ESCANABA - An Upper Peninsula-based radio program that focuses on uplifting news has been named the top talk show in its market by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

The show, "Power! Talk Radio," hosted by John St. Augustine of Escanaba, beat nationally syndicated competitors such as Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura for the Best of Category Award in Special Programming.

"I feel like a 12-year-old that won the spelling bee," says St. Augustine, who created the program in 1997. "We work very hard on producing a show that offsets the onslaught of negative programming that eats away at the human spirit.

We try to bring evidence to our listeners that the circumstances in life have nothing to do with the outcomes."

St. Augustine says focusing on the positive and being proactive are what makes the show not only unique, but successful. "Most talk shows focus on debating issues and events that have no end. We don't debate. We create. Listeners come away with a sense that they have a responsibility to live their lives in a way that creates opportunity for themselves and others."

Power! Talk Radio, produced by Amy Marie Jasso, airs on the Radio Results Network, News Talk 600