On a night built to celebrate the voices, the stories, and the signals that define radio across the state, a familiar morning show out of Tulsa found itself right in the middle of it.
Cliff and Carly, the morning duo on KRQV-FM, were among the standout honorees at the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Outstanding Achievement Awards, held this week in Oklahoma City. For a show that has quickly become a defining part of the station’s identity, the recognition marked a moment where momentum met validation.
The duo earned top honors in the Metro Radio Division’s Personality of the Year category, placing them at the forefront of a competitive field that includes stations and talent from both Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
It’s a category that tends to reflect more than just ratings or longevity. It’s about presence. Connection. The ability to cut through in a crowded media environment and become part of a listener’s daily routine.
That’s where Cliff and Carly have built their lane.
Since the launch of “Cliff and Carly Mornings” in 2023, the show has served as a cornerstone for 92.9 The River, a classic hits station that itself is still relatively new under its current identity. The pairing brought a fresh energy to the frequency at a time when the station was redefining its sound and positioning in the Tulsa market.
The awards night in Oklahoma City brought that growth into focus.
The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters’ annual banquet has long been one of the state’s biggest nights for both radio and television, bringing together stations of all sizes to recognize work across programming, production, and community impact. This year’s event, held at the OKANA Resort, highlighted just how wide the talent pool runs across Oklahoma.
While Cliff and Carly took home one of the night’s most visible honors on the radio side, they were part of a broader field of winners that underscored the depth of the industry statewide.
In the Metro Radio Division, KGOU in Oklahoma City was named Best of Show, marking a milestone moment for the public radio outlet as it earned the top overall distinction among major-market stations. Their recognition came alongside multiple category wins, reinforcing their standing as a consistent presence in news and community-focused programming.
Outside of the major markets, the Non-Metro Radio Division spotlighted stations serving smaller communities with a similar level of impact. KWON in Bartlesville was awarded Best of Show, with honors spanning news, sports, and long-form programming — a reminder that some of the strongest local storytelling in radio continues to come from outside the state’s largest cities.
Across both divisions, the range of winners painted a clear picture of what radio in Oklahoma looks like right now.
Stations were recognized for everything from general news coverage and feature storytelling to station imaging, event promotion, and digital presence. Community service awards highlighted stations across the state — from Ada to Tulsa — that have maintained a strong local connection, even as the broader industry continues to evolve.
And that’s where the significance of a Personality of the Year win lands a little differently.
In a time where many stations are operating leaner, with fewer local voices and more shared content, personality-driven shows carry a different kind of weight. They become anchors. Not just for a station, but for the audience.
Cliff and Carly’s recognition reflects that shift.
Their show doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of a station group under Griffin Media, which has steadily built a strong cluster in Tulsa that includes multiple radio brands alongside television properties. That kind of structure allows for cross-platform visibility, but it also raises expectations for consistency and performance.
Winning at the state level suggests they’re meeting those expectations — and then some.
The awards also serve as a snapshot of where the industry stands right now.
Even as national conversations around radio focus on consolidation, staffing cuts, and shifting listening habits, nights like this tell a different part of the story. One that’s still rooted in creativity, competition, and the idea that local radio, when it’s done right, still matters.
The room in Oklahoma City reflected that.
Programmers, personalities, engineers, and executives — all in one place, not talking about what’s being lost, but what’s being built. What’s working. What’s connecting.
For Cliff and Carly, the night becomes a marker.
Not the finish line, but a checkpoint.
Because awards in this business tend to do two things at once. They recognize what’s already been done, and they raise the bar for what comes next.
And for a morning show that’s still relatively early in its run on 92.9 The River, that next chapter is where the real story will continue to unfold.
What’s clear now is that they’ve established themselves — not just within their own station, but across the state.
In a business that is constantly changing, that kind of footing is hard to find.
And on this night in Oklahoma City, it was impossible to miss.
-JPS