WKSU HONORED WITH SIX 2006 OHIO SPJ AWARDS
WKSU HONORED WITH BEST NEWS OPERATION AND BEST REPORTER PRIZES
Monday October 9, 2006

WKSU received six Ohio SPJ Awards from Ohio chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Sat., Sept. 30 during a ceremony at Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Since the addition of broadcast categories in 1998, WKSU has been recognized with more Ohio SPJ awards than any other radio news outlet. During that time, five members of the WKSU news staff have been recognized as Best Reporter including, in 2006, Vivian Goodman. The station has been honored as Best News Operation three times in the past six years. WKSU competes in the category of "Broadcast Radio-Large Market" that includes journalists from the primary media markets throughout Ohio and surrounding states.

WKSU winners of 2006 Ohio SPJ Awards were:

•     Best of Show – Best News Operation in Ohio – Large Market, WKSU News Staff (body of work-2005).

•     Best of Show – Best Reporter in Ohio, Reporter/Producer Vivian Goodman (body of work-2005).

•     First Place – Best Coverage of Children’s Issues, Goodman for "Gun Safety for Kids."

•     First Place – Best Coverage of the Environment, Reporter/Producer Julie Grant for "Mahoning River Dam Removal."

•     First Place – Best Consumer Reporting, Reporter/Producer Kevin Niedermier for "Trade with China."

•     Second Place – Best Criminal Justice Reporting, Goodman for "David Roth."

The 2006 Ohio SPJ Awards competition honors print and broadcast journalists from Ohio and bordering states who best served the public interest in 2005. The awards, which are presented by the Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland chapters of the SPJ, were judged by members of SPJ chapters throughout the U.S.

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.

PR06.19           ###            10/6/06

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