WKSU RECOGNIZED BY PRESS CLUB OF CLEVELAND

Friday June 23, 2006

WKSU was honored by the Press Club of Cleveland with eight Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards on June 16 at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center. Included among the honors were four first-place awards. Award entries were judged by a panel of judges comprised of journalism professionals from press clubs and news publications located across the country.

WKSU winners of the Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Press Club of Cleveland are:

•     First Place – Use of Sound, Reporter/Producer Vivian Goodman for "Amusement Park Memories." Goodman visits Memphis Kiddie Park and the remains of Euclid Beach park with the author of a new book. The judges add: Vivian's sound animated an intriguing examination of the amusement park tradition in local and sociological history.

•     First Place – Sports Reports/Commentary, Commentator Peter Jedick for "Remembering 'Goody.'" Jedick discovers that a late neighbor had an exciting past as an all-star athlete. The judges add: Touching memory of a sports hero whose character outlasted his playing days.

•     First Place – Public Service, Reporter/Producers Vivian Goodman and Mark Urycki for "The Aging Boom." An in-depth, 10-part series examining the issues facing an increasingly older population and their caregivers. The judges add: Illuminates the intimate dilemmas and public policy questions of an urgent, monumental issue. Excellent work.

•     First Place – General News, Reporter/Producer Mark Urycki for "Marine Memorial." Coverage of a public memorial for Marines lost to a roadside bomb in Iraq. The judges add: Focuses on Ohio's war losses and unearths the conflicting emotions that unsettle families and surviving service members.

Other WKSU awards include:

•     Second Place – Web Page Design, Chuck Poulton and Mike Watson for "On Tour with The Cleveland Orchestra." An extensive web feature with journal entries, photos and links to support an on-air series following the Orchestra on a tour of European classical music festivals.

•     Second Place – Human Interest, Reporter/Producer Julie Grant for "Sand Mandala." The judges say: Smart snapshot of the convergence of art and spirituality.

•     Second Place – General News, Reporter/Producer Kevin Niedermier for "Trade with China." The judges say: Deft tracing of emerging trade connections between N.E. Ohio and China.

•     Second Place – On-Going Coverage, Niedermier and Urycki for "DFAS." The judges say: Excellent coverage of an important hometown story from initial threat to sigh of relief.

Mark Urycki resigned his position at WKSU in April.

This year's Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards Competition marks the event's 28th anniversary as a statewide competition for the best in print and broadcast journalism. WKSU competes in the Major Market division with radio stations in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM, and is a service of Kent State University. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk, W298BA 107.5 FM in Boardman, and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The WKSU web site is www.wksu.org.

PR06.13           ###            6/23/06
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