SPJ elects 2024-25 Board of Directors and Regional Coordinators

 SPJ elects 2024-25 Board of Directors and Regional Coordinators

9/30/2024

CONTACT:
Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, ashanti.blaize@gmail.com
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has elected its 2024-25 Board of Directors and Regional Coordinators. Voting closed at noon EDT today. Newly elected SPJ Board of Directors members and Regional Coordinators for Regions 1, 4, 5 and 9 are:

• Chris Vaccaro as Vice President, running unopposed
• Sara Catania as Secretary-Treasurer, with 56.9% of votes for that role
• Patricia Gallagher Newberry as Director At-Large, with 29.8% of votes for that office
• Nicole DeCriscio as Director At-Large, with 28.5% of votes for that position
• Michelle Watson as Region 1 Coordinator, with 53.4% of votes for that office
• Ginny McCabe as Region 4 Coordinator, with 94.7% of votes for that role
• Nicole DeCriscio as Region 5 Coordinator, running unopposed
• McKenzie Romero as Region 9 Coordinator, running unopposed

A swearing-in ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday via Zoom. SPJ’s 108th president, Emily Bloch, will be sworn in alongside new 2024-25 Board of Directors members and Regional Coordinators.

SPJ champions journalists by recognizing outstanding achievement, fighting to protect press freedom, promoting high ethical standards and educating new generations of emerging professionals. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member and give to the Legal Defense Fund, First Amendment Forever Fund or SPJ Foundation.

“Reporting on Science in an Era of Misinformation” - Sept. 26, 6-8 p.m.

 

