WHYY News wins 15 Keystone Media Awards for investigative reporting, digital coverage

WHYY News has received 15 Professional Keystone Media Awards for its work in 2022, with coverage areas ranging from the general election to environmental justice.

WHYY was also recognized as the 2023 Outstanding News Operation (Broadcast) winner for Radio 1 in Philadelphia.

“Providing trustworthy and impactful news and information is at the core of our services,” notes WHYY President and CEO Bill Marrazzo. “I’m proud of our news staff that continues to excel at meeting the information needs of our audience at a time when accurate news is critical. We’re grateful for the support we receive from the community that makes this service possible.”

The Keystone Awards recognize “journalism that consistently provides relevance, integrity, and initiative in serving readers and audiences, and faithfully fulfills its First Amendment rights/responsibilities.” The awards honor small to large media organizations throughout Pennsylvania.

“The WHYY News team is proud to be recognized as the 2023 Outstanding News Operation in Philadelphia in the Radio 1 category and to win 15 Keystone Media Awards,” said Sarah Glover, WHYY vice president of news and civic dialogue. “These awards are a testament to the collective strength of the WHYY News mission and staff. The reporting produced by the WHYY News team is in-depth, audience-focused, and making a difference in our communities.”

The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Foundation shared that more than 2,600 entries were received from 139 Pennsylvania news organizations in total. Michigan journalists judged the entries across 65 awards categories. WHYY News placed in more than a dozen categories in its division. The “Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist” podcast, produced by WHYY News in collaboration with Temple University’s Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, won five awards.

Below are the winners from WHYY. A full list of award recipients in the Radio 1 category can be found online.

First-place

• Best Newscast: General election results | Jennifer Lynn, Tom MacDonald
• Best Spot News Coverage: 14-year-old killed, four students injured in shooting near Roxborough High School | Cory Sharber
• Best Investigative Reporting: Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist | Yvonne Latty, Sammy Caiola, Sarah Glover, Jordan-Gass-Pooré, Al Banks, Sam Searles, Emir Matouk
• Best Feature: This new haunted house in Philly is terrifying. It’s also an adaptation to flooding | Sophia Schmidt
• Best Reporter/Anchor: Jennifer Lynn
• Best Digital Presence: WHYY News digital | Maria Pulcinella, Evan Croen, Nick Kariuki, Emma Lee, Kim Paynter, Emily Neil
• Best Sports Coverage: ‘Like a dream’: Phillies dance their way to the World Series | Cory Sharber

Second-place

• Best Continuing Coverage: Central Bucks School District anti‐LGBTQ allegations | Emily Rizzo
• Best Documentary: ‘An injustice’: 2 years after Tropical Storm Isaias, Eastwick residents still recovering without federal aid | Sophia Schmidt
• Best Public Service: Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist | Yvonne Latty, Sammy Caiola, Sarah Glover, Jordan-Gass-Pooré, Al Banks, Sam Searles, Emir Matouk
• Best Sports Feature: For Phillies legend Larry Bowa, the 2022 Phils bear a striking similarity to 1980 champs | Jennifer Lynn
• Best Use of Sound: A Kennett Square pianist’s new holiday album offers ‘emotional catharsis’ | Jennifer Lynn

Honorable mention

• Best Enterprise Reporting: Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist | Yvonne Latty, Sammy Caiola, Sarah Glover, Jordan-Gass-Pooré, Al Banks, Sam Searles, Emir Matouk
• Best Use of Sound: Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist | Yvonne Latty, Sammy Caiola, Sarah Glover, Jordan-Gass-Pooré, Al Banks, Sam Searles, Emir Matouk
• Best Podcast (Broadcast): Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist | Yvonne Latty, Sammy Caiola, Sarah Glover, Jordan-Gass-Pooré, Al Banks, Sam Searles, Emir Matouk