CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - For the second straight year, Charlottesville station WVIR-TV won Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias for small market television, while Charleston station WCHS-TV took home the honor for large market television in the 2015 Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Awards.
On the radio side, West Virginia Public Broadcasting also picked up the Outstanding News Operation award for the second straight year among metropolitan stations. Another Charlottesville station, WINA-AM, won it among non-metropolitan stations.
Large market television is defined as those having a Nielsen Market rating of 1 to 74. Small market is 75 and greater. Metropolitan stations are those licensed to a city with a population size of 50,000 or more. Non-metro stations are in cities with fewer than 50,000 people.
In all, 25 broadcast stations across Virginia and West Virginia were honored Saturday at the VAPB luncheon at the Omni Hotel. The list of winners is:
RADIO
METRO CLASSIFICATION:
OUTSTANDING NEWS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va.
BEST COVERAGE OF A SPOT NEWS STORY
Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “McDonnell Verdict”
Meritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “Chemical Spill”
BEST COVERAGE OF A CONTINUING NEWS STORY
Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “The Search for Hannah Graham”
Meritorious: WVTF-FM, Roanoke, Va., “The Disappearance of Hannah Graham”
Meritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “Robert Bailey Black Lung”
OUTSTANDING SPORTS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
No entries submitted
BEST DOCUMENTARY OR IN-DEPTH REPORT
Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “New Arrivals”
Meritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “New Drug Can Cure Hepatitis C — If Only We Could Afford It”
Meritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “Story of the Jews”
BEST FEATURE OR HUMAN INTEREST
Superior: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “Bloody Butcher Corn: From Field to Fork”
Meritorious: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “A Typical Day Turned Deadly”
Meritorious: WVTF-FM, Roanoke, Va., “Cigar Box Blues”
BEST SPORTS FEATURE
Superior: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “Marshall Tennis Player From Sochi”
BEST SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY
No entries submitted
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL REPORTER
Superior: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., Ashton Marra
Meritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., Glynis BoardMeritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., Jessica Lilly
BEST EDITORIAL OR EDITORIAL SERIES:
Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “Core Values”
BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING:
No entries submitted
BEST WEBSITE
No entries submitted
DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH RADIO
Superior: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., “West Virginia’s Clean Water Struggles”
Meritorious: WVTF-FM, Roanoke, Va., “Dangerous Cargo Rides the Rails”
BEST RADIO NEWS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WHRV-FM, Norfolk, Va., Sondra Woodward
Meritorious: WVPB-FM, Charleston, W.Va., Jessica Lilly
BEST RADIO SPORTS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
No entries submitted
RADIO
NON-METRO CLASSIFICATION:
OUTSTANDING NEWS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va.
Meritorious: WBTM-AM, Danville, Va.
BEST COVERAGE OF A SPOT NEWS STORY
Superior: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “New Police Chief”
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Senate Debate Recap”
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Councilman Gillespie”
BEST COVERAGE OF A CONTINUING NEWS STORY
Superior: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., “Hannah”
Meritorious: WBTM-AM, Danville, Va., “The Coal Ash Spill”
OUTSTANDING SPORTS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va.
Meritorious: WBTM-AM, Danville, Va.
Meritorious: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va.
BEST DOCUMENTARY OR IN-DEPTH REPORT
Superior: WNTX-AM, Fredericksburg, Va., “Focus: Ebola Awareness”
Meritorious: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., “Rape at U.Va.”
Meritorious: WINC-FM, Winchester, Va., “Understanding the Local Heroin Epidemic”
BEST FEATURE OR HUMAN INTEREST
Superior: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Taming of the Shrew”
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “MU Pre-K”
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Take Back the Night”
BEST SPORTS FEATURE
Superior: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Berrie Walker Profile”
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Home for the Fountain Ceremony”
Meritorious: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., “Evan Huddon Feature”
BEST SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY
Superior: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., “HS Football— Monticello vs. Albemarle”
Meritorious: WRNR-AM, Martinsburg, W. Va., “Martinsburg HS Bulldogs Basketball”
Meritorious: WWMC-FM, Lynchburg, Va., “Liberty U. Lady Flames Basketball”
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL REPORTER
Superior: WMUL-FM Jessica Patterson, Huntington, W.Va.
