Broadcasting professor receives national honor

Kandace Sebastian

A new award will join the many plaques sprawled among the office of broadcasting professor Terry Likes.

On Jan. 31, Likes was told that he received “The Best of Festival” award from the Broadcasting Education Association, a national organization for students and faculty interested in broadcasting. The award will be presented to Likes on April 5 at the BEA conference in Las Vegas.

He received the award for his audio presentation about the media coverage on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, in which he interviewed top reporters around the country that included NBC president Neil Shapiro, ABC anchor Sam Donaldson, 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft, former CNN and CBS reporter Deborah Potter and Poynter Institute Online Broadcasting Leader Al Tompkins.

Likes said a major issue in the media since the 1990’s is too much coverage of some stories such as the Monica Lewinsky/Bill Clinton affair, O.J. Simpson trial and the death of Princess Diana.

“Journalists have lost credibility over the years compared to the days of Walter Cronkite,” Likes said.

The Sept. 11 tragedy marked a prolific event for journalists in the 21st century, he said.

Likes said his presentation, “The Media Coverage of 9-11,” was different from other news coverage because it didn’t focus on the event but more on how the media felt they covered it.

Broadcasting professor Bart White said he was not surprised about Likes receiving another award for his accomplishments.

“He pursues goals until he achieves them,” White said. “He’s tireless in the pursuit of student excellence in journalism.

Likes said that doing the project isn’t about winning awards but helping his students.

“It’s nice to win an award, but the emphasis is on the students,” Likes said. “To see them learn this business.”

Students said Likes’ interest in students is evident through his dedication in helping broadcasting students working at WKYU-TV and other students who want to pursue a broadcasting career.

Berea senior Tracey Anderkin has Likes as her WKYU-TV advisor. She has seen Likes’ dedication first hand promoting the excellence of students.

“He’s very talented in what he does. It is not a fluke, he deserves everything that he receives,” Anderkin said.

Likes “Media Coverage of 9-11” audio presentation aired Sept. 6, 2002 on WKYU-FM, and also in Chicago, Washington D.C. and the Kentucky News Network syndications.

Reach Kandace Sebastian at [email protected].