2022 Sunshine State Awards

The winners of the 2022 Sunshine State Awards were announced Aug. 27 during a ceremony at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale. The event was presented in partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists – South Florida Chapter, the National Association of Black Journalists – South Florida Chapter, and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists.

Certificates unclaimed at the presentation will be mailed to the address provided during the entry process. Allow four weeks for delivery.

Send all corrections ASAP to Tim Dodson, tim@timdodson.com.

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SPECIAL AWARDS

James Batten Award for Public Service

• Winner: The Palm Beach Post & ProPublica – Lulu Ramadan (Palm Beach Post), Ash Ngu (ProPublica), Maya Miller (ProPublica), Nadia Sussman (ProPublica), Black Snow: Big Sugar’s Burning Problem
• Finalist: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Brittany Wallman, Mario Ariza & Megan O’Matz, The Hunted Police K-9s are meant to stop dangerous felons. That’s not what police are using them for.
• Finalist: Miami Herald & ProPublica – Carol Marbin Miller, Daniel Chang & Emily Michot, Birth & Betrayal

Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting

• Winner: Miami Herald – Staff, House of Cards
• Finalist: WFTS/ABC Action News – Adam Walser, Kylie McGivern, Matt McGlashen & Melanie Payne, Crisis in Corrections
• Finalist: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Staff, South Florida Infrastructure Collection

NABJ South Florida Diversity Award

• Winner: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Lindsey Leake, Lindsey Leake collection
• Finalist: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Saundra Weathers, Amanda Salvucci & Victoria Rajkumar, Vaccination Hesitation in the Black Community
• Finalist: Embrace Magazine – John Sotomayor, John Sotomayor Collection

Barbara A. Petersen Freedom of Information Award

• Winner: Tallahassee Democrat – Jeffrey Schweers, A Lightning Rod Surgeon General
• Finalist: WLRN News – Jenny Staletovich, The High Cost Of Sunshine: Public Records In Florida Can Cost More Than A Year’s Salary
• Finalist: Raw Story – Daniel Newhauser, GOP Governor Kristi Noem, potential Trump successor, used state aircraft for tens of thousands of dollars in political travel

Journalist of the Year

• Winner: Sarah Blaskey, Miami Herald
• Finalist: Scott Travis, South Florida Sun Sentinel
• Finalist: Adam Walser, WFTS/ABC Action News

Anchor of the Year

• Winner: Tenikka Smith Hughes, CBS47 & FOX30 Action News Jax
• Finalist: Christine DiMattei, WLRN News

Photojournalist of the Year

• Winner: Crystal Vander Weit, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers
• Finalist: Jock Fistick, South Florida Business Journal
• Finalist: Matthew Apthorp, The Florida 24 Network

Outstanding New Journalist

• Winner: Margo Snipe, Tampa Bay Times
• Finalist: Joshua Ceballos, Miami New Times
• Finalist: Ayurella Horn-Muller

Editor of the Year

• Winner: Joan Chrissos, Miami Herald
• Finalist: Terence Shepherd, WLRN News
• Finalist: Jonathan Melton, WINK News

Excellence in Social Justice Reporting

• Winner: Miami Herald & ProPublica – Carol Marbin Miller, Daniel Chang & Emily Michot, Birth & Betrayal
• Finalist: The Palm Beach Post – John Pacenti & Holly Baltz, Berto Lopez: Why this OB/GYN kept practicing after decades of deaths, injuries
• Finalist: Univision News Digital – Staff, Univision News Digital Social Justice Reporting Portfolio

COVID-19 – Infographics & Data Visualization

• 1st Place: Miami Herald – Staff, Miami Herald: Data Visualization
• 2nd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Lindsey Leake, Year of COVID

COVID-19 – Non-Deadline News Reporting

• 1st Place: The Palm Beach Post – Jane Musgrave, Jane Musgrave COVID-19 reports
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Staff, Selections From WLRN News
• 3rd Place: WUSF Public Media – Stephanie Colombini, Kerry Sheridan & Julio Ochoa, Unequal Shots

COVID-19 – Feature Reporting

• 1st Place: Florida Times-Union – Mark Woods, Nada Hassanein & David Bauerlein, A day of life and death in a COVID hotspot: Jacksonville
• 2nd Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Alicia Devine, Inside the TMH Covid Ward
• 3rd Place: WFTS-TV – Katie LaGrone & Matthew Apthorp, Inside TGH