We warmly invite you to this panel discussion our SPJ chapter is co-sponsoring on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 6-8 p.m. on UC's main (Clifton) campus. Here are the details! “Reporting on Science in an Era of Misinformation”  Sept. 26, 6-8 p.m. Probasco Auditorium University of Cincinnati Main Campus (Clifton) 2839 Clifton Avenue 6:00-6:30 p.m. – networking reception 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. – program and panel discussion (including Q&A session with audience)   This is a free event for the public that will feature a panel of scientists and journalists who will discuss how news media cover scientific topics in this era plagued with misinformation and disinformation. Our panelists will discuss:  how journalists cover scientific topics, including the process of selecting what science stories are covered in news outlets and how they're reported  what challenges are involved in accurately interpreting and communicating scientific/health/environmental topics to the public (from the viewpoints of scientists and journalists), and how scientists and journalists can best work together to effectively and accurately communicate scientific topics to the public.  Panelists (see bios below) will include local scientists and health/science journalists, as well as national representatives from SciLine (a free and editorially independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit organization that connects journalists with scientists) and The Open Notebook (a nonprofit organization that provides training and educational materials for journalists who cover science). The event is sponsored by the UC Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) and the Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).   Panelists   Siri Carpenter is an award-winning journalist and is co-founder, executive director and editor-in-chief of The Open Notebook, a non-profit organization widely regarded as a leading source of training and educational materials for journalists who cover science. She is also the editor of the book “The Craft of Science Writing.” Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Science, Discover, Scientific American, Science News, bioGraphic and other publications. She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers and was the 2023 winner of the Online News Association’s Community Award. She has a Ph.D. in social psychology from Yale University and lives in Madison, Wisconsin.   Dr. Amy Townsend-Small is a professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability (SEaS) at University of Cincinnati. She has a Ph.D. in marine science from The University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in English and Biology from Skidmore College. She is a service-driven researcher, teacher and mentor in environmental science and policy, with a research focus on environmental impacts of the oil and gas industry. Together with her collaborators and students, she has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and raised millions of dollars in research funding.  She also works with local, national and international governments on greenhouse gas emissions reductions policies based in science.  She recently served in the Biden-Harris Administration as the Senior Climate Advisor in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State. She is the recipient of the Science and Community Award from the Ohio Environmental Council and the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the President of the United States.     Dr. Whitney Gaskins is the Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence, Community Engagement and Faculty Development in the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS). She holds a B.S. in biomedical engineering, M.B.A. in quantitative analysis and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering/engineering education. In her role as Associate Dean, Dr. Gaskins has revamped the summer bridge program to increase student support and retention as well as developed and strengthened partnerships with local area school districts to aid in the high school to college pathway. She serves as the Principal Investigator for both the Choose Ohio First Program (COF) and Ohio LSAMP grants. Through these grant programs, students receive competitive scholarship funding and professional development workshops, which help prepare them to enter the STEMM workforce. In 2009, she founded The Gaskins Foundation, a non-profit organization that launched the STEMulates year-round K-12 program, which is a free-of-charge program that introduces more students to math and science, and that currently offers programming in five cities. Among her many community roles, Whitney has been involved with the National Society of Black Engineers since 2003. Within the organization of more than 30,000 members, she strives to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.   Sara Whitlock is a biologist with a background in synthetic biology and microbiology who is excited about scientific storytelling. She interacts with scientists and journalists on a variety of opportunities related to SciLine’s services for broadcast journalists— producing video clips of scientists responding to breaking news and arranging windows of availability with scientists so broadcasters can interview them. Before landing at SciLine, she earned an M.S. in biophysics & structural biology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied how bacteria organize their insides. While elbow-deep in bacterial cultures, Sara wrote about research and her experiences as a graduate student for STAT News, Pitt Med Magazine and Scientific American. When she’s not doing work for SciLine, she’s continued to work as a freelancer, producing podcast episodes for the American Geophysical Union and educational videos for SciShow.   Duane Pohlman is a national investigative correspondent for “Spotlight on America” and chief investigative reporter and anchor for Local 12 / WKRC-TV. In 37 years, his work at nearly a dozen stations and broadcast groups across the country has exposed political corruption, the resurgence of white supremacy and hate groups, and an endless list of threats and wrongdoings. For decades, he has also investigated environmental threats, from high levels of arsenic in treated wood that led to a voluntary national recall to his current five-year investigation of radioactive contamination, cancer and death in communities surrounding Cold War-era facilities that produced America’s nuclear bombs. Pohlman has received hundreds of journalism’s top national, regional and state honors, including National Headliner, Edward R. Murrow, AP, SPJ and Emmy awards.  In addition, Pohlman has been named best journalist/reporter more than 20 times in five states and has been inducted into the Ohio Associated Press, Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and Delphos St. John’s halls of fame. Pohlman is also the co-founder and president of the Ohio Center for Journalism, chair of the BGSU Journalism Program Advisory Board and a board member of the Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.   Jenny Wohlfarth (moderator) is a UC journalism professor and an award-winning magazine journalist with more than 30 years of professional experience. She earned her B.A. in writing from the University of Evansville, and her M.A. in editing & publishing from the University of Cincinnati, and began teaching at UC in 2000. She teaches a range of classes, including Environmental Journalism, Science & Nature Writing, Feature Writing & In-Depth Reporting, Magazine Writing, Travel Writing, Advanced Reporting, Women in Journalism, Advanced Magazine Writing and Magazine Publishing. Her professional work has been published in numerous national magazines and has covered topics ranging from art, design, architecture and agriculture to business, nature, science, the environment and travel. She is a former staff writer/editor at several national magazines and is a longtime contributing editor to Cincinnati Magazine. She is vice-president of the Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), the National Association of Science Writers and The Wildlife Society.  If you have any questions, please direct them to Cincinnati SPJ vice president Jenny Wohlfarth at Jenny.Wohlfarth@uc.edu. Thank you, and we hope to see you at this event on Sept. 26!

Cincy SPJ honors 2024 HOF inductees and EIJ award winners

Congratulations to all of the Cincy SPJ HOF honorees and Excellence In Journalism Award Winners and Finalists! What an amazing evening!

Reportin on Scence in an Era of Misinformation - Join Us on Sept. 26

 

GREATER CINCINNATI SPJ PRO CHAPTER EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM CONTEST 2024 WINNERS & FINALISTS

GREATER CINCINNATI SPJ PRO CHAPTER

EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM CONTEST

2024 WINNERS & FINALISTS

The Greater Cincinnati Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the winners and finalists in the 2024 Excellence In Journalism Contest. We thank the members of SPJ Oklahoma for their work in judging the entries.

