WAKA honored with two ABBY Awards from the Alabama Broadcasters Association
Members of the WAKA Action 8 News team at the annual ABBY Awards in Birmingham, Saturday, April 12, 2026 – (l-r) Lindsey Bonner, Estee Morrison, Carrington Cole, Bill Gill, Josh Rainey and Savanna Sabb – Photo from WAKA Action 8 News
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WAKA) – WAKA Action 8 News has received two ABBY Awards for excellence from the Alabama Broadcasters Association.
At an awards gala at The Club on Red Mountain in Birmingham last night, WAKA received awards for Best News Feature and Best Service Project.
The story that won for Best News Feature was produced by WAKA Anchor/Reporter Justin Walker and longtime Chief Photographer Bill Gill. It highlighted Auburn University’s Raptor Center and the 25-year tradition of having an eagle released before the start of Auburn home football games to fly over the stadium before landing on the field below.
Walker rejoined WAKA last year as co-anchor of Action 8 News Rising and is a Troy University graduate. Gill is a 10-year WAKA veteran who has worked for stations in Huntsville, Birmingham and Atlanta over his decades-long career and is an Alabama A&M University graduate.
The Best Service Project award went to WAKA’s “Tickled Pink” campaign to bring awareness to issues and treatments involving breast cancer. The event marked its 11th year in 2025, which was highlighted by the “Tickled Pink out Party” at Riverwalk Stadium, now Dabos Park. The event is a fundraiser for the Cancer Wellness Foundation, which helps patients facing many types of cancer in 32 counties. Each year, the project includes news stories, a “Tickled Pink Survivor Makeover” award for a breast cancer patient, a parade for cancer survivors at the event and a month-long station commitment each October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The project involves WAKA employees in all departments who spend months organizing each year’s activities and news coverage.
WAKA Action 8 News Chief Photographer Bill Gill with the list of participants at the 2026 ABBY Awards, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Birmingham – Photo from WAKA Action 8 News
The Alabama Broadcasters Association is made up of TV and radio stations statewide to support broadcasters with training, networking and advocacy. This is the 20th year that it has presented its ABBY Awards for excellence to stations serving the people in their local communities. The award entries are judged by broadcasters out-of-state and represent station efforts in 2025. The annual awards ceremony and dinner is considered the premier event for broadcasters in Alabama.
All of us at WAKA thank the Alabama Broadcasters Association for the recognition, but most importantly, we thank our loyal viewers for their continued support as WAKA marks 66 years of service to our part of the state.
