98.5 The SportsHub scores a big hit at the Marconis

WBZ-FM/98.5 the SportsHub has been named by the National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Awards as the "Sports Station of the Year." The announcement came at last night's annual NAB Radio Convention in Chicago.

The NAB awards are given annually for excellence in American radio in the name of Guglielmo Marconi, who invented the wireless telegraph near the end of the 19th century. Ironically, it was a sporting event that first brought worldwide attention to Marconi's invention. In 1899, to cover a yacht race, the Kingstown Regatta, an Irish newspaper, the Dublin Daily Express, had Marconi send bulletins from the scene of the race. By the time the reporters who had been on boats watching the event got back to land with their stories, the Dublin Express had already printed the results.

Here is a press release from CBS Radio Boston :

For Immediate Release                                                                    

                                                                       

98.5 THE SPORTS HUB WINS NAB MARCONI AWARD

NAMED SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR

Boston, Ma – September 16 – 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ-FM) was named Sports Station of the Year at the 2011 National Association of Broadcasters' (NAB) Marconi Radio Awards.  The awards were announced last night at the annual NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show held during the Radio Show in Chicago , IL .

"Winning the Marconi Award for Sports Station of the Year is an honor and a testament to all of the hard work and commitment that the employees of 98.5 the Sports Hub put in everyday,” said Mark Hannon, Senior Vice President/Market Manager, CBS Radio Boston.  “More importantly though, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Boston radio listeners and sports fans who have embraced 98.5 The Sports Hub since we launched 2 years ago, and it's because of their overwhelming support that we find ourselves receiving this national recognition."

98.5 The Sports Hub is the flagship station of the New England Patriots and the 2011 Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.  Program Director, Mike Thomas, accepted the award for Sports Station of The Year.  For more about 98.5 The Sports Hub, visit http://boston.cbslocal.com.

The 2011 Marconi Awards, named after Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, have recognized radio stations and on-air personalities for their excellence in radio broadcasting for the past 23 years.  Marconi finalists were chosen by broadcasters and winners were named by the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Selection Academy

98.5 The Sports Hub is owned and operated by CBS RADIO, one of the largest major-market radio operators in the United States .  A division of CBS Corporation, CBS RADIO operates 130 radio stations, the majority of which are in the nation’s top 50 markets.  CBS RADIO also owns and operates Boston ’s WBZ-AM, WBMX, WODS, and WZLX.

BRW Notebook :

No change in rank : Ratings research firm Arbitron has concluded its annual update of market ranks for fall 2011 based on updated total population estimates. While there are a few changes to the top 10 markets, as (Philadelphia moves up to market No. 7, with Washington, D.C., now market No. 8. Atlanta falls to market No. 9), Boston's ranking stays at No. 10 The top 10 markets are now: 1.New York, 2.Los Angeles, 3.Chicago, 4.San Francisco, 5.Dallas-Ft. Worth, 6.Houston-Galveston, 7.Philadelphia, 8.Washington, D.C., 9.Atlanta, 10.Boston.

These total population estimates are based on 2010 census data, updated and projected to Jan. 1, 2012.