 The Excellence In Journalism Awards will be presented on Monday, September 16, 2024, at the Bally Sports Club at Great American Ball Park. 

The awards ceremony is in conjunction with the induction of nine new members of the Greater Cincinnati Journalism Hall of Fame: 

Kevin Barnett – WKRC-TV Executive Sports Producer

Ken Broo – WKRC-TV, WLWT-TV & WCPO-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter

Paul Daugherty – Cincinnati Post & The Cincinnati Enquirer Columnist

John Fay – The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati Reds Beat Writer (posthumously)

 Dennis Janson – WKRC-TV & WCPO-TV Sports Anchor

Wayne Box Miller – Cincinnati Bengals Pregame/Halftime/Postgame Radio Host on WLW, WDBZ Sports Director, Sports Marketer & St. Xavier HS DEI Director

John Popovich – WCPO-TV Sports Director

Betsy Ross – WCPO-TV, WLWT-TV, WXIX-TV, ESPN Sports Reporter/Anchor &

Game Day Communications Founder

George Vogel – WLWT-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter 

More information on the inductees can be found here:

2024 SPJ Hall of Fame — Cincinnati People 

Tickets for the event are $75.00. Eventbrite registration is open now at the following link: Greater Cincinnati SPJ Journalism Hall of Fame 2024 Induction Dinner

ALL MEDIA

100 - GERALD WHITE MEMORIAL AWARD

WINNER: “Chaos In Ohio’s Youth Lockups”

ENTRANT: Enquirer Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

101 - CAMILLA WARRICK AWARD

WINNER: “Haley Parnell”

ENTRANT: Haley Parnell

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

 

102 - FIRST AMENDMENT AWARD

WINNER: “Enquirer Fights To Make School District Settlement Public”

ENTRANT: Enquirer Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer  

 

103 - OUTSTANDING NEW JOURNALIST

WINNER: “Nathan Granger”

ENTRANT: Nathan Granger

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

 

FINALIST: “Rachel Hirschheimer Cincinnati Reporter”

ENTRANT: Rachel Hirschheimer

MEDIA OUTLET: WLWT-TV

 

FINALIST: “Victoria Moorwood”

ENTRANT: Victoria Moorwood

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION 

104 - GENERAL ASSIGNMENT NEWS STORY

WINNER: “Ex-Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld Sentenced To 16 Months In Federal Prison”

ENTRANTS: Kevin Grasha, Sharon Coolidge & Dan Horn

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good details and background information.”

FINALIST: “NKY Makes Way For Brent Spence, But Not Everyone Is Happy”

ENTRANT: Nathan Granger 

MEDIA OUTLET:  LINK nky

 

FINALIST: “Before Clifton Meeting To Address Burnet Woods Homeless Camp, No One Can Find It”

ENTRANT: Patricia Gallagher Newberry

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

105 - EAST PALESTINE, OHIO, TRAIN DERAILMENT

WINNER: “East Palestine Train Derailment”

ENTRANT: Enquirer Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very detailed and thorough. The timeline was a nice element to the package.”

 

106 - DAMAR HAMLIN CARDIAC ARREST COVERAGE

WINNER: “Damar Hamlin’s Collapse At Paycor Stadium”

ENTRANT: Enquirer Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very thorough look at an intense incident from a variety of reporters.”

 

107 - OHIO BALLOT ISSUES REPORTING

WINNER: “Ohio Issue 1 In August 2023 Election”

ENTRANT: Haley BeMiller

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good public service reporting.”

 

108 - FEATURE STORY

WINNER: “Clone Wars”

ENTRANT: Michele Day

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good job tying human perspective into the AI debate.”

