David Stewart, owner and manager of WMFC Radio FM 99.3 in Monroeville and a 1982 Troy University graduate, was named Broadcaster of the Year and inducted into the Alabama Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 10, 2019.

Stewart spoke highly of his fellow colleagues who have been honored before him.

“I feel humbled and honored to be in the company of others from over the years with whom I share the recognitions,” he said. “I became fascinated with radio at a very early age. By the age of 10, I had decided to make it my career.”

An active student of the Hall School of Journalism and Communication, Stewart attributes his recent success to his upbringing as well as his years attending TROY and involvement in the college’s student news outlets.

Stewart was inspired by his father and brother to pursue a degree in journalism and learn the family trade. He experienced journalism firsthand at the newspaper his father owned and operated in Monroeville, growing up “inside the walls” of print and radio journalism. 

 “I felt the need to attend college because I wanted a degree,” he said. “Troy State University was a reputable print and broadcast school. Size-wise, it was just right for me, having come from a small town with a small junior college. It offered excellent instruction in news coverage, news writing, reporting and press law, and it showed the students how to condense stories from print to broadcast style.”

 The Troy history runs deep in Stewart’s family as his brother, Steve Stewart, was an assistant professor of journalism for 10 years until his retirement last year.

“I’m proud of David’s honor and that together we’ve participated in both print and broadcast journalism,” Steve said. “David was interested in radio and I was interested in newspaper, so we didn’t really compete with each other.”

Steve said his brother had been nominated for the Hall of Fame and Broadcaster of the Year awards by “longtime friend” and fellow journalist Ralph Black, who was Troy Athletics’ play-by-play broadcaster for 26 years.

“We’re very proud of him and he’s a great guy,” Black said.

Steve Stewart and Black both highlighted the accomplishments of such an outstanding friend and brother, sharing their passion for journalism and love for Troy University that has spanned three successful careers.

“David has worked really hard all his life,” Steve said. “It is well deserved.”