COVID-19 – Business Reporting

• 1st Place: WLRN News – Tom Hudson, The Sunshine Economy Collection
• 2nd Place: Florida Today – Dave Berman, Business Stories
• 3rd Place: The Real Deal – Katherine Kallergis, South Florida’s hotel conundrum

COVID-19 – Obituary Reporting

• 1st Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Larry Reisman, Twins
• 2nd Place: Miami Herald – Howad Cohen, Howard Cohen: The human cost of COVID
• 3rd Place: The Ledger – Kimberly C. Moore, One family’s struggle with COVID-19

NEWSPAPERS

Breaking News Reporting

• 1st Place: Sarasota Herald-Tribune – Patricia McKnight & Derek Gilliam, The Search for Brian Laundrie
• 2nd Place: Miami Herald – Jay Weaver, David Ovalle, Charles Rabin & David J. Neal, Deadly day for the FBI
• 3rd Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Jim Henry & Gerald Ensley, The Death of Bobby Bowden

Non-Deadline News Reporting (Large Papers)

• 1st Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Staff, South Florida Infrastructure Collection
• 2nd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Brittany Wallman, Mario Ariza & Megan O’Matz, The Hunted Police K-9s are meant to stop dangerous felons. That’s not what police are using them for.
• 3rd Place: Miami Herald – Charles Rabin, Jay Weaver, Nicholas Nehamas & Joey Flechas, Law and Disorder: Trouble in the Ranks

Non-Deadline News Reporting (Small Papers)

• 1st Place: Lakeland Ledger – Gary White, Four Jan. 6 rioters from the tiny hamlet of Kathleen
• 2nd Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Ana Goni-Lessan & Christopher Cann, It’s Breaking Them’: Poverty and Youth Gun Violence
• 3rd Place: Miami New Times – Terence Cantarella, Sharking Lot

Feature Reporting (Large Papers)

• 1st Place: The Daytona Beach News-Journal – Katie Kustura, Part of the Healing
• 2nd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Rod Stafford Hagwood, South Florida Jamaicans put Kamala Harris’ Caribbean heritage into perspective
• 3rd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Amy Drew Thompson, Eating Invasive: Floridians bite back to protect the environment

Feature Reporting (Small Papers)

• 1st Place: Florida Times-Union – Mark Woods, In Surfside, fallen condo is survived by a wounded community
• 2nd Place: Miami New Times – Joshua Ceballos, Before He Was Proud
• 3rd Place: Miami New Times – Natalia Galicza, The Party’s Over!

Series

• 1st Place: Lakeland Ledger – Kimberly C. Moore, “A sad state”: Florida’s mental health crisis
• 2nd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Wille J. Allen Jr., Charles King & Cassie Armstrong, Black History Month — Shining a Light
• 3rd Place: Florida Today – Jim Waymer & Malcolm Denemark, Extinction at the door? Florida’s manatees are dying

General Commentary & Criticism

• 1st Place: Florida Times-Union – Nate Monroe, Nate Monroe – Commentary
• 2nd Place: Northwest Florida Daily News – Chandra Bozelko, The Outlaw: Insider Takes on Criminal Justice
• 3rd Place: com – Pierre Tristam, Pierre Tristam Collection (Commentaries)

Arts Commentary & Criticism

• 1st Place: Florida Theater On Stage – Bill Hirschman, South Florida Theater Reviews
• 2nd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Ben Crandell, Ben Crandell – Arts criticism
• 3rd Place: com – Pierre Tristam, Pierre Tristam Collection

Profile Reporting

• 1st Place: Miami Herald – Mimi Whitefield, Symeria Hudson: Transforming the care of the homeless
• 2nd Place: Miami New Times – Alexandra Martinez, Drag and Tag with Miss Toto
• 3rd Place: Miami Herald – Linda Robertson, Linda Robertson collection

Sports Commentary

• 1st Place: Florida Times-Union – Gene Frenette, Gene Frenette sports commentary

Data Reporting

• 1st Place: The News-Press & Naples Daily News – Janine Zeitlin, How the pandemic magnified inequities for Florida’s migrant students
• 2nd Place: Florida Today – Jim Waymer, Manatee Death Data
• 3rd Place: The Palm Beach Post – Michael Diamond, Dangerous Lags in Emergency Response Times

Editorial Writing

• 1st Place: Miami Herald – Staff, COVID-19 in Florida
• 2nd Place: The Virgin Islands Daily News – Eunice Bedminster, Extra!
• 3rd Place: The Palm Beach Post – Doug Lyons, Douglas Lyons editorials