 

FINALIST: “This NKY Mom Rescued A Ukrainian Orphan From A War Zone”

ENTRANT: Jolene Almendarez

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “One Wall, Two Bars and a Landlord. How A Noise Complaint Introduced NKY To A Mainstrasse Feud”

ENTRANT: Meghan Goth 

MEDIA OUTLET:  LINK nky

 

109 - BEAT REPORTING

WINNER: “Liz Engel, Technology Beat Reporting”

ENTRANT: Liz Engel

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Strong variety of stories with different topics”

 

FINALIST: “Property Tax Hikes”

ENTRANT: Denise Callahan

MEDIA OUTLET:  Journal-News, Cox First Media

 

FINALIST: “Senior Center Fallout”

ENTRANT: Rick McCrabb 

MEDIA OUTLET: Journal-News, Cox First Medi

 

110 - HUMAN RIGHTS/MINORITY ISSUES REPORTING

WINNER: “Overdose Deaths Surge Among Black Population As Opioids Extend Reach”

ENTRANT: Terry DeMio

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer  

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good look at issue that goes underreported.”

 

FINALIST: “A Journey of Discovery Bears Fruit”

ENTRANT: Jim DeBrosse

MEDIA OUTLET:  Cincinnati Magazine

 

111 - GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY ISSUES REPORTING

WINNER: “Behind The Quest To Identify Thousands of Bodies Buried Beneath A West Price Hill Park”

ENTRANT: Madeline Fening

MEDIA OUTLET: CityBeat

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very interesting topic.”

 

FINALIST: “Will My Rising Property Assessment Mean My Taxes Will Go Up? What To Know”

ENTRANT: Scott Wartman

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A lot of valuable information for homeowners.”

 

FINALIST: “Helping Loved Ones Navigate The Maze of Elder Care”

ENTRANT: Shannon Paul  

MEDIA OUTLET:  LINK nky

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good solutions for the communities.”

 

112 - INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

WINNER: “Ohio Shops That Sell Tobacco To Kids Face Almost Zero Oversight”

ENTRANT: Quinlan Bentley

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer  

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Timely topic. Strong data.”

 

FINALIST: “Doctor, Pain Clinic Under Investigation After LINK nky Report Into Unsafe Practices”

ENTRANT: Meghan Goth  

MEDIA OUTLET:  LINK nky

 

FINALIST: “How An Explosion of Sports Betting Ensnared UC Baseball In Gambling Scandal”

ENTRANTS: Scott Springer & Dan Horn

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

113 - USE OF PUBLIC RECORDS REPORTING

WINNER: “More Than One ‘Kill List.’ How Many Threats Did Boone County Students Make Last Year?”

ENTRANT: Madeline Mitchell

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very timely topic.”

 

FINALIST: “Issue 22: ‘Public’ Meetings Or ‘Cooked Deal?’”

ENTRANT: Sharon Coolidge

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “Rating The Burbs 2024”

ENTRANT: Bill Ferguson, Jr. 

MEDIA OUTLET:  Cincy Magazine

 

114 - SERIES

WINNER: “Affordable Housing In Northern Kentucky”

ENTRANTS: Haley Parnell & Nathan Granger

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Interesting series on topic that is on the minds of many.”

 

FINALIST: “Future of Downtown”

ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “Behind The Gavel”

ENTRANT: Lauren Pack 

MEDIA OUTLET:  Journal-News, Cox First Media

 

115 - BUSINESS/CONSUMER NEWS REPORTING

WINNER: “Fewer NKY Teens Are Working – What Does This Mean for the Labor Force?”

ENTRANT: Kenton Hornbeck

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good use of data sets and narrative stories.”

 

FINALIST: “Kroger and Albertson’s Say Merger Will Save Customers Money. How much?”

ENTRANT: Alexander Coolidge  

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Timely topic.”

