PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Community Radio, 89.7 WTBR-FM, won Hometown Media Awards in a national contest conducted by the Alliance for Community Media.

 

"Christmastime in the City," produced by the Town Players of Pittsfield, and "Nothing But Old 45's," produced by Larry Kratka, were chosen out of nearly one thousand submissions as best in their categories.

 

The Hometown Media Awards is the Foundation of the ACM's yearly awards program. It is established to honor and promote community media, community radio, and local cable programs that are distributed on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access cable television channels.  Proceeds go to the ACM Foundation which is exclusively used for facilitating, preserving, and promoting education in community media.

 

"Christmastime in the City" won in the category of "Local Performances - Independent Producer."  The program is typically a live stage performance.  Because of COVID-19, the Town Players of Pittsfield moved the annual event to a community television production which aired several times during the holiday season on PCTV. 

 

"It was an honor to work with Pittsfield Community Television to bring our show from stage to screen for 2020," said Monica Bliss, director of Christmastime in the City, "I would like to dedicate this award to the memory of our beloved cast member Tony Pastore."  The program was produced for video by Rob Dumais, with musical direction by Jeff Hunt.

 

"Nothing But Old 45's" was chosen as the best "Entertainment & Arts - Single Episode, Radio."  The program is produced weekly at Kratka's home studio and began in 2014 when he retired from local radio.  Two new hour-long programs air every Monday from 10 am to noon on WTBR-FM. 

 

"I would like to thank the Foundation for the Alliance for Community Media for this award.  I am truly honored," Kratka said. "And I am just as honored that ‘Nothing But Old 45's' airs on Pittsfield Community Radio."

 

All award-winning programs will be presented during the annual Hometown Media Awards Ceremony. The ceremony will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 30, from 7 pm – 8:30 pm ET.