The radio news team at WKAR Public Media has won eight awards and politics and government reporter Abigail Censky has been named this year's Rising Star by the Michigan Associated Press Media Editors.
"WKAR news is honored to be recognized for our reporting by APME," said Drew Henderson, WKAR radio station manager. "All of the WKAR news reporters, including two of our student interns, were recipients of APME awards for their work during 2019."
The Rising Star award recognizes journalists with five years of experience or less in journalism. Censky joined the WKAR news team in December 2018.
Five best in category and three second place honors were awarded to WKAR staff and student reporters in Radio Division II:
BEST IN CATEGORY
Best Public Service
Kevin Lavery: “Early Childhood Calendars Boost Lansing Area Learning”
Best Use of Photography
Alec Gerstenberger (student reporter): “ThankLansing, a Celebration for Lansing’s Newest Neighbors”
Best Newscast
Tamia Boyd (student reporter): Oct. 30, 2019, 7:31am
Best Multimedia Storytelling
Al Martin: “Eva Salinas Celebrates 100 Years of Legacy and Love on Cinco de Mayo”
Best Feature Story
Scott Pohl: “LCC Play Portrays Homelessness in Lansing”
SECOND PLACE
Continuing Coverage
“MSU Special Coverage”
Documentary
Kevin Lavery: “Making the Grade”
Use of Sound
Scott Pohl: “Ken Burns Returns With ‘Country Music’”
WKAR-FM broadcasts on 90.5 FM in mid-Michigan. WKAR News reports are also heard on WKAR NewsTalk, broadcasting on 105.1 FM and AM 870.
Twelve broadcasters submitted 237 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports and weather reporting as well as features, documentaries and photography from 2019.
Awards were scheduled to be announced at the annual APME Awards Banquet Sat., Apr., 4, in Lansing, MI. When that event was canceled, awards were announced March 16 by the Michigan APME.
The full list of awards can be found at Winners Announced in 2019 MAPME Broadcast Contest
The Associated Press Media Editors is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization of newsroom leaders and journalism educators that works closely with The Associated Press to promote journalism excellence.