Best of Utah 2012: Media & Politics 

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Best Dance Your Assk Off
A.S.S.K. Radio
DJs of old Kenn Burrola and Sam Smith—once staples on the KRCL FM airwaves—didn’t fade from view when KRCL changed its format. They kicked off this soulful Internet radio station in 2010, bringing in pals like John “J.Mack” McNeil and Richard Reed (aka Uncle Jamm). DJs have their own playlists, but listeners can “ask” and their favorites will be played. Groove to jazz, soul, gospel, classic rap, hip-hop, R&B, Old Skool, house, club and underground tunes.
ASSKRadio.com

Best Self-Promoter
Bryan Young, Lost at the Con/Shinebox/Big Shiny Robot!
Bryan Young is, hands-down, the busiest guy in Utah media that you’ve never met. Aside being a founder of Shinebox Media and Big Shiny Robot! (as well as a contributor to City Weekly), the writer and producer has a long list of projects that makes you wonder when he sleeps. Included in that list: Geek Show Podcast panelist, Huffington Post correspondent, author of five fictional novels, nationally regarded Star Wars expert (he’s received personal invitations to Skywalker Ranch), independent film director, pub-quiz host, and soon—we hope—seller of an energy drink of whatever is keeping him going.

Best Local Blog/Site

Best Hashtag With Legs
#letjeremydunk
Second-year Jazzman Jeremy Evans caught the attention of fans for his wide smile and his astonishing vertical leap, leading the always-brilliant local TV commentators to dub him the “Human Pogo Stick.” Stupid nicknames aside, a grass-roots Twitter campaign helped Evans get into the 2012 Slam Dunk contest, part of the run-up to the NBA’s All-Star Game, where his spectacular dunks captured the fan vote to secure him the Slam Dunk trophy. Next up: #letjeremyplay?

Best DIG-IN Podcast
The Let’s Go Eat Show
In case the wit and wisdom you can glean from Bill Allred every day via the Radio From Hell morning radio show on X96 just isn’t enough, here comes a big ol’ dash of Bill untethered, chatting over a meal with various movers and shakers from Salt Lake City. It’s a treat to listen to Allred dig into, say, the harsh professional landscape for older radio personalities with Tom Barberi, or the mind behind Sister Dottie Dixon, actor Charles Lynn Frost. If you haven’t joined Allred and his guests via your earphones, you’re missing out.
TheLetsGoEatShow.com

Best Weber County Spotlight
IndieOgdenUtah.com
Ogden might reside somewhat in the shadow of Salt Lake City, but there’s more offbeat funkiness to O-Town than meets the eye. Mikaela Shafer and Jenny Shaw, as well as a slew of local contributors, explore the unique corners of their city on this website, from local music and recreation to reviews of new restaurants and spotlights of locally owned businesses. If you want unique experiences in unique places, they know how to point you in the right direction.
IndieOgdenUtah.com

Best Surprising Sidekick
Matt Harpring, Utah Jazz TV Color Man
When Matt Harpring was playing for the Utah Jazz, he seemed the embodiment of what former coach Jerry Sloan wanted in a player. He was kind of a hard-ass, a former college football player who took to the court, even when he was injured, and wasn’t afraid to mix it up with bigger, more athletic guys. Put Harpring behind a microphone and next to play-by-play stiff Craig Bolerjack, though, and suddenly he’s a light-hearted goofball, waxing on about his bad hair days and cracking wise during his live on-air commercials for things like a Jazz Cruise. Who knew he had it in him?
Twitter: @MHarpring15

Best “Behind the Poster” Video
JimmerPoster.com’s “Making-Of”
Whenever I buy a poster, I know the first thing that comes to my mind: How in the world was this work of art created? The creators of an officially licensed Jimmer Fredette poster wanted to let us know last spring, when the website JimmerPoster.com featured not only an opportunity to buy a poster of the BYU hoops star, but a chance to see how it all went down, from applying makeup to figuring out whether it was better to be holding two balls (!) or just one (whew). The domain name has vanished since then, suggesting the phenomenon has run its course, but the 46 seconds of magic worthy of a DVD “extras” package fortunately lives on via YouTube.