CDMC Producers Win Awards from Wisconsin Broadcasters Association

man wearing glasses and a backwards hat stands outside holding an award and smiling.
WORT Assistant News Director and “Refrangible” editor Jonah Chester stands with his award. Image courtesy of WORTFM.

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) has awarded the producer and editor of CDMC’s new podcast, Refrangible, with several of its 2020 awards for excellence.

The WBA recognized CDMC Producer-in-Residence Gianofer Fields with a Bronze Medal for Best Feature for her Radio Chipstone segment The Last Note.” which profiled Madison resident and musician Don Vasa as he made the decision to give up his two remaining vintage Hammond Organs. Recorded in a COVID-safe fashion during the pandemic and in the midst of a downpour no less, Fields captured the sound of his organ and the story of how he came to take in these abandoned vintage musical instruments. While she has been honored with many awards in her decades-long career, this is Fields’ first award for Radio Chipstone, a program now hosted by CDMC and supported by the Chipstone Foundation. It airs on WORT in Madison every Thursday evening between 5:00 and 6:00 PM. 2020 was the first year that Radio Chipstone was entered for a WBA award making the honor especially notable.

painted portrait of gianofer fields wearing a bright green shirt.
Portrait of gianofer fields. Oil on canvas. Artist: Melissa Fordahl.

Fields currently produces CDMC’s Refrangible podcast, aided by editor Jonah Chester. Chester is the Assistant New Director at WORT and produces the daily news. WBA recognized his work with three awards this year: a gold medal for Best Spot News, a silver medal for Best Continuing Coverage, and a bronze for Best Use of Audio in Radio News. Chester brings these honed producer skills to CDMC’s podcast.

“Gianofer and Jonah are an amazing podcast team,” says CDMC Visiting Executive Director Sarah Anne Carter. “The CDMC is incredibly fortunate that they are using their talents to tell meaningful material culture stories both through thoughtful interviews and crisp editing.”


Hear the latest episode of these award-winning producers’ podcast Refrangible, which examines the history of the maypole and its present-day significance in a pandemic-transitioning springtime.