Editorial Cartooning

• 1st Place: Palm Beach Daily News – David Willson, B14 2021 Editorial cartoons
• 2nd Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Nathan Archer, The Toons of Nathan Archer
• 3rd Place: Florida Politics – Bill Day, Editorial Cartoons by Bill Day

Local Reporting – Small Municipality, County & Rural Coverage

• 1st Place: The News-Leader – Wes Wolfe, Nassau County issues
• 2nd Place: South Florida Gay News / Wilton Manors Gazette – John McDonald, Wilton Manors Reporting By John McDonald

Beat Reporting – Arts

• 1st Place: Observer, Miami New Times, Latina – Alexandra Martinez, Art and Nature
• 2nd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Matthew J. Palm, Matthew J. Palm Arts Collection
• 3rd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Ben Crandell, Ben Crandell – Arts reporting

Beat Reporting – Business & Consumer

• 1st Place: Naples Daily News & The News-Press – Laura Layden, Laura Layden Collection
• 2nd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Lamaur Stancil, Lamaur Stancil collection
• 3rd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Gabrielle Russon, Covering Disney World on the Biz Desk

Beat Reporting – Community

• 1st Place: The Daytona Beach News-Journal – Katie Kustura, Part of the Healing
• 2nd Place: Sarasota Herald-Tribune – Jesse Mendoza, Manatee County
• 3rd Place: com – Joe Capozzi, Joe Capozzi collection

Beat Reporting – Crime & Courts

• 1st Place: Florida Today – Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon & Bobby Block, Wheel of Fugitive
• 2nd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Melissa Holsman, Melissa Holsman collection
• 3rd Place: South Florida Gay News – Steve Rothaus, Christiana Lilly & Jason Parsley, Trans Murders & Jungwirth

Beat Reporting – Education

• 1st Place: Miami Herald – Education reporters Linda Robertson & Jimena Tavel, Education reporter/South Florida
• 2nd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Sommer Brugal, Sommer Brugal collection
• 3rd Place: The Palm Beach Post – Sonja Isger, Sonja Isger’s education reporting

Beat Reporting – Environment, Science & Technology

• 1st Place: The Palm Beach Post – Tony Doris, Top Florida wildlife official wants to fill, build on lagoon where turtles, manatees roam
• 2nd Place: South Florida Business Journal – Ashley Portero, Beat Reporting: Environment, Science & Technology – Ashley Portero
• 3rd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Max Chesnes, Max Chesnes collection

Beat Reporting – Health

• 1st Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Cindy Goodman, COVID reporting series
• 2nd Place: Miami Herald – Daniel Chang, Daniel Chang/healthcare reporter
• 3rd Place: South Florida Business Journal – Brian Bandell, Beat Reporting: Health – Brian Bandell

Beat Reporting – Food & Travel

• 1st Place: The News-Press & Naples Daily News – Annabelle Tometich, Annabelle Tometich Collection
• 2nd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Amy Drew Thompson, Amy Drew Thompson — Food
• 3rd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Phillip Valys, Phillip Valys Beat Reporting – Food

Beat Reporting – Government & Politics

• 1st Place: Gannett-USA Today-Florida – John Kennedy, John Kennedy collection
• 2nd Place: Tampa Bay Business Journal – Ashley Gurbal Kritzer, Ashley Gurbal Kritzer, Government coverage
• 3rd Place: The Daytona Beach News-Journal – Katie Kustura, Deltona manager series

Beat Reporting – Underrepresented Communities

• 1st Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Ana Goni-Lessan & Christopher Cann, Black Teens in Survival Mode
• 2nd Place: Florida Times-Union – Katherine Lewin, Rodents, roaches and mold: Downtown East Apartments in Jacksonville cited hundreds of times but no fines
• 3rd Place: Miami Herald – Mimi Whitefield, Miami’s Homeless Community

Beat Reporting – Sports

• 1st Place: The Palm Beach Post – Hal Habib, Hal Habib sports collection
• 2nd Place: Florida Times-Union – Clayton Freeman, Clayton Freeman sports reporting
• 3rd Place: The News-Press & Naples Daily News – Alex Martin, Alex Martin Collection

Beat Reporting – Housing and Real Estate

• 1st Place: South Florida Business Journal – Brian Bandell, Beat Reporting: Housing & Real Estate – Brian Bandell
• 2nd Place: The Wall Street Journal – Robyn A. Friedman, Jumbo Jungle column for Mansion/The Wall Street Journal and feature story for Mansion
• 3rd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Catie Wegman, Catie Wegman collection

