91.7 WVXU honored for outstanding journalism

The news team at 91.7 WVXU, part of Cincinnati Public Radio, was honored recently with awards from the Cincinnati Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, Public Media Journalists Association and Radio Television Digital News Association.

“These awards recognize the high level of talent and dedication we have on the WVXU news team,” said Maryanne Zeleznik, vice president of news. “It’s a privilege to work with these hard-working reporters and editors each day.”

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Edward R. Murrow Award from the RTDNA:

WVXU’s local government reporter Becca Costello was honored with the Region 7, Large Market Radio Edward R. Murrow Award for Hard News for her coverage of the sewage-contaminated water seeping into a local African American cemetery. (Click for the story)

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From the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists:

BEST OF SHOW:

• Winner: Best Public Affairs Program – Cincinnati Edition
• Winner: Best Reporter – Becca Costello
• Runner-Up: Best Newscast
• First Place – Best General Assignment Reporting: Tana Weingartner (Blood Centers Look to Rejuvenate High School Donor Drives)
• First Place – Best Investigative Reporting: Becca Costello (Affordable housing trust is about to get another $5M. But how affordable will that housing be?)
• Second Place – Best Minority Issues: Becca Costello (Sewage-contaminated water seeping into an African American cemetery. Who is responsible remains a mystery.)
• Second Place – Best Sports Coverage: Tana Weingartner (Cincinnati’s Super Bowl and World Cup dreams.)
• Second Place – Best Business/Consumer Reporting: Tana Weingartner (Kroger confirms it is buying rival Albertsons.)

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From the Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalists:

BEST OF SHOW: 

• Winner: Maryanne Zeleznik for Best Radio News Anchor
• Winner: Cincinnati Edition Team: Lucy May, Selena Reder, Nick Swartsell
• Finalist: Tana Weingartner for Best Overall Broadcast Reporter
• Finalist: Jennifer Merritt and Ronny Salerno for Best Website

CAMILLA WARRICK AWARD

• Finalist: Tana Weingartner for Round the Corner: Lindenwald

BROADCAST CATEGORIES

• Winner Continuing Coverage or Series: Tana Weingartner for Round the Corner: Lindenwald. 
• Winner Bengals Superbowl Coverage: Tana Weingartner for Year of the Tiger story. 
• Winner Breaking News/Deadline: Tana Weingartner for stolen wolf statue. 
• Winner Education Reporting: Cory Sharber for Cincinnati Public Schools going remote for the second year.
• Finalist Education Reporting: Ann Thompson for selfies with CPS superintendent. 
• Winner Human Rights/Minority Issues Reporting: Becca Costello for sewage contaminated cemetery. 
• Finalist Human Rights/Minority Issues Reporting: Ann Thompson for trans/gender diverse voice coaching app.
• Winner Government/Community Issues Reporting: Becca Costello for court not enforcing evictions protections. 
• Finalist Environmental/Science Reporting: Ann Thompson for local orchard project. 
• Finalist Environmental/Science Reporting: Ann Thompson for marginalized workers in the green economy.
• Finalist Investigative Reporting: Becca Costello for affordable housing trust fund. 
• From the Public Media Journalists Association, presented to the best among public radio stations across the country:
• Best Interview: Tana Weingartner – First Place – “Ohio org is No. 2 in Native American artifacts required to be returned by federal law. What’s being done?”
• Best Spot News: Tana Weingartner – Second Place – “Work begins to find those buried at West Price Hill’s Potter’s Field”
• Best Newscast: Second Place – WVXU