BEST EDITORIAL OR EDITORIAL SERIES:
Superior: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., “Consider the Source”
BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING:
Superior: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., “Cellphonegate — City taxes paying for unauthorized cellphones”
BEST WEBSITE
Superior: WMUL-FM, Huntington, W.Va., www.marshall.edu/wmul
Meritorious: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., www.wina.com
Meritorious: WBTM-AM, Danville, Va., www.wbtmdanville.com
DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH RADIO
Superior: WBTM-AM, Danville, Va., “Health Beat With Kathryn Davis”
Meritorious: WINA-AM, Charlottesville, Va., “Save Us From Lousy 401Ks”
BEST RADIO NEWS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WINA-AM Dori Zook, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WNTX-AM Deirdre Blake, Fredericksburg, Va.
Meritorious: WBTM-AM Chuck Vipperman, Danville, Va.
BEST RADIO SPORTS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WBTM-AM Chuck Vipperman, Danville, Va.
Meritorious: WMUL-FM Braxton Crisp, Huntington, W. Va.
Meritorious: WRNR-AM Matt Miller, Martinsburg, W.Va.
TELEVISION
LARGE MARKET
OUTSTANDING NEWS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WCHS-TV, Charleston, W.Va.
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va.
Meritorious: WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, Va.
BEST COVERAGE OF A SPOT NEWS STORY
Superior: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Deadly Tornado Devastates Campground”
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Rocket Explodes Live On Air”
Meritorious: WSLS-TV, Roanoke, Va., “Lynchburg Train Derailment”
BEST COVERAGE OF A CONTINUING NEWS STORY
Superior: WCHS-TV, Charleston, W.Va., “WV Water Crisis”
Meritorious: WRIC-TV, Richmond, Va., “The Disappearance of Hannah Graham”
Meritorious: WSLS-TV, Roanoke, Va., “Lynchburg Train Derailment Long Term Impact”
OUTSTANDING SPORTS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va.
Meritorious: WSET-TV, Lynchburg, Va.
Meritorious: WVAH-TV, Charleston, W.Va.
BEST DOCUMENTARY OR IN-DEPTH REPORT
Superior: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Virginia Is for Lovers: Marriage in the Commonwealth — Past, Present and Future”
Meritorious: WSET-TV, Lynchburg, Va., “Overlord 2014: The 70th Anniversary of D-Day”
Meritorious: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., “Gaston: 10 Years Later”
BEST FEATURE OR HUMAN INTEREST STORY
Superior: WRIC-TV, Richmond, Va., “From Dope to Hope”
Meritorious: WAVY-TV, Portsmouth, Va., “A Call to Action”
Meritorious: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., “Jacob Walker”
BEST SPORTS FEATURE
Superior: WAVY-TV, Portsmouth, Va., “You Got to Fight, You Can’t Quit”
Meritorious: WRIC-TV, Richmond, Va., “VCU Cyclist Wins National Title”
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Making Your Mark: Home Run Hero”
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL REPORTER
Superior: WWBT-TV Laura Geller, Richmond, Va.
Meritorious: WSET-TV Danner Evans, Lynchburg, Va.
Meritorious: WRIC-TV Nate Eaton, Richmond, Va.
BEST EDITORIAL OR EDITORIAL SERIES
Superior: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., “Midterm Elections”
BEST SPOT PHOTOGRAPHY
Superior: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., “Richmond House Fire”
Meritorious: WSLS-TV, Roanoke, Va., “Lynchburg Train Derailment”
Meritorious: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., “Deadly House Fire”
BEST FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Superior: WCHS-TV, Charleston, W.Va., “Traveling West Virginia”
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Joe’s Job: Pest Control”
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Unpaid Parking Tickets”
BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
Superior: WRIC-TV, Richmond, Va., “Partying With Your Tax Dollars”
Meritorious: WCHS-TV, Charleston, W.Va., “Massage Parlor Investigation”
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Above the Law: Red Light Runners”
BEST WEBSITE
Superior: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., www.13newsnow.com
Meritorious: WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, Va., www.wdbj7.com
Meritorious: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., www.NBC12.com
DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH TELEVISION JOURNALISM
Superior: WWBT-TV, Richmond, Va., “12 On Your Side”
Meritorious: WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, Va. “WDBJ7 In-Depth”
Meritorious: WVEC-TV, Norfolk, Va., “Federal Lunch Program Overlooked”
BEST WEATHERCAST OF THE YEAR
Superior: WSLS-TV, Roanoke, Va.
Meritorious: WRIC-TV, Richmond, Va.
Meritorious: WVAH-TV, Charleston, W.Va.
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL WEATHERCASTER
Superior: WRIC-TV Matt DiNardo, Richmond, Va.
