101 KXL has earned national recognition. The Portland news/talk station is a nominee for News/Talk Station of the Year at the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards. Program Director Grant McHill couldn’t be more excited.
Notably, 101 KXL will compete against a strong field of stations. Also nominated are KFI-AM 640, 700 WLW, 95.5 WSB, and 102.5 The Bone.
Significantly, the nomination arrives in Grant McHill’s first year as the station’s Program Director.
Celebrating The News
“That was a good day,” said McHill. “I was working on something at my desk when our operations manager, Ross McLeod, came over and tapped me on the shoulder. He said, ‘Congrats, you guys are a Marconi nominee.’ We were both fired up, and as my co-anchor said, we gave bro hugs. We’re excited and honored. It’s a culmination of 99 years of serving Portland, and to be honored this year, we’re beyond excited and grateful and can’t wait to see what happens on Tuesday.”
Naturally, that recognition from industry peers means a great deal to McHill. After all, he’s spent more than 20 years in radio.
“It’s one of the greatest honors for us in this business to hear from our peers and to be nominated, and I’m extremely grateful for it,” the 101 KXL Program Director stated. “In my 20-plus years of radio, I’ve known what good KXL does here in Portland and in Oregon. To see that recognized on the national level is really gratifying. I really appreciate all the support, and hopefully we can continue to improve.”
Crafting The Submission
Building the submission took thoughtful planning. McHill wanted the package to highlight the full scope of what the station does.
“The challenge for me was finding content that really shows what we do here at KXL,” said McHill. “That’s being a voice for the community. I was looking for the whole scope of what KXL covers, not just the heavy news. We had stories about the big famous mall in Portland closing and the last time kids can see Santa there. I was trying to find a way to show that KXL is the voice and the conscience of Portland. To be honest with you, I thought it was a fun challenge.”
Next, McHill turned to his reporters for help. Their input shaped the final package.
“I challenged all my reporters to send me a story that really captivated them and moved them,” McHill shared. “It didn’t have to be their favorite story or the most important one. After poring through all of those, I picked what I could and put together the package. I wouldn’t call it nervousness, but I was hopeful. I was confident that we have a product that’s worthy of this.”
Always Searching For Standout Stories
Of course, the work doesn’t start when the submission process begins. Instead, McHill keeps award-worthy content in mind year-round.
“I always have it in the back of my mind,” the 101 KXL Program Director stated. “Almost every day, I think about what we did well today. I do promos and imaging every day, some of our best stuff.
“We have an awards folder, and I’ll throw stuff in there. For any awards we submit for, I always ask the team what they think were some of our best stories this year. It’s a real team effort, and the hard part was breaking down everything I thought was worthy of adding to the package.”
A First-Year Milestone
Still, McHill isn’t taking the spotlight for himself. Instead, he’s crediting the people around him, from the station’s local staff to company leadership.
“I can’t take much credit for that,” said McHill. “It’s really a team effort, all the way up from Jeff Warshaw and Keith Dakin at Connoisseur to my local team here. I have to give a shout-out to Ross McLeod. He came in about a year and a half ago. I can’t be more grateful for what he’s done for me and for KXL. He gave me the confidence to go for it and really helped hone the package. It’s a real team effort, so I can’t take credit for the first year here. I really appreciate my team and the support from above me. Hopefully this is the first of many to come.”
Now, the wait is nearly over. The 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards are scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th at The Edison Ballroom in New York in advance of the 2026 NAB Show New York.
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