Special Publication or Section

• 1st Place: Florida Weekly – Staff, Understanding Autism
• 2nd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel & Orlando Sentinel – Mark Gauert, Cassie Armstrong & Anderson Greene, “Explore Florida & the Caribbean”
• 3rd Place: South Florida Business Journal – Staff, Special Section – Marine Industry

 

PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

Breaking News Photography

• 1st Place: Miami Herald – José A. Iglesias, A painful switch: Rescue mission turns to recovery
• 2nd Place: Bradenton Herald – Tiffany Tompkins, ‘Handmaids’ protest county’s proposed abortion ban
• 3rd Place: Florida Today – Malcolm Denemark, SpaceX Launch

Feature Photography

• 1st Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Alicia Devine, Attending the Dying in the COVID Ward
• 2nd Place: Florida Today – Tim Shortt, Aria Dodd is not afraid of “River Monsters”
• 3rd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Mike Stocker, End of an era: Hollywood landmark Melina’s lingerie shop closing after 75 years

Portrait/Personality

• 1st Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Amy Beth Bennett, Afghan refugee swimmer born without arms finds new life in Fort Lauderdale
• 2nd Place: South Florida Business Journal – Jock Fistick, Portrait/Personality – Jock Fistick
• 3rd Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Leah Voss, Asiye Krayee

Photography Story

• 1st Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Amy Beth Bennett, Parkland shooter’s guilty plea ushers in the next phase — life or death?
• 2nd Place: South Florida Business Journal – Jock Fistick, A Day in the OR
• 3rd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Amy Beth Bennett, Susan Stocker & Mike Stocker, Search and recovery at collapsed condo tower near Miami Beach

Sports Photography

• 1st Place: TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Crystal Vander Weit, Congressman competes
• 2nd Place: Miami Herald – Al Diaz, The best play that did not count
• 3rd Place: Naples Daily News & The News-Press – Landon Bost, Basketball action

Art/Photo Illustration

• 1st Place: Tallahassee Democrat – Alicia Devine, Athletes Illuminated
• 2nd Place: Miami New Times – Kristin Bjornsen, Kristin Bjornsen Collection
• 3rd Place: Embrace Magazine – Josh Clark, Crisis Chronicled

Infographics & Data Visualization

• 1st Place: South Florida Business Journal – Jake Stevens, Infographics & Data Visualization – Jake Stevens
• 2nd Place: Florida Weekly – Scott Sleeper, Scott Sleeper graphic

Front Page Design (Small Papers)

• 1st Place: South Florida Gay News – Brendon Lies, Brendon Lies, Collection
• 2nd Place: South Florida Business Journal – Jake Stevens, Front Page Design (Small) – Jake Stevens
• 3rd Place: Florida Weekly – Eric Raddatz, Eric Raddatz collection

MAGAZINES

Public Service Reporting

• 1st Place: Embrace Magazine – John Sotomayor, Finger on the Pulse
• 2nd Place: Embrace Magazine – Melissa-Marie Marks, Angels in Action
• 3rd Place: Hatter Network – Emily Derrenbacker, Isabel Solorzano & Jillian Semmel, Plastic Pandemic

Investigative Reporting

• 1st Place: The Real Deal – Katherine Kallergis, Scrutiny next door
• 2nd Place: The Real Deal – Keith Larsen, Lidia Dinkova, Architect who designed the collapsed Surfside condo was previously suspended after toppling of other structures

Serious Feature

• 1st Place: Flamingo Magazine – Moni Basu, Drivin’ the Dixie Highway: How Florida’s Dream Road Turned to Dust
• 2nd Place: Flamingo Magazine – Craig Pittman, A Tale of Two Toms and the Three K’s
• 3rd Place: Sarasota Magazine – Isaac Eger, The Invaders

Light Feature

• 1st Place: Hatter Network – Emily Derrenbacker, Jillian Semmel & Cas Bradley, A Student’s Best Friend; Stetson Pets, Mental Health, and COVID-19
• 2nd Place: Flamingo Magazine – Jessica Giles & Mary Beth Koeth, The Great Mow Show: Inside the World of Lawn Mower Racing
• 3rd Place: Sarasota Magazine – Robert Plunket, The Elephant Polka

Profile Story

• 1st Place: Cosmopolitan Magazine – Emily Bloch, Rebekah Jones Tried to Warn Us About COVID-19. Now Her Freedom Is on the Line
• 2nd Place: VENICE – Christie Galeano-DeMott, Raw Talent
• 3rd Place: Florida Super Lawyers Magazine – Carlos Harrison, Family Matters

