WUSF News was named radio Station of the Year by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Saturday for its journalism produced during 2020.
The team also collected six other first place awards and 10 finalist recognitions in the contest that includes commercial and public media broadcasters from across Florida.
The honor is especially significant, as the newsroom began working remotely in mid-March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The team never stopped, focusing on reporting how the virus, racial unrest and the contentious political season were affecting the greater Tampa Bay region.
The work that was recognized varied from individual stories, team election coverage and newscasts, to WUSF’s Public Affairs program, Florida Matters, and The Zest Podcast.
Health News Florida Reporter Stephanie Colombini was honored in the individual reporting category as a finalist. She also won two first place, and two finalist awards for individual stories.
The First Place Honors include:
· Overall Station of the Year - Radio
· GENERAL ASSIGNMENT: Two Candidates, One City: Sights and Sounds from the Trump and Biden Campaign Appearances In Tampa: Stephanie Colombini, Steve Newborn
· GENERAL ASSIGNMENT | LONG Racial Tensions Escalate in New Port Richey as Protests Continue: Stephanie Colombini
· EDUCATION REPORTING | SINGLE- He Learned a Mayan Dialect to Speak To The Children Of Migrant Farmworkers. Now He Delivers Them Food: Kerry Sheridan
· HEALTH REPORTING – Single Story | Health Workers Bring COVD-19 Testing To Pinellas County’s Black Community: Stephanie Colombini
· POLITICAL, GOVERNMENT, ELECTION REPORTING – Single Story| Women For Trump Focus On The Future, Not The Past – Steve Newborn
· POLITICAL, GOVERNMENT, ELECTION REPORTING | STATION Elections Coverage 2020: Steve Newborn, Bradley George, Cathy Carter
The Finalist Honors include:
· REPORTER – Stephanie Colombini
· SERIES / FRANCHISE | LIGHT Surviving COVID-19: Stephanie Colombini
· FEATURE REPORTING | LIGHT - With Visits Still Banned At VA Nursing Homes, Families And Veterans Try To Cope With Separation: Stephanie Colombini
· CONSUMER, FINANCIAL, ECONOMIC REPORTING - TAMPA BAY BUSINESSES REACT TO 2020 PANDEMIC, RACIAL RECKONING: Daylina Miller, Julio Ochoa, Bradley George
· BEST RADIO NEWSCAST - All Things Considered: March 10, 2020: Lisa Peakes, Mark Schreiner
· DIGITAL PROGRAMMING - The Zest Podcast: Dalia Colon
· ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING | SERIES – Tampa Bay Aquafarmer Hopes To Cash In On Florida’s Growing Oyster Industry: Jessica Meszaros
· USE OF SOUND Keeping Tradition of Circus Music Alive: Kerry Sheridan
· PUBLIC AFFAIRS – Tampa Bay’s Small Music Venues Struggle With No End In Sight: Dinorah Prevost, Bradley George
· ONLINE / WEB / DIGITAL - WUSFNEWS.Org: Carl Lisciandrello and News Team
