Awards were announced at the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 9, 2016, in Orlando, FL. WLRN’s news team brought home awards in 18 categories. Nine news staff members, plus two more to include WLRN’s editorial partners Florida Center for Investigative Reporting (FCIR) and Miami Herald, took first place position in 12 of those categories.
“These awards reflect the broad expanse of stories we tackle -- from newscasts and health care, to a video game concert and a Brazilian beach sport," said WLRN Vice President of News Tom Hudson. “These awards also reflect the depth of journalistic talent across our newsroom. “
“This is a remarkable accomplishment and reinforces WLRN as a news leader in South Florida," said John LaBonia, General Manager of WLRN. “I’m very proud of our news team and honored that the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters recognized their hard work to produce news coverage and feature stories that resonate in our local communities and across the state.”
This year 32 broadcasters submitted 459 entries in the contest. Entries were judged by broadcasters from California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Congratulations to the WLRN news team! Below is the list of categories that include our WLRN winners in the Radio Division;
Breaking News
First place: Staff, WLRN News, Miami, "Listen: Florida's First 15 Hours of Same Sex Marriage"
Second place: WOKV News Team, WOKV-FM, Jacksonville, "Belleza Condo Fire"
Continuing Coverage
First place: Nadege Green, WLRN News, Miami, "Lavall Hall Coverage by Nadege Green"
Second place: Ryan Benk, Cyd Hoskinson, Jessica Palombo, WJCT-FM, Jacksonville, "El Faro Cargo Ship Sinks"
Cultural/Historical Feature
First place: Julia Duba, Kenny Malone, Alicia Zuckerman, WLRN News, Miami, "South Florida's Graffiti Problem in the '90s Had an Emblem: Crook Crome"
Second place: Renata Sago, WMFE-FM, Orlando, "Vietnamese Vets Still Fighting the War"
General Assignment
First place: Susan Giles Wantuck, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "At a Loss for Words: The Puzzle Genius of Merl Reagle"
Second place: Sammy Mack, WLRN News, Miami, "Farmers Ask for a State of Emergency as Crops Drown in the Field"
Hard News Feature
Second place: Mark Schreiner, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "University Beat: Dozier Update"
Individual Achievement Multi-Stories
First place: Darrell Moody, News 96.5 WDBO, Orlando, "Missing Cobra/Travel Alert OIA/Orlando Election Day"
Second place: Wilson Sayre, WLRN News, Miami, "Wilson Sayre Reports for WLRN News"
Individual Achievement Single Story
First place: Julia Duba, WLRN News, Miami, "South Florida's Graffiti Problem in the '90s Had an Emblem: Crook Crome"
Second place: Steve Newborn, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "Giving Cuban Manatees a Fighting Chance"
Investigative
First place: Tristram Korten, FCIR, Alicia Zuckerman, WLRN News, Miami, "Florida Officials Ban the Term Climate Change"
Second place: Stephanie Brown, WOKV-FM, Jacksonville, "Department of Juvenile Justice Investigation"
Light Feature
First place: Luis Hernandez, WLRN News, Miami, "What Conducting a Video Game Concert Sounds Like"
Second place: Daylina Miller, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "Whovian Singles Night: Just What The Doctor Ordered"
OVERALL
First place: WOKV News Team, WOKV-FM, Jacksonville, "The Best of WOKV in 2015"
Second place: Staff, WLRN News, Miami, "WLRN News Coverage Throughout 2015"
Photo Essay
First place: Steve Newborn, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "Cuba Postcard: 'Expect the Unexpected'"
Second place: Tom Hudson, WLRN News, Miami, "A Look Inside the Plane Flying Key West to Havana"
Public Affairs
First place: Wilson Sayre, Daniel Chang, Sammy Mack, WLRN-Miami Herald News, Health News Florida, "Falling Into the Gap: Florida's Health Care Coverage Gap"
Second place: Matthew Peddie and Brendan Byrne, WMFE-FM, Orlando, "Intersection: Parramore"
Radio Newscast up to 5 minutes
First place: Christine DiMattei, WLRN News, Miami, "WLRN News with Christine DiMattei"
Second place: Michelle Corum and Ryan Benk, WJCT-FM, Jacksonville, "WJCT Newscast 8-27-15"
Series Reporting
First place: Steve Newborn, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition"
Second place: Health News Florida Staff from WUSF, WLRN and WMFE, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "HIV in Florida: The Rising Tide of Infection"
Sports Feature
First place: Tim Padgett, WLRN NEWS, Miami, "Shark Attack On the Beach! Footvolley's Popularity Taking Off in Florida, the U.S."
Second place: Robin Sussingham, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "From Phosphate Mine to Golf Resort: Streamsong"
Use of Sound for Radio
First place: Tom Hudson, WLRN News, Miami, "The Sunshine Economy: Training Tomorrow's Aviation Workers"
Second place: Quincy Walters, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "Soundscapes Inspired by Park's Landscapes"
Weather Reporting
First place: Julia Duba, WLRN News, Miami, "Too Young for Andrew, I Learned Fear From Hurricane Wilma"
Second place: Nancy Klingener, WLRN News, Miami, "For The Florida Keys, Wilma Brought Water"
WEBSITE
First place: WOKV News Team, WOKV-FM, Jacksonville, "WOKV.COM"
Second place: Health News Florida Staff from WUSF, WLRN and WMFE, WUSF-FM, Tampa, "Health News Florida"
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About WLRN
WLRN Public Media is committed to being the most trusted source of information and entertainment in South Florida's diverse community. Licensed to the school board of Miami-Dade County, WLRN is best known for its award winning public radio and television programs, but its services go well beyond the airwaves. It's a complex media enterprise consisting of radio and television stations, www.WLRN.org and educational channels offering you a variety of high quality programming and advanced learning services making WLRN a valuable public media source.
About AP
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the Web: www.ap.org.