Commentary & Criticism

• 1st Place: Flamingo Magazine – Diane Roberts & Jenna Alexander, Florida’s Fiercest Females
• 2nd Place: Hatter Network – Erica Lucio, Izzy Solorzano & Jillian Semmel, Diversity, Inclusion, and Controversy in Marvel-Disney’s Historic “Shag-Chi”
• 3rd Place: City & Shore Magazine – South Florida Sun Sentinel – Mark Gauert, “When You Wish Upon a Seashell”

Food & Travel Writing

• 1st Place: Flamingo Magazine – Moni Basu & Jenna Alexander, The Road Less Traveled
• 2nd Place: Sarasota Magazine – Cooper Levey-Baker, Nice Slice, Baby!
• 3rd Place: City & Shore Magazine – South Florida Sun Sentinel – Mark Gauert, “The President’s Other House”

Trend Reporting

• 1st Place: Embrace Magazine – John Stein, Mo’ Show Biz
• 2nd Place: Sarasota Magazine – Staff, The New Healthy
• 3rd Place: Edible South Florida – Staff, Artful Foods

Trade or Special Interest Publication

• 1st Place: Embrace Magazine – John Sotomayor & Joe DeLeon, Embrace — The Arts Issue
• 2nd Place: Extensive Enterprises – Peter Scorsch, Christy Jennings, Rosanne Dunkelberger & Staff, INFLUENCE Magazine
• 3rd Place: The Real Deal – Stuart Elliott, July 2021 Issue

Cover Design

• 1st Place: Winter Park Magazine – Cynthia Edmonds, PARK VENEUE CAFE
• 2nd Place: Embrace Magazine – Staff, Embrace Cover Collection
• 3rd Place: Flamingo Magazine – Staff, 2021 Covers

Inside Design

• 1st Place: Embrace Magazine – Staff, Embrace Design Collection
• 2nd Place: Winter Park Magazine – Carolyn Edmonds, MISTER ROGERS, FRED STONE, ROYAL DANCE HISTORY
• 3rd Place: Sarasota Magazine – Gigi Ortwein, The Invaders (spread), Night of the Python (spread), Nice Slice Baby

Best Single Issue

• 1st Place: Hatter Network – Staff, Issue 2-Fall 2021
• 2nd Place: Flamingo Magazine – Staff, Explore Issue – Fall/Winter 2021
• 3rd Place: Embrace Magazine – John Sotomayor & Jamie Mark, Embrace — The Advocacy Issue

TELEVISION

Best Newscast

• 1st Place: WINK News – Robert Garon, WINK newscast
• 2nd Place: WMBB-TV – Staff, News 13 at 6:00
• 3rd Place: WJHG – Staff, NewsChannel 7 @ 11 a.m.

Investigative Reporting – Single Report

• 1st Place: WPTV – David Bohman & John Pacenti, Go Dead
• 2nd Place: SNN, the Suncoast News Network – Cynthia McLaughlin, Siesta Key Scammer Returns
• 3rd Place: WMBB-TV – Anna Hoffman, Bay County Jail Overcrowding

Investigative Reporting – Series

• 1st Place: 10 Tampa Bay – Lauren Powell, Jennifer Titus, Excessive: Investigating Use of Force cases in Florida
• 2nd Place: WFTS-TV – Katie LaGrone & Matthew Apthorp, Unaccompanied & Unwanted in FL
• 3rd Place: WFTS/ABC Action News – Adam Walser, Kylie McGivern, Matt McGlashen & Melanie Payne, Crisis in Corrections

Spot News Reporting

• 1st Place: SNN, The Suncoast News Network – Annette Gutierrez, Emma Sears & Cynthia McLaughlin, Unraveling the Mystery of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie
• 2nd Place: WMBB-TV – Staff, Panhandle Tornadoes
• 3rd Place: SNN, the Suncoast News Network – Annette Gutierrez & Craig Burdick, Sarasota People Protest for Cuba

Breaking News

• 1st Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Josh Rojas, Eddie Jackson, Holly Gregory & Dana Lenseth, Tampa Bay Cuba Protests
• 2nd Place: Spectrum News 13 – Staff, Shooting of Daytona Beach Police Officer
• 3rd Place: WTVJ NBC 6 – Constance Jones, Surfside Condominium Collapse

General Assignment Report

• 1st Place: WMBB-TV – Erika Orstad, Amy’s Auction
• 2nd Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Cait McVey, Amanda Salvucci, A Sweet Reward
• 3rd Place: WMBB-TV – Tess Rowland, Coconut Creek Tragedy

