WYCE 88.1 FM is being recognized for its commitment to elevating local voices, earning a 2026 Hometown Media Award for its Community Closeup program.
A program of the Grand Rapids Community Media Center, WYCE received the Community Impact Award from the Alliance for Community Media Foundation, which honors excellence in community media programming. The annual Hometown Media Awards recognize programs that demonstrate creativity, address community needs and encourage diverse community involvement.
“We are honored to have WYCE’s Community Closeup be recognized by the Alliance for Community Media Foundation for the second consecutive year,” GRCMC Executive Director Starla McDermott said. “Recognition of this program exemplifies the power community media has to amplify local voices and bring people together.”
The winning entry was a June 2025 episode of Community Closeup, a weekly public affairs program hosted by longtime volunteer Janet Zahn. In the episode, Zahn spoke with Sasha Wolff, founder of Still I Run, and Brendan Kelly, owner of The Well Being, about a scholarship program created to encourage individuals to begin running for mental health while removing barriers that can prevent them from getting started.
The Hometown Media Awards represent the nation’s largest celebration of community media, with nearly 1,000 entries reviewed each year by more than 100 industry judges. The awards recognize community radio and local media programs that serve and engage their communities.