 

FINALIST: “A Manufacturing City”

ENTRANT: David Holthaus

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincy Magazine

 

116 - BUSINESS FEATURE/ANALYSIS/COLUMN

WINNER: “Sin City: A Look At Newport’s Risque Past”

ENTRANT: Kenton Hornbeck

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

 

FINALIST: “Diverse Cultural and Economic Impacts”

ENTRANT: John Stowell

MEDIA OUTLET: Realm

 

FINALIST: “Tough Ambition: Raj Soin Fought To Become A Business Success. He and His Family’s Legacy Now Abound In the Miami Valley and Beyond”

ENTRANT: Caleb Stephens

MEDIA OUTLET: Dayton Business Journal

 

117 - EDUCATION REPORTING

WINNER: “A Second Chance Through Education”

ENTRANT: Terry Troy

MEDIA OUTLET: Ohio Business Magazine

 

FINALIST: “The Invisible Population: NKY School Districts Discuss State of Student Homelessness”

ENTRANT: Haley Parnell

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

 

FINALIST: “Opening Doors To A Better Future In Guatemala”

ENTRANT: Carrie Blackmore Smith

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

118 - HEALTH/MEDICAL/SCIENCE/ENVIFONMENTAL REPORTING

WINNER: “The Journey Is Going Forward”

ENTRANT: Mary McCarty

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “Down To Earth”

ENTRANTS: Lauren Fisher, Carrie Blackmore Smith, Sam Rosenstiel, Kane Mitten, Killian Baarlaer & Devyn Glista

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “How Do You Get Health Care When You Can’t Afford The Bill?”

ENTRANT: Robin Gee

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

 

119 – EDITORIAL

WINNER: “Enquirer Editorials”

ENTRANT: Kevin Aldridge

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

120 - ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING/CRITIQUE

WINNER: “Why Sudsy Malone’s Mattered, and Still Does”

ENTRANT: Cedric Rose

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “Of Loren Long We Sing”

ENTRANT: Kelly Blewett

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “Building Support for the CAC”

ENTRANT: Steve Rosen

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

121 - SPORTS/SPORTS FEATURE REPORTING

WINNER: “And This One Belongs To The Bengals”

ENTRANT: Chad Dotson

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “Grateful To Be Alive: Dominic Jackson Returns To St. Xavier Track After Heart Surgery”

ENTRANT: Brendan Connelly

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “How The Kenwood Country Club Grounds Crew Got LPGA Ready”

ENTRANT: Shelby Dermer

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

122 - MAGAZINE REPORTING

WINNER: “Answering The Call”

ENTRANT: Mary McCarty

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “The Working Royals”

ENTRANT: Laurie Pike

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

FINALIST: “Napoleon Maddox Leads A One-Man French Revolution”

ENTRANT: Gil Kaufman

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

 

123 – MAGAZINE SPECIALIZED PUBLICATION

WINNER: “Guide To The Ohio River Way”

ENTRANT: Cincy Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincy Magazine

 

124 – PHOTO ESSAY/PHOTO SPREAD/PHOTO GALLERY

WINNER: “Madeira Principal’s Final Procession: ‘Route of Remembrance’”

ENTRANT: Liz Dufour

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “Bengals Face The Bills In Monday Night Football”

ENTRANTS: Kareem Elgazzar & Sam Greene

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “Photos: An Intimate Portrait of Ohio’s Rural Drag Queens at Old Street Saloon”

ENTRANTS: Aidan Mahoney & Madeline Fening

MEDIA OUTLET: CityBeat

 

BROADCAST COMMUNICATION

 

125 – GENERAL ASSIGNMENT NEWS STORY

WINNER: “Putting Names To Faces: New Technology for Jane and John Does”

ENTRANTS: Jessica Schmidt & Payton Del Bradley

MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV

 

FINALIST: “They Were Loving Boys: Visitation, Celebration of Life Held For Slain Brothers In Clermont County”

ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holden Robinson

MEDIA OUTLET:  WXIX-TV

 

FINALIST: “Massive Richmond, Ind. Fire Prompts Evacuations and Concerns”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

126 – EAST PALESTINE, OHIO, TRAIN DERAILMENT

WINNER: “Trouble On The Tracks”

ENTRANTS: Duane Pohlman & News Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV

 

FINALIST: “East Palestine Train Derailment Water Quality and Concerns Here In Cincinnati”

