Five Towns College earns four national nominations for Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Awards
By Grace Bonamico
The 2025–2026 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Award nominations were announced this week, with Five Towns College earning four nods across major categories. The national awards recognize excellence in student media, and this year’s nominations highlight both returning nominees and first-time finalists from the Mass Communication Department.
Best Morning Show: Good Morning FTC (Daniel Garcia, Grace Bonamico, Max Rappaport, Isabella Escobar, Frank LaPinta, Tryston Bellon, Adrian Kartalozi, James Suckle, Joey Broggy)
Best On-Air Personality: Daniel Garcia
Best Specialty Music Show: Hit Forecast (hosted by Daniel Garcia)
Best Variety Show: Advanced Lab 6- FTC Sound Check: Retro Game Show (Stephen Cooney, Fernando Gomez, Adrian Kartalozi, Grace Bonamico)
Mass Communication Chair Holli Haerr is proud of the radio and television broadcasts that students are producing. “I’m really excited to see our Mass Comm students’ hard work and creativity recognized on a national level. It’s so great for the students and for Five Towns as a whole. It shows that the education and opportunities we provide are preparing our students to be competitive in the Mass Comm industry. I’m also very excited that our Good Morning FTC crew received a nomination for the very first time. I’ve been hoping for that specific nomination for a while, and now we’ve gotten it!”
Senior Daniel Garcia, who previously won Best On-Air Personality at the 2024–2025 IBS Awards, was recognized in three categories this year. Garcia reflected on the nominations and his growth during his time at Five Towns College:
“I am so honored to be named a finalist for the second year in a row. I’ve put in a lot of work to improve myself on air, and this recognition would not have been possible without all of the people who have taken time out of their busy schedules to help me become the best broadcaster I can be,” he said, adding, “Having my show Hit Forecast nominated was a shock, to be honest! I have put a lot of time into developing my show, and I am very thankful to have my work recognized.”
Good Morning FTC’s first nomination in the Best Radio Morning Show category is especially significant for first-year Mass Communication student Joseph Broggy, who joined the program earlier this academic year. “It’s such a surreal experience to be nominated for the IBS Awards with Good Morning FTC in my first semester on the show,” he said. “I never expected to be a contributor to this show this early in my time here at FTC, and I hope that this is the start of a great run for me and Good Morning FTC at the IBS Awards.”
Good Morning FTC is broadcast weekday mornings on The FTC Sound Stream. The station is managed by Adjunct Professors Andre Doughty and Jodi Vale, who teach students the broadcasting, technical, and multimedia skills necessary to succeed in modern radio. “For our students, being nominated for these four IBS awards is a validation of the talent, time, discipline, creativity, and teamwork that goes into every broadcast,” said Vale.
On the television side, students in Haerr’s Advanced Lab 6 class received a nomination for FTC Sound Check News: Retro Game Show. Producer and nominee, Stephen Cooney, feels that the recognition represents the behind-the-scenes effort in television that often goes unseen. “It’s a surreal feeling having a show nominated, because you put weeks of effort in, planning, shooting footage, and editing,” Cooney said. “Then seeing that your hard work is recognized outside of the class on a national level is something that I never thought I would see.”
With returning nominees, first-time finalists, and two student-led shows recognized nationwide, Five Towns College continues to expand its footprint at the IBS Awards.
Winners will be announced at the annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Conference at the Sheraton in New York City on February 21, 2026.
