Journalists for WUSF took home 17 awards, including first place in seven categories, during the Society for Professional Journalism Sunshine State Awards on Saturday.
Fifteen members of the staff were honored for their work in 2023 during the ceremony in Hollywood.
One of the honors came in a category that features entries from digital, print, television and radio: Nancy Guan was a finalist for outstanding new journalist.
Two of WUSF’s journalists were honored in three categories. In the environment, science and technology category, Jessica Meszaros won for a collection of three stories (story 1, story 2, story 3) and Steve Newborn was a finalist for his submission (story 1, story 2, story 3).
In the continuing coverage or series category, Stephanie Colombini won for her Growing Up With Guns series and Gabriella Paul was a finalist for her series on evictions: Three Day Notice: Tampa Bay’s Growing Eviction Crisis.
And in the serious feature reporting category, Stephanie Colombini was a finalist for her story about a transgender teen and Gabriella Paul was a finalist for her story about a woman who fought her eviction.
In the light feature reporting category, Cathy Carter won for her story about young black girls reacting to Disney’s live action “Little Mermaid.”
WUSF’s journalists won four categories focused on beat reporting:
- In health reporting, Colombini for a collection of stories (story 1, story 2, story 3).
- In education reporting, Kerry Sheridan for a collection of stories (story 1, story 2 story 3).
- In arts reporting, Cathy Carter for a collection of stories (story 1, story 2, story 3).
- In government, politics and election reporting, Carter and Sheridan for their collection of stories (story 1, story 2,
- story 3).
The station’s journalists were finalists in five other categories:
- Craig Kopp in the radio or audio newscast category for his newscast from May 17, 2023.
- Matthew Peddie, Dinorah Prevost & Scott Wachtler in the podcast category for Our Changing State.
- Carter and Meghan Bowman in the general coverage category for their collection of New College stories (story 1, story 2, story 3).
- Matthew Peddie and Newborn in the public affairs category for their story on Babcock Ranch.
- Carl Lisciandrello, Gabriella Pinos and Rick Mayer in the news website category for WUSF.org.
The Society for Professional Journalism’s Florida chapter was founded in 1946 to defend, educate and entertain journalists and their audiences. The Sunshine State Awards is the state’s oldest and largest journalism contest.
