People & Business

WUSF Public Media Celebrates Series of Journalism Awards for Outstanding Reporting

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[TAMPA, August 18, 2020] — WUSF Public Media is proud to announce that its journalists won more than a dozen awards for outstanding journalism covering a wide range of topics in service to Florida residents. These include prestigious recognitions from the Public Media Journalists Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.

This recognition follows a series of Edward R. Murrow awards for WUSF announced in May from the Radio Television Digital News Association for investigations, news series, and sports reporting.

“Every day, journalists from WUSF Public Media seek out the truth, help enlighten our understanding and bring context to fast-changing events in our world,” said WUSF Public Media General Manager JoAnn Urofsky. “This mission is so important – indeed now more than ever – with a global pandemic upending all our lives, major disruptions to our economy, and upcoming elections. I am so proud of this team and proud of the work they do each day. These awards are well deserved. Congratulations!”

Among the awards won this month by WUSF journalists:
Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA)
WUSF won two second-place awards in a national contest recognizing the best work in public media journalism, with similar-sized stations competing from across the country. Overall, judges reviewed nearly 1,300 entries. The awards were for:

Newscast, Second Place: All Things Considered on August 22, 2019. The newscast anchored by Lisa Peakes included a story from Jessica Meszaros on a federal lawsuit over the protection of endangered coral and breaking news about a rash of sinkholes in the region, including several that shut down traffic on Interstate 4.

Spot News, Second Place: In The Eye Of Hurricane Dorian. Stephanie Colombinijoined the NOAA Hurricane Hunters into the path of Hurricane Dorian. Her story focused on how the crews made multiple trips into the slow-moving storm as it lingered off Florida and the east coast.

Society of Professional Journalists
WUSF won three “Green Eyeshade” awards in the contest sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) for 11 Southeastern states, including radio journalists from Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

Feature Reporting, First Place: Cathy Carter – After 90 Years, Greyhound Dog Racing Comes To An End In Sarasota.
Newscast, Second Place: Lisa Peakes – WUSF’s All Things Considered.
Public Service in Radio Journalism, Third Place: Julio Ochoa – Florida Fails To Open Methadone Clinics In Opioid Crisis.

Additionally, the Florida chapter of the SPJ this past weekend presented 11 awards to members of the WUSF news team in the annual Sunshine State “Florida Pro” awards:

In the light feature category, Stephanie Colombini took home first placefor her story about music therapy in NICUs that helps babies go home sooner.
Kerry Sheridan took second place in the category for her reporting on counting horseshoe crabs in Florida.
Sheridan also won first place in the best use of sound category for her story on a hip hop architecture camp for kids.
Environment and politics reporter Steve Newborn won first place in the environmental reporting category for a collection of his stories.
In the continuing coverage category, Daylina Miller won first place for her coverage of the state’s credentialing process for autism therapists.
Robin Sussingham and Jessica Meszaros took second place in the category for their coverage of the citrus industry: Without A Powerful Political Supporter, Citrus Struggles On and Evolution Of Florida Citrus Growers.
Health News Florida editor Julio Ochoa took home three awards: second place in the general coverage category for his coverage of hepatitis A and a second and third place award in the serious reporting category for his stories on costly freestanding emergency rooms and the failure by Florida to open methadone clinics in the opioid crisis.
Cathy Carter received a third place award for her reporting on a middle school poetry café in Sarasota.
And hosts Susan Giles Wantuck, Kerry Sheridan and Bradley George won a third-place award for best newscast.

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