WHYY wins top radio news honors from AP media editors group

WHYY-FM has won top radio honors for 2018 from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Media Editors. The awards for newspapers and broadcast, given annually, were presented Friday night at a banquet in Harrisburg.

WHYY received citations for Outstanding News Operation, Best Continuing Coverage, and Best Spot News Coverage, winning the media editors’ Joe Snyder Award for Outstanding News Service. The award is named in memory of Snyder, a longtime chief of bureau of the Pennsylvania AP who was instrumental in founding the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association.

Thirty-nine daily newspapers and 11 radio and television stations submitted 1,344 entries in the Pennsylvania competition. The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.

“We’re honored that WHYY News has been recognized,” said Sandra M. Clark, WHYY’s vice president for news and civic dialogue. “We take seriously serving the public, awards or not, and share this with all journalists.”

In the Best Spot News category, WHYY won for its coverage of Bill Cosby’s second trial. The award for Best Continuing Coverage was given for WHYY’s coverage of the Starbucks Rittenhouse Square controversy.

Among its numerous first- and second-place finishes in the media editors group’s Radio 1 category, WHYY won for Best Regularly Scheduled News or Sports Talk Program, Best Investigative Reporting, Best Sports Feature, and Best Reporter/Anchor.

Here is a full list of WHYY’s awards:

Best Spot News Coverage: 1, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Cosby’s 2nd Trial.”

Best Continuing Coverage: 1, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Starbucks Brews Controversy.”

Best Series: 2, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “No Justice for All.”

Best Investigative Reporting – Broadcast: 1, Avi Wolfman-Arent, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Kicked Out.”

Best Enterprise Reporting – Broadcast: 2, Annette John-Hall and Aaron Moselle, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “The Surprising Truth Behind the Racial Dynamics of Gentrification in Philly.”

Best Public Service – Broadcast: 2, Liz Tung, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “This Isn’t Science.”

Best Documentary: 2, Elana Gordon, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “The Pulse: Lessons from Vancouver.”

Best Feature – Broadcast: 2, Joe Hernandez, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Mother of Slain N.J. Man Blames Computer Program for His Shooting.”

Best Sports Feature: 1, Lindsay Lazarski, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Pray, Pray Your Hearts Out Eagles Fans“; 2, Aaron Moselle, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Offensive Reputation Gets Eagles Fans a Bit Defensive.”

Best Use of Sound: 2, Peter Crimmins, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “Wielding Weapons on Stage in ‘Les Miz’ Makes Students Confront Gun Violence.”

Best Regularly Scheduled News or Sports Talk Program: 1, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, “The Pulse: The Difference a Gun Makes.”

Best Reporter/Anchor: 1, Laura Benshoff, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia.

Best Newscast: 2, Jennifer Lynn, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia.