2026 CMA Broadcast Awards Winners Announced

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The 2026 CMA Broadcast Awards honoring outstanding achievements in country radio were announced earlier today, with reigning CMA New Artist of the Year Zach Top surprising radio stations and broadcast personalities nationwide with personal calls to reveal this year’s recipients.

Any full-time, on-air broadcast personalities and radio stations in the U.S. and Canada were eligible to submit entries, regardless of CMA membership status. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. CMA Broadcast Awards winners are not eligible to enter the same award category in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2025 were not eligible in 2026.

“Country radio is an important part of our ecosystem, and we’re delighted to celebrate the people who show up for their listeners and communities every day,” says Brittany Schaffer, incoming CMA CEO. “Congratulations to every personality and station, and thank you for all you do for country music.”

CMA BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR:

WEEKLY NATIONAL:
“The Highway Hot 30 Countdown with Buzz Brainard” (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM

DAILY NATIONAL:
“Big D & Bubba” (“Big D” Derek Haskins, “Bubba” Sean Powell, Carsen Humphreville, Jonathan Shaffer, and Garrett Freche) – Silverfish Media

MAJOR MARKET:
“The Andie Summers Show” (Andie Summers, Jeff Kurkjian, Donnie Black, and Shannon Boyle) – WXTU, Philadelphia

LARGE MARKET:
“The Jesse & Anna Show” (Jesse Tack, Anna Marie, and Jake Thomson) – WUBE, Cincinnati

MEDIUM MARKET:
“Steve & Gina in the Morning on Kat 103.7” (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs

SMALL MARKET:
“Officer Don and DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington

CMA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR:

MAJOR MARKET:
KSCS – Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX

LARGE MARKET:
WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, NC

MEDIUM MARKET:
KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

SMALL MARKET:
WKML – Fayetteville, NC

The 60th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC and Disney+, and the next day on Hulu. Winners of the CMA Broadcast Awards will also be recognized during the Pre-Telecast Ceremony earlier that evening, prior to the live primetime show.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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