Broadcast and digital media students receive awards from NYS Broadcasters Association
From left, Communcation Studies Chair Michael Riecke congratulates Dominick Ciccarelli and Ray Katz on winning New York State Broadcasters Association Excellence in Broadcasting Awards.
Two SUNY Oswego broadcast and digital Media students — including one recent graduate — earned statewide honors for their work at the 2026 New York State Broadcasters Association Excellence in Broadcasting Awards.
Senior Ray Katz and and May 2026 graduate Dominick Ciccarelli were recognized during the association’s regional awards luncheon Sept. 30 in Syracuse.
Their winning projects showcased student work in audio storytelling and television news reporting.
Katz received the award for Outstanding Classroom Digital Project for “All Women’s Broadcast Casts Light on Sports Media Gender Disparities,” a short-form audio documentary produced during the spring 2026 semester.
The project centered on an all-women’s broadcast produced by WTOP-TV, SUNY Oswego’s student-run television station, and explored the experiences of women working in sports media and the gender disparities that remain within the industry.
During their acceptance remarks, Katz thanked broadcast and digital media professors Michael Riecke and Jeff Bradbury for their mentorship on the project. Katz also recognized trailblazing women, including SUNY Oswego graduates, whose work helped create opportunities for the next generation of women pursuing careers in sports media.
Ciccarelli received the award for Outstanding Use of Local News Video for “Pothole Problems.” He produced the television news story in Riecke’s BRC 429: "Multimedia News/Sports III" course.
The report examined the toll potholes were taking on Oswego streets, vehicles, and drivers, using video and interviews to tell a local story familiar to many Central New Yorkers.
Since graduating, Ciccarelli has begun putting the skills developed at Oswego to work professionally. He can now be heard delivering news updates on iHeartRadio stations in several cities across the Northeast, including 570 WSYR in the Syracuse market.
The statewide honors come as SUNY Oswego’s media programs gain broader recognition. In the Broadcast Education Association’s 2026 rankings, SUNY Oswego ranked No. 35 nationally for student achievement in media production, climbing 13 spots from 2025 and 48 spots since 2022. Oswego was the highest-ranked SUNY institution and tied for third among colleges and universities in New York state. The university also earned national specialty rankings of No. 13 in audio, No. 21 in scriptwriting and No. 31 in news.
— Submitted by the Department of Communication Studies