CMA Reveals Finalists For ’26 Broadcast Awards

• The Country Music Association (CMA) announced the finalists for the 2026 CMA Broadcast Awards, which annually honor outstanding achievement among radio personalities and stations in the United States and Canada.

CMA Broadcast Personality Of The Year

• Weekly National: American Country Countdown with Ryan Fox (Ryan Fox) — Westwood One / Cumulus Media • The Country Top 40 with Fitz (Cory “Fitz” Fitzner) –Hubbard Broadcasting • Crook & Chase Countdown (Lorianne Crook & Charlie Chase) — Jim Owens Entertainment • The Highway Hot 30 Countdown with Buzz Brainard (Buzz Brainard) — SiriusXM • Steve Harmon Show (Steve Harmon) — Westwood One / Cumulus Media

• Daily National: The Angie Ward Show (Angie Ward) — iHeartMedia • Backstage Country with Elaina Smith (Elaina Smith) — Key Networks • Big D & Bubba (Derek “Big D” Haskins, Sean “Bubba” Powell, Carsen Humphreville, Jonathan Shaffer, & Garrett Freche) — Silverfish Media • The Bobby Bones Show (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, Dan “Lunchbox” Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “Scuba Steve” Spradlin, “Mike D” Rodriguez, “Raymundo” Ray Slater, and “Phone Screener Abby” Anderson) — Premiere Radio Networks / iHeartMedia • Katie & Company (Katie Neal) — Audacy

• Major Market: The Andie Summers Show (Andie Summers, Jeff Kurkjian, Donnie Black, & Shannon Boyle) — WXTU/Philadelphia • Hawkeye and Michelle (Mark “Hawkeye” Louis Rybczyk & Michelle Rodriguez) — KSCS/Dallas-Ft. Worth • The Lo Show (Lauren “Lo” Sessions) — KKBQ/Houston • Michael J & Candace in the Morning (“Michael J” Stuehler & Candace Dold) — WPOC/Baltimore • The Scotty Kay Show (Scotty Kay) – WUSN/Chicago

• Large Market: Deb & Matt in the Morning (Deborah Honeycutt & Matt Malone) — WFMS/Indianapolis • Eagle Mornings with Steve & Karen (Steve Waters & Karen West) — WGH/Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA • Heather Froglear (Heather Froglear) — KFRG/Riverside-San Bernardino • The Jesse & Anna Show (Jesse Tack, Anna Marie, & Jake Thomson) — WUBE/Cincinnati • Scott and Shannen (Scott Dolphin & “Shannen O” Oesterreich) — WMIL/Milwaukee

• Medium Market: Clay and Company (Clay Moden & Rob Banks) — WYRK/Buffalo, NY • The Doc Show with Chewy (Ken “Doc” Medek & Sean “Chewy” Medek) — WGGY/Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA • Joey & Nancy (Joey Tack, Nancy Barger & Karly Duggan) — WIVK/Knoxville, TN • Julie and DJ in the Morning(“Julie K” Kansy & Dale “DJ Thee Trucker” Sellers) — WPCV/Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL • Steve & Gina in the Morning (Steve Lundy & Gina Melton) — KXKT/Omaha

• Small Market: The Cat Pak Morning Show with Brent and Friends (Brent Lane & Jordan Glass) — WYCT/Pensacola, FL • Hilley & Hart (Kevin Hilley & Erin Hart) — KATI/Columbia, MO • Kicks Wake Up Krew (Bryan “Dub” Axelson  & Cody Blaine Jackson) — WKXC/Augusta, GA • Liz & Scotty in the Morning (Liz Del Grosso & Scotty Cox) — KCLR/Columbia, MO • Officer Don and DeAnn (“Officer Don” Evans & DeAnn Stephens) — WBUL/Lexington, KY

CMA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR:

• Major Market: KSCS/Dallas-Ft. Worth • KSON/San Diego • KYGO/Denver • WMZQ/Washington, DC • WPOC/Baltimore

• Large Market: KFRG/Riverside-San Bernardino • WCTK/Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, RI • WDSY/Pittsburgh • WMIL/Milwaukee-Racine, WI • WQDR/Raleigh-Durham, NC

• Medium Market: KXKT/Omaha • WHKO/Dayton, OH • WLFP/Memphis • WQMX/Akron, OH • WUSY/Chattanooga, TN

• Small Market: KCLR/Columbia, MO • WCOW/La Crosse, WI • WKML/Fayetteville, NC • WKXC/Augusta, GA • WYCT/Pensacola, FL

Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and biographical and impact information. Candidates for Radio Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and leadership and impact information.

Any full-time, on-air broadcast personalities and radio stations in the United States 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.

The 60th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 8ET / 7CT on ABC, Disney+ and next day on Hulu. Winners of the CMA Broadcast Awards will be announced in the coming weeks and recognized during the CMA Awards Pre-Telecast Ceremony.