Special Reporting

• 1st Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Erin Murray & Adam Vance, The Slow Death
• 2nd Place: Spectrum News 13 – Molly Duerig & Michael Wash Jr., Affordable Housing News Series
• 3rd Place: WINK News – Richard Kolko, Erik Randlov & Drew Hill, US Customs and Border Protection confronts security threats, protects SWFL’s air and sea borders

Environment, Science & Technology Reporting

• 1st Place: WFTS/ABC Action News – Kylie McGivern, Randy Wright, Melanie Payne, Locked Out: Race, gender and flawed technology in the unemployment system
• 2nd Place: WMBB-TV – Grace Thornton, Jet Setting Sea Turtles

Health Reporting

• 1st Place: 10 Tampa Bay – Emerald Morrow, Gene Yagle & Dennis Hollingsworth, Hope For A Child
• 2nd Place: WSCV – Telemundo 51 – Jany Gonzalez, Mastectomía profilactica
• 3rd Place: WMBB-TV – Emily McLeod, Family Travels to Iowa for Procedure

Light Feature Reporting

• 1st Place: WFTS-TV – Katie LaGrone & Matthew Apthorp, Finding His Voice
• 2nd Place: WSVN-TV – Karen Hensel, Daniel Cohen, Tony Miller & Shereen Cadien, Back on Track
• 3rd Place: Suncoast News Network – Marco La Manno, Stuck at home, this parrot’s voice soars worldwide

Serious Feature Reporting

• 1st Place: 10 Tampa Bay – Emerald Morrow, Substituting Education
• 2nd Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Cait McVey, Amanda Salvucci, COVID-19: A Year in Lockdown
• 3rd Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Erin Murray & Tim Kania, Iron Will, Yielding Body

Sports Reporting

• 1st Place: WFTS-TV – Kyle Burger, “Pop Warner Super Bowl for Bruce”
• 2nd Place: WMBB-TV – Sam Granville, Arnold Softball Player
• 3rd Place: SNN, the Suncoast News Network – Annette Gutierrez, Sarasota Skateboarder Headed to Olympics

Weather Reporting

• 1st Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Mike Clay & Nick Merianos, Tampa Bay Tornadoes
• 2nd Place: WMBB-TV – Staff, Panhandle Tornadoes
• 3rd Place: Spectrum News 13 – Staff, Hurricane Ready

Best Non-Newscast Program

• 1st Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Victoria Rajkumar, Holly Gregory, Melissa Walpole & Jeff Joiner, Political Connections: Florida’s Special Legislative Session
• 2nd Place: Spectrum Bay News 9 – Cait McVey, Amanda Salvucci, Climate Change: Our New Normal
• 3rd Place: Spectrum News 13 – Staff, Uneven Odds: Chasing the American Dream

Continuing Coverage or Series

• 1st Place: WFTS/ABC Action News – Kylie McGivern, Jackie Callaway, Matt McGlashen, Randy Wright, In the Shadow of the Super Bowl: Sex Trafficking in Tampa Bay
• 2nd Place: Florida Public Media – Jessica Bakeman, Denise Royal & Staff, Class of COVID-19 television packages
• 3rd Place: WPLG – Christina Boomer Vazquez, Surfside: Champlain Towers South Collapse

RADIO

Best Newscast

• 1st Place: WUSF Public Media – Lisa Peakes, Mark Schreiner, All Things Considered Newscast, Aug. 6, 2021
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Christine DiMattei, Christine DiMattei WLRN News Morning Anchor
• 3rd Place: WUFT News – Meleah Lyden, The Point Newscast 10-26-2021

General Coverage

• 1st Place: WUSF Public Media – Steve Newborn, Florida Phosphate Dangers
• 2nd Place: WFSU-FM – Valerie Crowder, Three years after Hurricane Michael, more work is needed before Bay County fully recovers

Investigative Reporting

• 1st Place: WFSU-FM – Robbie Gaffney, Former FSU Professor Faces Allegations Of Sexual Misconduct, Allowed To Retire Amid Investigation
• 2nd Place: WUFT News – Sky Lebron, Dylan Klempner, Gainesville City Leaders Make A Push To Help Black Families Hold Onto Their Property
• 3rd Place: WUSF Public Media – Kerry Sheridan, Finding the Lost Children of Migrant Farmworkers

Government & Politics Reporting

• 1st Place: WLRN News – Staff & Merritt Jacob, Selections From WLRN’s Tallahassee Takeover
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Danny Rivero, Right to Protest Legislation
• 3rd Place: WMFE-FM – Nicole Darden Creston, Robert Costa delves into the aftermath of the January 6th insurrection in “Peril”

