POCATELLO, ID – KISU-FM radio programs and Idaho State University student journalists earned statewide recognition at the Idaho Press Club’s “Best of 2025” Awards, announced at the organization’s annual awards banquet on May 2 in Boise. The honors celebrate outstanding audio journalism and student reporting produced in 2025 and continue KISU’s growing record of excellence in public service media. KISU’s six awards is the most won by the organization in a single year.
KISU’s long-running science and nature show The Nature of Idaho, hosted by Dr. Leif Tapanila and Peter Pruett, was recognized with a second-place award in the prestigious General Excellence - Audio category for its seventh season, underscoring the program’s consistency, depth, and engaging approach to exploring Idaho’s wild landscapes. The series, a collaboration between Idaho State University’s Idaho Museum of Natural History and Zoo Idaho, examines how Idaho’s natural environments shape the state’s past, present, and future through interviews and occasional field reporting.
Idaho State University student journalists working with KISU-FM also stood out in the student divisions, earning top honors for public affairs, watchdog reporting, and general news coverage.
- Madison Long earned first place in the Watchdog / Investigative – Student – TV or Audio category for the audio feature “Waste on the Move: Storage, Safety, and Idaho’s Nuclear Waiver,” produced for KISU-FM.
- In the General News Report – Student division, KISU reporter and ISU student Hadley Bodell received first place for “Camille’s Crepes Wins Big at Eastern Idaho State Fair,” highlighting local business, community culture, and accountability in fair judging and operations.
- Bodell also earned first place in the Public Affairs Program – Student – TV or Audio category for the KISU-FM story “AI Integrates into Local Businesses, MOATiT Gives an Inside Look at Agent’s Abilities,” examining how artificial intelligence is changing work in eastern Idaho.
- In the same Public Affairs Program – Student category, KISU’s Sustainable Idaho segment “Bees, Beef, and Better Soil: Inside a Regenerative Idaho Ranch,” reported by Madison Long, received second place, and “Hooves on the Ground – A Pilot Project Tackles Invasive Cheatgrass in Southeast Idaho,” reported by Holly Wilson, received third place. Both pieces aired on KISU-FM.
These awards add to a growing list of Idaho Press Club honors for KISU’s flagship community programs The Nature of Idaho and Sustainable Idaho, which have now received multiple statewide recognitions since 2021. Together, the programs showcase the station’s commitment to in-depth science communication, environmental reporting, and opportunities for ISU students to gain real-world experience in journalism and audio production.
KISU General Manager Jamon Anderson, who coordinated and submitted this year’s entries, credited the recognition to the dedication of student journalists, volunteer hosts, and campus and community partners. “These awards reflect the exceptional work our students are doing in the field and in the studio, the generosity of expert volunteers who share their time and knowledge on-air, and the strong support KISU receives from Idaho State University, including the outstanding preparation students receive through ISU’s School of Journalism.”
The Nature of Idaho is a weekly, half-hour program hosted by Peter Pruett, Superintendent of Zoo Idaho, and Dr. Leif Tapanila, Director of the Idaho Museum of Natural History at ISU. The show features conversations with scientists, historians, and community members about Idaho’s geology, wildlife, and outdoor spaces, along with regular segments on nature news, trivia, and fun facts.
Sustainable Idaho is a collaboration between KISU-FM and the Portneuf Resource Council, a nonprofit organization focused on clean water and clean energy in southeast Idaho. Launched in 2020, the series is produced primarily by Idaho State University students, who research topics, conduct interviews, and produce weekly episodes with guidance from a steering committee of ISU faculty, local subject-matter experts, and KISU staff. The program has previously earned multiple Idaho Press Club awards for its coverage of environmental policy, agriculture, and regional sustainability issues.
The Idaho Press Club is a statewide organization of working journalists, journalism educators, public relations professionals, and students whose mission is to promote excellence in journalism and uphold the principles of free expression and public access to information. More information is available at the Idaho Press Club’s website, idahopressclub.org
To hear KISU-FM’s award-winning programs, visit kisu.org
The Nature of Idaho airs Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. on KISU-FM and Sustainable Idaho airs Tuesdays at 7:35 a.m. and Thursdays at 4:20 p.m., with past episodes available under their respective program tabs at kisu.org.
Media Contact
Jamon Anderson
General Manager, KISU-FM
Idaho State University
Phone: 208-282-2688
Email: jamonanderson@isu.edu
KISU-FM Idaho Press Club Awards 2025/2026
Source: https://idahopressclub.org/awards/best-of-2025-award-winners/
General Excellence – Audio
- Heath Druzin – KBSX, Boise State Public Radio – Podcast: Howl
- Peter Pruett and Leif Tapanila – KISU-FM – Nature of Idaho Season 7
- Austin Pace – KBYI – Strider
Watchdog / Investigative – Student
- Madison Long – KISU-FM, Idaho State University – Waste on the Move: Storage, Safety, and Idaho’s Nuclear Waiver
- Joshua Reisenfeld – The Argonaut, University of Idaho – International visas revoked from two UI students
- Cat Menlove – BYU-Idaho Scroll – Journey to the Center of the Money
General News Report – Student – TV or Audio
- Hadley Bodell – KISU-FM, Idaho State University – Camille’s Crepes Wins Big at Eastern Idaho State Fair
- Hadley Bodell – KIFI, Local News 8 – Hour of AI in Eastern Idaho Classrooms
- Cal Torres, Reagan Jones – The Argonaut, University of Idaho – ArgTV: Moscow voters weigh in on upcoming election
Public Affairs Program – Student – TV or Audio
- Hadley Bodell – KISU-FM, Idaho State University – AI Integrates into Local Businesses, MOATiT Gives an Inside Look at Agents’ Abilities
- Madison Long – KISU-FM, Idaho State University – Sustainable Idaho: Bees, Beef, and Better Soil: Inside a Regenerative Idaho Ranch
- Holly Wilson – KISU-FM, Idaho State University – Sustainable Idaho: Hooves on the Ground – A Pilot Project Tackles Invasive Cheatgrass in Southeast Idaho