The 2008 KAB Awards, deciphered

I don't know if people outside this area appreciate just how odd the political geography of Kansas City is. This is a city of 450,000 in a metro area of 2 million where most of the outliers live in a different state. I live in Missouri, two blocks from this little two-laner called State Line Road, and when I cross it and walk down the hill another two blocks, I'm at my local post office. In Kansas. I shop for groceries in Kansas. I go to church in Kansas. My wife is a traveling scholar for the Kansas Humanities Council ... in Missouri.

You'd think after 11 years I'd be able to wrap my brain fully around the concept. But then along comes the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, which announced its 2008 Award winners, and I have to do a double-take. The KAB has been doing these awards for years, but now that I'm doing more local coverage at TV Barn, I'm taking a closer look at everything that lands in my mailbox. And I couldn't help noticing the category that all the local TV stations compete in, "Television - Major Market division," consists only of stations in Kansas City. And that all the winners were from Missouri.

In fact, there's a Large Market Division and a Medium Market Division to the awards ... and they also have exactly one market in each of them (Wichita and Topeka).

I called up Kent Cornish, executive director of the KAB, and asked him: What's the deal with a KC division and a Wichita division and a Topeka division in TV, when all three markets go head-to-head in radio?

"In television more than in radio, there's a huge difference between a 30 market and a 69 market than there is between a 30 market and whatever market size St Louis is," said Cornish. St. Louis is 21st in size, according to Nielsen, Kansas City 31st and Wichita-Hutchinson is 69th.

"All of the stations in Kansas City have helicopters," said Cornish. "There are no helicopters in Wichita. Kansas City is doing five hours of news in the morning. Wichita is just getting around to three hours. This is the nickel answer I always give: A camera costs the same in Garden City as it does in Kansas City, but Kansas City has 50 times the revenues as Garden City," which means stations in KC can be using the latest and greatest equipment more readily than a station in Garden City. (Did I mention that Garden City is in another KAB Awards division? "Non-Metro Television.")

Then there's the whole question of why Missouri stations are even competing for awards in Kansas. "Because they serve Kansas viewers," said Cornish. "What we and the Missouri Broadcasters (Assn.) have done is allow them to pay half dues in both states. They participate in a lot of our association projects. They're good members."

So here are the winners from the Kansas City Division, I mean the Large Market Division of the KAB. (The full list of all winners can be downloaded at the KAB site.) Ironically, the one Kansas-based station in the market, KCTV, isn't listed here. It had some runner-up finishes but no first prizes this year. Also, WDAF-TV is missing. Bryan McGruder, Fox 4's news director, confirmed for me that his station didn't enter the contest; "no budget for it." (They do enter the regional Emmys and other contests.) Say, did you know that of the three Missouri-based TV stations that do news, WDAF is the only one where you can look out the window and actually see Kansas?

Anyway, I kid the KAB, but I love the fact it is sponsoring a U.S. Senate debate between Pat Roberts and Jim Slattery at its annual convention, Oct. 12-14.

Major Market Television Awards

2008 KAB Station of the Year KMBC TV, Kansas City

Prime Newscast KSHB TV - Kansas City NBC Action News at 10 News Team

AM/Noon Newscast KMBC TV - Kansas City KMBC First News Dave Vandivort, Katie Clem, Troy Diggs, Jason Ridder, Chris Meggs, Abigail Sanderson, Mike Jones

News Feature Story KMBC TV - Kansas City Cemetery Mystery Maria Antonia, Tim Twyman

Weathercast KSHB TV - Kansas City Gary Lezak 3/31/08

Single Topic Event News Coverage KSHB TV - Kansas City May 2nd Storm News Team

In-Depth News Reporting KSHB TV - Kansas City Room Disservice Keith King, Michael Butler,Lawan Williams Chris Koeberl

Special Program KMBC TV - Kansas City Extreme Makeover Lara Moritz, Todd Ummelmann, Marlene Cross, Dave Vandivort

Station Promotion Announcement KMBC TV - Kansas City New Station Launch Sam Jones, Craig Brehm, Paul Tranisi, Dave Vandivort

Station Promotion Campaign KMBC TV - Kansas City New Station Launch Sam Jones, Craig Brehm, Paul Tranisi, Dave Vandivort

Large Market Radio Awards

Thirty Second Commercial KCSP AM - Kansas City Russell Florist 080125 Jim Moore, Scott Larson, Ron Moore, Suzanne Chambers, Sterling Thomas, Mark L. Groves

Station Promotion Announcement KCFX FM - Kansas City The 101 The Fox Police Chief Jon Specht

Complete Newscast KMBZ AM - Kansas City Kansas City's Morning News 05/05/08 Jayme Monacelli, Bob Mead, Jeff Bell, Ellen Schenk, E. J. Becker

Complete Severe Weather Coverage KMBZ AM - Kansas City Operation Stormwatch KMBZ News Staff