Serious Feature Reporting

• 1st Place: WUSF Public Media – Steve Newborn, What Mosaic Is Doing With Its ‘Gypstack’ To Prevent Another Piney Point Disaster
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Jenny Staletovich, In A Time Of ‘Exponential Everything’ Florida’s Old Planning Laws Could Help Fight Climate Change

Light Feature Reporting

• 1st Place: WMFE-FM – Nicole Darden Creston, Lighting up the neighborhood: Two Orlando families make their street a winter wonderland
• 2nd Place: WUSF Public Media – Cathy Carter, Preserving Coastal Habitats Can Mitigate The Impacts Of Climate Change
• 3rd Place: WFSU-FM – Gina Jordan, Lemurs And Other Exotic Animals Promote Conservation In North Florida

Public Affairs

• 1st Place: WLRN & WJCT – Tom Hudson, Melissa Ross, WLRN Staff & WJCT Staff, The Florida Roundup: Classes Set To Resume As Mask Debate Continues, COVID-19 Cases And Hospitalizations Intensify
• 2nd Place: Florida Public Media – Jessica Bakeman & Staff, Class of COVID-19: An Education Crisis for Florida’s Vulnerable Students
• 3rd Place: WLRN News’ Sundial – Luis Hernandez, Leslie Ovalle, Sundial: Miami leaders to vote on homeless law, Dixie Manor residents fear displacement, and The Vampire Circus

Environment, Science & Technology Reporting

• 1st Place: WUSF Public Media – Jessica Meszaros, Toxic Bus Tour Highlights Energy Inequality
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Jenny Staletovich, Fighting Back: The Struggle To Save Wildlife
• 3rd Place: WFSU-FM – Regan McCarthy, Lake Jackson Is Draining. Experts Say It’s A Good Thing

Health Reporting

• 1st Place: WUSF Public Media – Stephanie Colombini, Kerry Sheridan & Julio Ochoa, Unequal Shots
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Veronica Zaragovia, COVID-19 Survivor: ‘Corona Is Real. It’s Not A Myth’

Best Use of Sound

• 1st Place: WMFE-FM – Rick Brunson, Angels in the Crosswalk
• 2nd Place: WUSF Public Media – Steve Newborn, Once Nearly Extinct, The Florida Panther Is Making A Comeback
• 3rd Place: WLRN News – Caitie Munoz, Merritt Jacob, For Survivors Of Trauma At School, Pandemic Is One More Disruption

Continuing Coverage or Series

• 1st Place: Florida Public Media – Jessica Bakeman & Staff, Class of COVID-19 radio series
• 2nd Place: WUFT News – Sky Lebron, Rural Broadband Series
• 3rd Place: WUSF Public Media – Stephanie Colombini, COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

Education Reporting

• 1st Place: WUSF Public Media – Kerry Sheridan, A Florida Farmworker Talks About Why He Took His Teen Daughter To Work In Fields
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Jessica Bakeman, Selections From WLRN’s Education Coverage
• 3rd Place: WFSU-FM – Lynn Hatter, Florida school boards are under fire over COVID, race policies

Arts Reporting

• 1st Place: WFSU-FM – Gina Jordan, Theatres Reopen After Pandemic Shutdowns Collection
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Christine DiMattei, Intermission

DIGITAL

News Website (Small Newsroom)

• 1st Place: Florida Public Media – Patricia Moynihan, Jessica Bakeman & Staff, Class of COVID-19 website
• 2nd Place: Sarasota Magazine – Staff, com
• 3rd Place: Florida Politics – Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann & Staff, com Website

Multimedia Feature

• 1st Place: WKMG-TV – Donovan Myrie, Solutionaries: Policing 2.0
• 2nd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Staff, Map: Explore Central Florida’s Black history
• 3rd Place: WLRN News – Jessica Bakeman, Wilkine Brutus, Danny Rivero & Staff, Bored, Distracted, Unmotivated: South Florida Students Share About Their COVID-19 School Years

Online Package

• 1st Place: Univision News Digital – Staff, Expelled to Mexico: The crisis of a City forced to deal with migrants sent back by the US
• 2nd Place: Univision News Digital – Patricia Clarembaux, Andrea Patiño Contreras, Federica Narancio & Jeremiah O. Rhodes, George Floyd: A Community Leader
• 3rd Place: Florida Public Media – Jessica Bakeman, Patricia Moynihan, Katie Lepri Cohen & Staff, Class of COVID-19: An Education Crisis for Florida’s Vulnerable Students

