witf honored by Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association with 13 awards for excellence in broadcast journalism
By witf
Photo by Fred Vigeant
witf‘s Multimedia News Department and witf TV were honored by the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association (PAPBA) with 13 awards for excellence in broadcast journalism. PAPBA groups witf in the Medium Market Radio and Medium Market Television Categories. Judging was conducted by the North Carolina Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
witf‘s initiative StateImpact PA was entered into Major Market and garnered two awards
witf‘s news department won the Joe Snyder Award for Outstanding News Service, the premier award given by The Pennsylvania Associated Press, for the second year in a row. It’s named in memory of the late Joe Snyder, longtime bureau chief of the Pennsylvania AP who was instrumental in founding the PAPBA. It is the third time since 2008 that witf has been recognized with the Joe Snyder Award.
“To be honored for the second year in a row with the Joe Snyder Award for Outstanding News Service is tremendous recognition of the efforts put in by witf’s journalists each and every day. I’m proud of their work and committment to ensuring we meet our responsibilities in serving the public,” Multimedia News Director Tim Lambert said. “On a personal note, I’m thrilled our special coverage of the Major Richard Winters Leadership Statue in Normandy, France, last June, was recognized in the Feature and Series categories. Thanks to Ephrata National Bank, witf was the only midstate media organization to cover the event from Europe. I hope the stories we produced did justice to the legacy of Major Winters.”
The winning entries:
REGULARLY SCHEDULED NEWS OR SPORTS TALK PROGRAM
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
1st Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Radio Smart Talk: Hurricane Sandy – Scott LaMar, Megan Lello, Craig Layne
Judges’ Comments: Spot on questions, clear, concise soundbites.
REGULARLY SCHEDULED NEWS OR SPORTS TALK PROGRAM
TV STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
2nd Place – witf TV (Harrisburg)
Smart Talk – Nell McCormack Abom, Heather Woolridge, Cara Fry, Mitch Mathias, Al Bonilla, Mike Gardner
Judges’ Comments: Talking-head shows live or die by their hosts, and Nell Abom is wonderful at guiding and focusing the discussion on very important issues.
RADIO SOUND
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
2nd Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Walking through the Pennsylvania Farm Show – Mary Wilson
SPORTS FEATURE
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
3rd Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Penn State students honor Joe Paterno with candlelight vigil – Scott Detrow
1st Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Penn State’s world turned upside down – Tim Lambert
FEATURE
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
2nd Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Living Simply – Joe Ulrich
Judges’ Comments: Opens with the sound of the zipper of the tent where this couple has lived the past year. Such a lifestyle opens itself to all kinds of questions _ all of which are answered in the reporting. Even the steps are heard as the reporter and the couple head for the farm fields.
1st Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Hang Tough: Dick Winters in Normandy – Tim Lambert
Judges’ Comments: Opens with sound but reporter paints word pictures throughout as well. Good storytelling about a Pennsylvania hero.
CONTINUING COVERAGE
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
3rd Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Aftershocks of the Sandusky Scandal – Scott Detrow, Mary Wilson, Tim Lambert, Craig Layne, Megan Lello, Scott Lamar
Judges’ Comments: Not much separated this well edited entry from the top two. Just not quite as complete and concise.
CONTINUING COVERAGE
RADIO STATIONS – MAJOR MARKET
2nd Place – StateImpact PA (Harrisburg)
Energy, Jobs and Tax Breaks – Scott Detrow, Susan Phillips
Judges’ Comments: Great job covering all aspects of the story. All the reporters involved thoroughly covered their individual pieces of the greater story.
SERIES
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
1st Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Hang Tough: Dick Winters in Normandy – Tim Lambert
SERIES
RADIO STATIONS – MAJOR MARKET
1st Place – StateImpact PA (Harrisburg)
Drilling’s Impact – Susan Phillips, Scott Detrow
Judges’ Comments: Excellent use of nat sound off the top. Reporter took me right onto the front lines of the issue and made me care to listen. Each story felt far shorter than its 7 minutes and left me wanting to hear more. Great job!
ENTERPRISE/INDIVIDUAL REPORTING
RADIO STATIONS – MEDIUM MARKET
2nd Place – witf (Harrisburg)
Considering Their Options – Craig Layne
Judges’ Comments: Having to pay for police protection in a state capital. Good analysis of the dilemma. Good use of sound.
