gaye, alongside Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, a fond farewell for Chicago guitarist George Freeman, Bob Marley and more… enjoy!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 2, 2025

• “We Almost Lost Detroit” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Puaj” – Salin
• “Traveling With (LIVE ON WDET session)” – Daniel Villarreal (hear the full session here)
• “Sunset Cliffs (LIVE ON WDET session)” – Daniel Villarreal (hear the full session here)
• “Bumpin’” – Wes Montgomery
• “Be Honest (feat. Madison McFerrin)” – A Song For You
• “Supernatural (Extended Mix)” – We Are KING
• “Ode To The Year 9125” – Tall Black Guy
• “Award Tour (feat. Trugoy the Dove)” – A Tribe Called Quest
• “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” – Digable Planets
• “Eye Know (feat. Otis Redding)” – De La Soul
• “Castles Made of Sand” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• “Confirmed Truth” – George Freeman
• “High Tide or Low Tide (B is for Bob Mix)” – Bob Marley & the Wailers
• “Tom Drunk (feat. U-Roy)” – Hopeton Lewis
• “Lady Day and John Coltrane” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Home Is Where the Hatred Is” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Hot Sun” – Wilco
• “Midnight Sun” – Nilüfer Yanya
• “! MAVIS BEACON” – Saya Gray
• “Motorcycle” – Remi Wolf
• “Future Lover” – Thee Sacred Souls
• “I Want You (John Morales M+M Pianopella Mix)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Ha Ya! (Eternal Life) [feat. Natalie Greffel]” – musclecars
• “Patience (Maurice Fulton Remix)” – Tame Impala
• “Do Yourself A Favor” – Stevie Wonder
• “BACK ON” – SBTRKT
• “Just Can’t Get Enough” – Channel Tres

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.