ENTRANT: Ashley Smith

MEDIA OUTLET:  WXIX-TV

 

127 – DAMAR HAMLIN CARDIAC ARREST COVERAGE

WINNER: “Damar Hamlin Collapse Continued Coverage”

ENTRANT: Ashley Smith

MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV

 

129 - FEATURE STORY

WINNER: “Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks Are Now UNESCO World Heritage Sites”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

FINALIST: “Addi Needs Prosthetic To Play Again”

ENTRANTS: Morgan Ward & Tyler Madden

MEDIA OUTLET:  WKRC-TV

 

FINALIST: “Sights Set On Gold”

ENTRANTS: Marshall Kramsky & Raymond Pfeffer 

MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV

 

130 - GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY ISSUES REPORTING

WINNER: “New Technology Provides Evidence In Abuse and Assault Cases”

ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holden Robinson

MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV

 

FINALIST: “Lighting Up The Street For Lee”

ENTRANTS: Rachel Hirschheimer & Colin Porter

MEDIA OUTLET:  WLWT-TV

 

FINALIST: “Leading Ladies”

ENTRANTS: Meghan Mongillo & Bryan Dykes

MEDIA OUTLET:  WKRC-TV

 

131 - INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

WINNER: “Is Red Tape Shutting Out Good Cops?”

ENTRANTS: Morgan Ward & Bradley Underwood

MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Nice work. Very informative.”

 

FINALIST: “Improper Conduct: How The Harmless Error Doctrine Lets Prosecutors’ Mistakes Slide”

ENTRANTS: Nick Swartsell, Patricia Martinez Sastre & Cameron Oakes

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great job in helping Ohioans.”

 

132 - USE OF PUBLIC RECORDS REPORTING

WINNER: “Inside Lebanon Correctional”

ENTRANTS: Candice Hare, Payton Del Bradley & Jennifer Baker

MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV

JUDGE’S COMMENT: ‘Well-deserved placing for Candice Hare.”

 

133 - HUMAN RIGHTS/MINORITY ISSUES REPORTING

WINNER: “’Walk of Fame Attraction To Honor Cincinnati’s History of Black Music”

ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holden Robinson

MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A really fun and interesting story,”

 

FINALIST: “Cincinnati Officials Will Apologize For Tearing Down A Large Swath of the West End Decades Ago”

ENTRANT: Nick Swartsell

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

FINALIST: “Federal Act Inspired By Cincinnati Cemetery Means Funding For Black Burial Grounds Across The Nation”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner  

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

134 - BUSINESS/CONSUMER NEWS DREPORTING

WINNER: “The Death of Physical Media”

ENTRANTS: Cassandra Arsenault & Bryan Dykes

MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This report on the impending death of physical media really knocked it out of the park. An important topic.”

 

FINALIST: “Cincinnati’s Hospital Among First in U.S. To Add Angel Suites For Grieving Parents”

ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holden Robinson

MEDIA OUTLET:  WXIX-TV

 

FINALIST: “Swift Success: Cincinnati Weekend A Statement To The World of What We Can Do Here”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

135 - EDUCATION REPORTING 

WINNER: “Miami + Myaamia: Reflecting On 50 Years of Partnership”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

FINALIST: “Local Bus Driver Goes Extra Mile For Student With Special Needs”

ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holden Robinson

MEDIA OUTLET:  WXIX-TV

 

FINALIST: “Clovernook Center For The Blind and Visually Impaired and NKU Provide Braille Books and Characters For Blind People In Africa”

ENTRANT: Ashley Smith

MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV

 

136 – HEALTH/MEDICAL/SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING

WINNER: “A Public Perception Problem”

ENTRANTS: Madeline Ottilie & Rob Pieper

MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV

 

FINALIST: “In The Dirt, In The Sky…and AI”

ENTRANT: Kristen Skovira  

MEDIA OUTLET:  WCPO-TV

 

FINALIST: “NKU Develops Mind-Controlled Robotic Hand”

ENTRANTS: Evan Millward & Rae Hines 

MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV

 

