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Craig Stevens and Nate Lull. At a luncheon held by the New York State Broadcasters Association in Binghamton on September 28, Stevens, general manager of radio station WCDO, received an award for “Outstanding Public Service Announcement,” and Lull received awards for “Excellence in Broadcasting” and “Serving New York.” (Photo provided)

Gilbertsville Man Wins Two Statewide Broadcasting Awards

By TERESA WINCHESTER
GILBERTSVILLE

Nate Lull, lifelong resident of the Village of Gilbertsville and sports director at the Sidney-based radio station WCDO, recently received two awards from the New York State Broadcasters Association—one for “Excellence in Broadcasting” and a second for “Serving New York.” Presentations were made at a luncheon held in Binghamton at the DoubleTree Hotel on September 26.

The NYSBA presents “Excellence in Broadcasting” awards in various categories for radio, television and college radio. The competition is statewide, with awards given out in large and small markets. The Excellence in Broadcasting Award aims to encourage professional performance.

Lull received the “Excellence in Broadcasting” award for his eponymously named “Nate Lull Podcast,” which he initiated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic—at a time when sports events and just about everything else had come to a standstill.

“It’s a labor of love,” Lull said of his podcast.

Information put out by WCDO stated, “The Nate Lull Podcast features insightful interviews with local and state athletes, coaches, referees, entrepreneurs, and many others that have impacted the local sports scene and beyond. Currently Nate’s podcast has over 110,000 downloads.”

Lull said that to date he has produced 280 episodes, which may last anywhere from 50 minutes to two hours. Since they are podcasts, listeners may access them at any time at www.natelull.com, he said.

Lull’s “Serving New York” award was conferred for his Nate Lull Scholarship Award, an initiative now in its third year. In its first two years, Lull’s efforts distributed $30,000.00 to assist high-school seniors planning to enter either college or trade school. To date, 16 scholarships have been awarded.

To raise monies for the scholarships, Lull organizes an annual Nate Lull Scholarship Golf Tournament at Ouleout Creek Golf Course in Franklin. He has also held fundraisers at Awestruck Cider in Sidney, at which a portion of profits from food and drink sold at the fundraiser goes to the scholarship. Raffles are also conducted at the event.

At the Binghamton luncheon, Craig Stevens, WCDO general manager and inductee in the NYSBA Hall of Fame (2023), was recognized for “Outstanding Public Service Announcement,” winning the award for “Best Public Service Announcement” for “Talking Can”—a recycling message developed for the Delaware County Department of Public Works. The PSA was developed in conjunction with Earth Day.

“It was a way to deliver recycling info through an inanimate object to get people’s attention,” Stevens said, going on to describe its content.

“Someone throws a (metal) can into a garbage can. The can starts talking and gives all the facts and figures about biodegradability. When the guy seems to understand, the can then says, ‘Pick me up and put me in the recycling bin.’ When the can lands in the bin, it hails its fellow cans with greetings such as ‘Hey, Joey, glad to see you again!’”

All in all, WCDO has won eight “Excellence in Broadcasting” awards and three “Serving New York” awards.

WCDO-FM is licensed in Sidney. It is privately owned and operates in Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties.

“We pride ourselves on being live and local,” Lull said.

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