KPCC and Vermont Public Radio led public radio news rooms in PRNDI’s three-tiered contest honoring outstanding local news coverage.
In the competition among stations with the largest news staffs, KPCC in Pasadena, Calif., and VPR each won four first-place prizes. Top winners in other divisions included WBGO in Newark, N.J.; Wyoming Public Radio; KLCC in Eugene, Oregon; and WCAI in Woods Hole, Mass., each of which won at least three PRNDI awards.
In Division A, comprising stations with five or more full-time news staffers, Vermont Public Radio took four top prizes for its coverage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene. Two of three first-place awards presented to WBGO in Division B recognized its reporting on the hurricane. Wyoming Public Radio also snagged three first-place awards in Division B, which includes stations with three or four full-time journalists.
KLCC and WCAI each picked up three awards in Division C, which includes stations with full-time news staffs of one or two.
In Division D, reserved for students, WFUV in New York City brought home two first-place and two second-place awards, sweeping half of the awards given in the small division.
First-place PRNDI awards were presented to a total of 30 stations across 16 categories:
Breaking News — Division A: KPCC, Pasadena, Calif.; Division B: WBGO, Newark, N.J.; Division C: KLCC, Eugene, Ore.
Spot News — Division A: WHYY, Philadelphia; Division B: WBFO, Buffalo, N.Y.; Division C: KLCC; Division D: WFUV, New York City.
Continuing Coverage — Division A: Vermont Public Radio; Division B: WBGO; Division C: WFIU, Bloomington, Ind.
Newscast — Division A: WVXU, Cincinnati; Division B: WBFO; Division D: WFUV.
Best Writing — Division A: Fronteras, Southwest Region; Division B: WBGO; Division C: KVNO, Omaha, Neb.
Multimedia Presentation — Division A: Vermont Public Radio; Division B: Prairie Public Radio, N.D.; Division C: KRCC, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Call-in program — Division A: KUOW, Seattle; Division B: KERA, Dallas; Division C: Northeast Indiana Public Radio, Fort Wayne.
News/public affairs program — Division A: Vermont Public Radio; Division B: Wyoming Public Radio; Division C: KRCC.
Commentary — Division A: Vermont Public Radio; Division B: WFDD, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Division C: KLCC.
Documentary — Division A: WBUR, Boston; Division B: WVTF, Roanoke, Va.; Division C: WYSO, Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Enterprise/Investigative — Division A: Capital Public Radio, Sacramento, Calif.; Division B: Wyoming Public Radio; Division C: WCAI, Woods Hole, Mass.
Series — Division A: KPCC; Division B: Alabama Public Radio; Division C: WKNO, Memphis, Tenn.
Soft Feature — Division A: Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ; Division B: Wyoming Public Radio; Division C: WPSU, State College, Pa.; Division D: Iowa Public Radio.
Use of Sound — Division A: KPCC; Division B: Nashville Public Radio; Division C: WCAI.
Interview — Division A: KPCC; Division B: WFDD; Division C: WCAI.
News Feature — Division A: WYNC, New York City; Division B: Nashville Public Radio; Division C: WFIU.
All the winning entries were produced in 2011.