Meritorious: WRIC-TV John Bernier, Richmond, Va.
Meritorious: WRIC-TV Tim Pandajis, Richmond, Va.
BEST NEWS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WSLS-TV John Carlin, Roanoke, Va.
Meritorious: WSAZ-TV Amanda Barren, Charleston, W.Va.
Meritorious: WVEC-TV Lucy Bustamante, Norfolk, Va.
BEST SPORTS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WRIC-TV Mitch Carr, Richmond, Va.
Meritorious: WVEC-TV Scott Cash, Norfolk, Va.
Meritorious: WSLS-TV John Appicello, Roanoke, Va.
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER
Superior: WVEC-TV Victoria Zeal, Norfolk, Va.
Meritorious: WAVY-TV Laura Mammarella, Portsmouth, Va.
Meritorious: WSAZ-TV Mary Tignor, Charleston, W.Va.
TELEVISION
SMALL MARKET
OUTSTANDING NEWS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va.
BEST COVERAGE OF A SPOT NEWS STORY
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “Military Plane Crash in Deerfield”
Meritorious: WVVA-TV, Bluefield, W.Va., “Matoaka Fire”
Meritorious: WVVA-TV, Bluefield, W.Va., “East River Mountain Tunnel Fire”
BEST COVERAGE OF A CONTINUING NEWS STORY
Superior: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Fallout From Rape Allegations Against University of Virginia”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “Spring Break Assault”
Meritorious: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “The Search for Hannah Graham”
OUTSTANDING SPORTS OPERATION OF THE VIRGINIAS
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va.
Meritorious: WCAV-TV, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va.
BEST DOCUMENTARY OR IN-DEPTH REPORT
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va. “The Medical Marijuana Fight Hits Virginia”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va. “Valley Veterans: The Wait for Help”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “Spring Break Assault”
BEST FEATURE OR HUMAN INTEREST STORY
Superior: WCAV-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Two Police Dogs Retiring From Albemarle County Police Department”
Meritorious: WCAV-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Several Local Families Unsure of Fate of Missing Loved Ones”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “The Fight to Serve”
BEST SPORTS FEATURE
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “Running With Autism”
Meritorious: WVVA-TV, Bluefield, W.Va., “Xander Bailey”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “A Soldier’s Return”
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL REPORTER
Superior: WHSV-TV Channing Frampton, Harrisonburg, Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV Nicole DiAntonio, Harrisonburg, Va.Meritorious: WCAV-TV Colleen Quigley, Charlottesville, Va.
BEST EDITORIAL OR EDITORIAL SERIES
No entries submitted
BEST SPOT PHOTOGRAPHY
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “Military Plane Crash in Deerfield”
Meritorious: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “2nd Alarm Fire at Charlottesville Hotel”
BEST FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “The Wait for Help”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “Coming Back”Meritorious: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Scottsville Goat Trains for Commercial Possibilities”
BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
Superior: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Locked In: Albemarle Family Questions Smart Key Technology”
Meritorious: WCAV-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Residents Want Abandoned VDOT Home Sold”
BEST WEBSITE
Superior: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., www.whsv.com
Meritorious: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., www.nbc29.com
Meritorious: WVVA-TV, Bluefield, W.Va., www.wvva.com
DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH TELEVISION JOURNALISM
Superior: WVIR-TV, Charlottesville, Va., “Taxpayer Money Lost on Defunct Rt. 29 Western Bypass Proposal”
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va., “The Discipline Debate”
BEST WEATHERCAST OF THE YEAR
Superior: WVVA-TV, Bluefield, W. Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, Va.
Meritorious: WCAV-TV, Charlottesville, Va.
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL WEATHERCASTER
Superior: WVIR-TV David Rogers, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV Aubrey Urbanowicz, Harrisonburg, Va.
Meritorious: WCAV-TV, Travis Koshko, Charlottesville, Va.
BEST NEWS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WVIR-TV Steve Rappaport, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WVIR-TV Matt Talhelm, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV Channing Frampton, Harrisonburg, Va.
BEST SPORTS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR
Superior: WVIR-TV Marty Hudtloff, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WCAV-TV Damon Dillman, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV David DeGuzman, Harrisonburg, Va.
OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER
Superior: WVIR-TV Amanda Williams, Charlottesville, Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV Channing Frampton, Harrisonburg, Va.
Meritorious: WHSV-TV Morgan Donnelly, Harrisonburg, Va.
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