YORKTON — Harvard Media has won a prestigious Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) gold medal for Community Service Radio (market size under 150,000) for its Save the Terriers campaign, which played a significant role in helping secure the future of the Yorkton Terriers Junior A hockey team.
The campaign was launched after the Terriers issued a startling public statement on Jan. 27, 2024, revealing that years of financial strain had left the club in jeopardy.
GX94 and FOX FM, part of Harvard Media, responded immediately. Station management reached out to the team to ask, “What do you need?” That simple gesture sparked a province-wide media blitz dubbed the Save the Terriers campaign.
Over the following weeks, GX94 and FOX FM hosts promoted the Terriers tirelessly. On-air interviews, live broadcasts and game send-offs became a staple of the campaign. GX94’s Benny Walchuk — the voice of the Terriers — covered every game and delivered passionate commentary that rallied listeners and fans.
The goal was to hit 1,000 season ticket sales. With near-daily updates, social media pushes and digital content created by Harvard’s team, the effort grew in momentum — and so did community response.
Promotional support extended across all of Harvard Media’s Saskatchewan omni-channels, including CKRM, SportsCage and Â鶹´«Ã½AV. Each home game received a dedicated graphic, and announcers gave the team constant airtime, building excitement and sharing the Terriers’ progress.
By March 4, the campaign had pushed sales to over 925 tickets. At a board meeting shortly after, the Terriers confirmed they were “good to go” for the next season as they were close enough to their initial goal.
The award recognizes the broadcaster’s role in the campaign’s success, but Harvard Media credited the wider community effort.
“We don’t claim that we are the only ones that helped,” said Brad Bazin, program director at Harvard Broadcasting. “But the award is for the work that we did as broadcasters.”
This marks Harvard Media’s second WAB win in three years for community service broadcasting.