137 -- SPORTS/SPORTS FEATURE REPORTING

WINNER: “Chasing 1975”

ENTRANTS: Marshall Kramsky & Raymond Pfeffer

MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV

 

FINALIST: “Meet The Two Cincinnatians On The USA World Cup Team”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

138 – DOCUMENTARY  

WINNER: “Stories of the River”

ENTRANTS: TR Gormley & Paula Toti

MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV

FREELANCE 

140 – FEATURE STORY

ENTRY: “Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: Sarah Fossett”

ENTRANTS: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel, Vanessa Maria Quirk & Connor Lynch

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

FINALIST: “Cincinnati Ballet Encourages Black Dancers To Be Their Authentic Selves”

ENTRANT: Joi Dean

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

145 – HEALTH/MEDICAL/SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING

WINNER: “Maria Mitchell’s Comet”

ENTRANTS: Dean Regas & Ella Rowen

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

146 – ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING/CRITIQUE

WINNER: “That Girl Lay Lay In Cincinnati”

ENTRANTS: Brittany Mayti, Ronny Salerno & Will Staffan

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

148 - BEST STUDENT REPORTER - PRINT/ONLINE

WINNER: “Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Sean Scott

MEDIA OUTLET: The Miami Student

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Sean Scott delivers excellent reporting on the Aramark food tract and especially on the federal judicial nominees. Well done!”

 

FINALIST: “Published Articles By Venessa Konadu”

ENTRANTS: Stephen Siff & Joseph Sampson

MEDIA OUTLET:  Oxford Observer

 

FINALIST: “’It’s A Crisis:’’’ Oxford’s Fire Department Suffers A Major Financial Deficit”

ENTRANT: Olivia Patel

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Miami Student

 

150 - BEST STUDENT NEWS/SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO

WINNER: “Best Sports Photography Portfolio by Sydney Bellm”

ENTRANT: Sydney Bellm

MEDIA OUTLET: The Northerner

 

FINALIST: “University of Dayton Sports August 2023-March 2024”

ENTRANTS: J. Frazier Smith & Ren Sikes

MEDIA OUTLET:  Flyer News

 

152 - BEST STUDENT PODCAST

WINNER: “People and Policies”

ENTRANTS: Raquel Hirsch & Olivia Patel

MEDIA OUTLET: The Miami Student

 

153 - BEST STUDENT SPECIAL PROJECT

WINNER: “The Complexities and Costs of an Insured Life”

ENTRANT: Jessica Opfer

MEDIA OUTLET: Medium Site - Oxford Stories: A Production of Journalism 303 Students At Miami University

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “An exemplary achievement in reporting using an impressive array of writing, photos, audio and graphics for a deep dive into a very complex subject of traditional Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage plans. This is on a professional level by Jessica Opfer. Well done!”

FINALIST: “Everyone’s Going To Have To Do It: NKY Grapples With Smoking Bans”

ENTRANTS: Emma Balcom, Zach Jarrell, Andrea Oberto, Brianna Cannock, Brooke Bethel, Haley Garr, Hunter Kasemeyer, Jared Dettmer, Maeve Hamlet, Maria Osnaya, Stephanie Scarbrough, Sydney Asher, Meghan Goth & Bob Jonason

MEDIA OUTLET:  LINK nky

FINALIST: “Shelalee Jewelry”

ENTRANTS: Gracie Markus, Chloe Wissmann, Zach Schutte & Staff 

MEDIA OUTLET:  SMC Creative – Northern Kentucky University & Shelalee, LLC Platforms

BEST OF SHOW

154 - BEST OVERALL WRITTEN REPORTER

WINNER: “Haley Parnell”

ENTRANT: Haley Parnell

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Haley Parnell writes about people…who they are, what they do, what they endure, how they cope and how they serve. I have a better picture and understanding of Cincinnati through her writing.”