Infographics & Data Visualization

• 1st Place: The Tributary – Andrew Pantazi, Who lives in Florida? Exploring Florida’s Diversity and Segregation
• 2nd Place: WKMG-TV – Donovan Myrie, Fatal School Shootings
• 3rd Place: Univision News Digital – Patricia Vélez, Alvin Báez, Ana Elena Azpúrua & Javier Figueroa, After Femicides: Families In Puerto Rico Left To Grieve Alone

Online Video – Up to 3 Minutes

• 1st Place: The News-Press & Naples Daily News – Amanda Inscore Whittamore, Amanda Inscore Whittamore Collection
• 2nd Place: Miami Herald – José A. Iglesias, In addition to shelter, Haiti earthquake victims need psychological help, pastor says
• 3rd Place: Univision News Digital – Leomar Córdova, Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, ¿Cómo se llegó al asalto al Capitolio de Washington?

Online Video – 3 Minutes or Longer

• 1st Place: Miami Herald – Emily Michot, Surfside condo collapse: What we’ll remember
• 2nd Place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Arlene Borenstein, Carline Jean, Mike Stocker & John McCall, Haunted Halloween: Fright Nights returns ‘more rabid than ever’ | Let’s Go, South Florida
• 3rd Place: Orlando Sentinel – Rich Pope, Greetings from…

Podcast

• 1st Place: WLRN News – Staff & Merritt Jacob, Tallahassee Takeover
• 2nd Place: Spectrum News 13 – Gary Darling, Ybeth Bruzual & Greg Angel, Central Florida Beyond the Soundbite
• 3rd Place: WUSF Public Media – Dalia Colon, Andrew Lucas, The Zest Podcast

Blog Writing

• 1st Place: BrowardBeer.com – Joe Pye, Joe Pye Collection

New Media Engagement

• 1st Place: WPLG – Christina Boomer Vazquez, Digital Deep Dives
• 2nd Place: Florida Times-Union – Emily Bloch, How the Florida Times-Union used Instagram to connect with a younger, more diverse audience
• 3rd Place: WFLA-TV – JB Biunno, Disappearance of Gabby Petito: Confronting the Conspiracies

Newsletter

• 1st Place: Florida Public Media – Jessica Bakeman, Katie Lepri Cohen & Staff, Class of COVID-19 newsletter
• 2nd Place: South Florida Gay News – Kim Swan, The Islander: A Wilton Manors Newsletter
• 3rd Place: The Tributary – Andrew Pantazi, Changing Florida

SPANISH LANGUAGE

Mejor trabajo de investigación en televisión/radio

• 1st Place: WTMO – Telemundo 31 – Valezka Gil- Wester, Raúl Díaz, Carmen Rodríguez & Staff, Florida residents contacted Telemundo Responde units alleging they got scammed by the same company

Mejor trabajo de investigación en prensa escrita/digital

• 1st Place: Univision News Digital – Isaías Alvarado Ramírez, Gerardo Reyes, Peniley Ramírez & Ahtziri Cárdenas Camarena, Especial Luz del Mundo
• 2nd Place: El Sentinel Orlando – Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio & Ingrid Cotto, Series on Pulse 5-year remembrance Pulse reveló la importancia de ser bilingüe y diversos en Orlando

Mejor reportaje especial (features) en televisión/radio/video/podcast

• 1st Place: WLTV – Univision 23 – Sandra Peebles, Amanda Mariscal & Randy Garcia, Mar de Plastico
• 2nd Place: WTMO – Telemundo 31 – Arnulfo Peralta Solis, Ni de aquí, ni de allá
• 3rd Place: WTMO – Telemundo 31 – Arnulfo Peralta, Ramón Cintrón & Alberto Alvarez, “Quiero ser yo”

Mejor reportaje especial en prensa escrita/medio digital

• 1st Place: Univision News Digital – Patricia Vélez, Alvin Báez, Ana Elena Azpúrua & Javier Figueroa, El dolor de los que se quedan
• 2nd Place: Univision News Digital – Staff, El líder que fue George Floyd en su barrio
• 3rd Place: Univision News Digital – Staff, Al borde del desalojo: la lucha de las mujeres hispanas y negras por no perder sus hogares

Mejor cobertura de noticias de última hora (breaking news) en televisión/radio/digital

• 1st Place: Univision News Digital – David Adams, Colección – Asesinato de Jovenel Moïse
• 2nd Place: WSCV – