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Moen wins first place

WDUX announcer earns broadcasters award

By Angie Landsverk


WDUX has received two awards from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, including a first-place one.

Justin Moen, the afternoon announcer on WDUX’s FM station, received first place in the small market category for Best Use of Audio (Non News) for his “Top Rock Moments of 1966.”

“It was for the Friday Flashback at 4,” he said.

When Moen took over as the station’s afternoon announcer in May 2016, he wanted that program to be more than a “Top 10” list.

He added top pop cultural moments to it that year, followed by top rock moments the following year.

This year’s segment includes the Top 5 TV shows.
“I always like a creative challenge when it comes to a program like that,” Moen said.

His creativity paid off.

WDUX was nominated for two awards, and Moen forgot he had been nominated for one of them.

“We were short staffed. No one could go,” he said of the awards ceremony, which took place last month.

In addition to Moen’s award, Lee Stevens received second place for Best Humorous Commercial for his Little Fat Gretchen’s commercial.

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association sponsors the Awards for Excellence each year, recognizing achievements of member Wisconsin radio and televisions broadcasters.

Radio and television peers from outside the state judge the entries, which are grouped into small, medium and large market categories.

The awards Moen and Stevens received are for work they did in 2017.

Visit showcase.wi-broadcasters.org/wba-award-winners-radio-music and click on “Radio Music-Small Market-2017” and then on “WDUX” to listen to Moen’s award-winning work.

“I was surprised when I found out I got first place. I told my grandmother (Florence ‘Flossie’ Moen). It brought her to tears, and then I dedicated it to my mom,” he said.

Moen’s mother died in a motorcycle accident when he was 6 months old.

He thinks of her as his guardian angel.

“It’s a cool feeling to have that,” he said. “I’ve been a very lucky person.”

Pursuing a career in communications was natural for Moen.

“I’ve always loved to talk. I’ve always performed in one shape or form,” he said.

The Iola native graduated from Iola-Scandinavia High School in 2000 and from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in December 2004 with a communications degree.

“A few weeks later, I started working here,” he said.

Moen also worked at F&W Media for five years, first in the warehouse and then as a book editor.

He worked part time at WDUX for a number of years before becoming full time in early 2012.

As the afternoon announcer, he typically works from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Moen also fills in for other staff members when needed, does live remotes and also Friday night football with Mike Wendlandt during that season.

He says it is rare for a station the size of WDUX to have so many live announcers.

“This place is literally Radio 101,” Moen said. “It’s an old place, but if you want to get a start, this is it.”

WDUX’s first day on the air was April 29, 1956 with its AM station, and its FM station has been around since January 1967, he said.

“WDUX is proud to be the local community radio station in the Waupaca area and beyond,” said Station Manager JoLene Nollenberg.

Moen sees his work as a vocation.

“I love the creative process. I love the component of entertaining people, not only with music, but with a joke, story,” he said. “I don’t feel like this is work to me.”

The first-place award he received is his fourth award in the last few years.

In 2015, Moen received third place in the small market category for Best Use of Audio (Non News) for his Top Pop Culture Moments of 1980.

In 2016, he received two second-place awards.

One was Moen’s and John Hammond’s call of Amherst High School’s state football championship game.

The other was for Best Humorous Commercial, a commercial for East Side Mobil that was written by Lee Stevens.

“It means a great deal when the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association acknowledges work – for the individual and the station,” Moen said.

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