2024 Mustang Media Group Awards

Mustang Media Group (MMG) staff
display their awards at last spring’s
student media conference in San Diego.

Mustang Media Group achieved some amazing milestones over the past year, including winning its sixth National Pacemaker Award. Akin to the Pulitzer Prize, the Pacemaker is the highest honor in American student journalism, given annually since 1927. 

In addition to the Pacemaker, the organization won 33 other awards for consistently delivering timely news to Cal Poly and the greater San Luis Obispo communities. Also central to the organization's brand awareness and financial success are innovative sales, advertisement, and design strategies, which earned the organization first place for Best Online Advertisement and second place for Best Social Media Strategy. We are especially proud of the fact that the work of our public relations, television broadcasting, radio broadcasting and media innovation students is being highlighted alongside that of our traditional reporting and writing students. 

“A decade ago, all of the entities within Mustang Media Group were working mostly in isolation, with very little communication and collaboration. Now, it's being recognized as one of the pillars of collaboration and integration ,” journalism professor and department chair Brady Teufel said. “In a department that teaches students to be adaptable and versatile, these awards reflect that mindset and reinforce the idea that student media organizations can be at the forefront of industry change.”  

Earning the top ranking in ACP Organizational Pacemakers puts Mustang Media Group among top competitors such as UCLA's Daily Bruin and Harvard’s The Harvard Crimson. “Being one of only four schools in the nation to earn a Business Pacemaker is an absolutely tremendous honor,” general manager Jonathan Schlitt said. “The business and marketing staff members of Mustang Media Group have worked tirelessly over these past few years to maintain and grow revenues while also finding innovative solutions for audience engagement. They've thoroughly earned this recognition and I couldn't be prouder of them as well as of our editorial team who earned a slew of awards this past weekend as well.” 

The awards won by Mustang Media Group spanned topics from the coverage of Cal Poly food insecurity to the Turning Point USA counter-protest. “It was an honor to work with a team so dedicated to making our stories accessible and engaging across our various platforms and I couldn't be prouder of everyone who helped make these awards possible,” editor-in-chief Chloe Lovejoy said. “I feel so grateful for our advisers in the Cal Poly Journalism Department — the innovative, impactful storytelling we're doing wouldn't be possible without their support.”