Local broadcaster 'Cousin Carl' honored at ADDY Awards banquet

The man known to classic country music listeners as Cousin Carl has received many accolades during his broadcasting career, including the Country Music Association's Disc Jockey of the Year Award in 1961 while working at a Nashville radio station.

Bill Anderson added another award to his collection Friday night when he was recognized as an American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award recipient at the Tri-State Advertising and Marketing Professionals annual ADDY Awards banquet.

The banquet, which honors excellence in the local advertising trade, was held at Cape Girardeau's Plaza Conference Center and was attended by about 150 people representing advertising and media organizations. Tri-State AMP president Jay Wolz served as master of ceremonies and presented the ADDY Awards.

The AAF Silver Medal Award recognized the professional contributions Anderson has made to the area broadcast industry.

"It's a great honor," said Anderson, who owns Anderson Broadcasting and radio station KWKZ of Cape Girardeau. "It's an honor that I could celebrate the broadcasting industry for what is has done for me, not what I have done for it."

Anderson said after the banquet that the industry has given him more than he has given it.

"It has been so good to me. I'm so grateful to be in it to serve the community and to serve the people."

Glyn Jarrell of Bud Shell Auto World, a friend of Anderson as well as an advertiser, presented the Silver Medal Award after recapping Anderson's career.

"Cousin Carl has become the most recognized, most loved show in the five-state area," Jarrell said. He attributed Anderson's success to hard work, prayer and loyal advertisers and listeners.

"But also it is a show of true caring for each and every person he reaches and even those the airwaves can't reach," Jarrell added.

Tri-State AMP awarded nine gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze ADDY Awards, along with five student ADDYs to students from Southeast Missouri State University and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. There were more than 120 entries from print, broadcast and multimedia advertising.

The ADDY awards, a national advertising competition conducted by the AAF, is the advertising industry's largest competition for creative excellence.

Three Gold ADDY winners were chosen for overall Best of Show recognition. Red Letter Communications was honored for their direct mail series "Greener Shade of Orange," which was produced for Stihl/Southeast. SoutheastHEALTH picked up two Best of Show awards for television commercials "Cry Babies" and "Upside Down." Jaime Craig, co-chair of this year's program, made the Best of Show presentations.

All Gold ADDY winners will be entered into March's district competition.

Boyce Holt, owner of All Media Services of Poplar Bluff, Mo., gave a presentation on Tri-State AMP's "Advertising for a Cause" initiative, which aims to use the group's resources to help promote an area charitable or public service organization.

In its third year, the "Advertising for a Cause" program already has commitments of more than $80,000 for the 2011 campaign, which will benefit an organization yet to be announced.

"This program will be a lasting legacy to the contributions made by the founding Tri-State AMP members," Holt said.