 

FINALIST: “Sharon Coolidge Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Sharon Coolidge

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

155 - BEST OVERALL BROADCAST REPORTER

WINNER: “Tana Weingartner”

ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

FINALIST: “Duane Pohlman, Chief Investigative Reporter”

ENTRANT: Duane Pohlman

MEDIA OUTLET:  WKRC-TV

 

FINALIST: “Cassy Arsenault Reports

ENTRANT: Cassy Arsenault  

MEDIA OUTLET:  WKRC-TV

 

157 - BEST RADIO NEWS ANCHOR

WINNER: “Maryanne Zeleznik”

ENTRANT: Maryanne Zeleznik

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

158 -- BEST RADIO NEWSCAST OR NEWS PROGRAM

WINNER: “Cincinnati Edition: Trailblazer Study”

ENTRANTS: Lucy May, Selena Reder & Derrick Smith

MEDIA OUTLET: WVXU

 

FINALIST: “WVXU”

ENTRANT: WVXU News Team

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

FINALIST: “Cincinnati Edition: Can Coloring Books Help Heal Trauma?”

ENTRANTS: Lucy May, Selena Reder, Assia Johnson & Derrick Smith

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

159 - BEST PODCAST

WINNER: “That’s So Cincinnati”

ENTRANTS: Sharon Coolidge & Beryl Love

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer  

 

160 - BEST COLUMNIST/COMMENTATOR

WINNER: “Kevin Aldridge Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Kevin Aldridge

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer  

 

161-- BEST NEWSPAPER

WINNER: “The Cincinnati Enquirer”

ENTRANT: Enquirer Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “Weekly Business Newspaper”

ENTRANT: Caleb Stephens

MEDIA OUTLET:  Dayton Business Journal

 

FINALIST: “Cincinnati Business Courier”

ENTRANT: Cincinnati Business Courier Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier

 

162 -- BEST MAGAZINE

WINNER: “Cincinnati Magazine”

ENTRANT: Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Thorough and jam packed with good stuff. The design is lovely, and the stories are all interesting and engaging. Congrats to the staff.”

 

FINALIST: “S/S & F/W 2023 Issues”

ENTRANT: UP Magazine Staff

MEDIA OUTLET:  UP Magazine

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Absolutely beautiful publication with stellar creative assets and well-written pieces. The layout and design was spectacular. Good job!”

 

FINALIST: “Cincy Magazine 2024”

ENTRANT: Cincy Staff

MEDIA OUTLET:  Cincy Magazine

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very colorful and informative magazine that covers all the bases on living in Cincinnati. Nicely done.”

 

163 -- BEST WEBSITE

WINNER: “linknky.com”

ENTRANT: LINK nky Staff

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky

 

FINALIST: “Classics For Kids”

ENTRANTS: Jenell Walton, Ronny Salerno & Kahvah Whittaker

MEDIA OUTLET:  WVXU

 

FINALIST: “CincinnatiMagazine.com”

ENTRANT: Cincinnati Magazine Staff

MEDIA OUTLET:  Cincinnati Magazine

 

164 – BEST NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER PORTFOLIO

WINNER: “Cara Owsley Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Cara Owsley

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

FINALIST: “Corrie Shaffeld 2023 Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Corrie Shaffeld

MEDIA OUTLET:  Cincinnati Business Courier

 

FINALIST: “Liz Dufour Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Liz Dufour

MEDIA OUTLET:  The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

165 – BEST SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER PORTFOLIO

WINNER: “Sam Greene Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Sam Greene

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Excellent lighting and composition with dead-on focus to capture key moments. Captivating shots.”

 

FINALIST: “Corrie Shaffeld Sports Photography Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Corrie Shaffeld

MEDIA OUTLET:  Cincinnati Business Courier

 

FINALIST: “Kareem Elgazzar Body of Work”

ENTRANT: Kareem Elgazzar

MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

166 – BEST VIDEOGRAPHER

WINNER: “TR Gormley’s 2023 Videography Composite”

ENTRANT: TR Gormley

MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV

JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Well done composition, lighting, sound, appropriate camera movement, tone and editing that fits the subject. Excellent work.”

 

167 - BEST OVERALL FREELANCE REPORTER

WINNER: “Robin Gee”

ENTRANT: Robin Gee

MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky