Public media outlets were well-represented among winners of the National Association of Black Journalists 2016 Salute to Excellence awards, with radio reporting dominating several categories including feature and investigative. The winners were announced last week during the organization’s annual convention in Washington, D.C., held jointly with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Among digital media, WNYC won for Interactive: Feature for its Interactive TalkBox, which aims to connect the station’s newsroom with underrepresented black and brown voices. Environmental Justice Denied, by The Center for Public Integrity with NBCBLK, won in the Online Project: News and Single Story: News categories. The project explores environmental problems that disproportionately affect communities of color.
In radio, WFPL News won among market 16 and smaller stations in sports for “How Black Jockeys Went From Common to Rare in the Kentucky Derby”. Among the top 15 markets, New York Public Radio won for “Young Harlem Athletes Are ‘Cross-Checking’ Hockey Stereotypes.”
All winners in radio commentary were public media organizations. WHRO Public Media and its show Another View won in market 16 and smaller for “The Claville Report: Policy, Law and Politics”; The Takeaway at WNYC won among networks for “Challenging Racism in America: From James Baldwin to Ta-Nehisi Coates”; and among the top 15 markets, WGBH’s Callie Crossley won for “Race Matters: Echoing History.”
In radio documentary, two of three winners were from public media. In market 16 and below, Alabama Public Radio won for More Bridges To Cross and in the top 15 markets, This American Life/The New York Times Magazine won for a cross-platform project, “The Problem We All Live With.”
Public media dominated the Feature, Investigative, News: Long Form and News: Short Form categories. In Feature market 16 and below, Mississippi Public Broadcasting won for its work “Mississippi activists reflect on Voting Rights Act.” Among networks, NPR’s Code Switch won for “From Selma To Eisenhower, Trailblazing Black Reporter Was Always Probing,” and in the top 15 markets, WNYC’s “Family and Faith Guide, Eric Garner’s Mother a Year After His Death” took the win.
In investigative, NPR won among networks for “Secret Mustard Gas Experiments” alongside WLRN in Miami, Fla., in the top 15 markets for coverage of Lavall Hall, a mentally ill man who was shot by police.
In News: Long Form, market 16 and Below, Michigan Radio won for “Bringing Up Detroit.” Among networks, NPR won for “Baltimore Rx — Nathan Fields.” In the top 15 markets, WLRN won for its series on HIV in Florida. It was part of Health News Florida, a partnership with WUSF in Tampa and WMFE in Orlando.
In News: Short Form, market 16 and below, Michigan Radio won for “Breast milk company cancels campaign to recruit Detroit moms.” In network, NPR won for “In Charleston, S.C., Racial Lines Redraw A Neighborhood.” And in the top 15 markets, WLRN won for “North Miami Beach Police: We Made A Mistake,” after the city’s police department had been using mugshots of young black men for target practice during sniper drills.
In public television market 16 and below, Milwaukee Public Television won in Feature: Long Form for Black Nouveau: “Trippin’” and in specialty for Black Nouveau: “PrEP.”
See the full list of winners.
UPDATE (Aug. 15): Pubcasters also took home NAHJ awards. Juan González, co-host of Democracy Now!, received the Presidential Award of Valor. Maria Hinojosa, host and e.p. of Latino USA, won in Latino Issues – Radio/Online Audio Journalism for “The Dream 9.” Tim Padgett with WLRN – Miami Herald News, took home the Radio – Hard News – Large Market award for “Migration Maze: The Struggle for Children After Arriving in the U.S.,” and Shereen Marisol Meraji of NPR won in Radio – Feature News Large Market for “This Great Teacher Abides by the Scout Law.” See the full list of NAHJ winners.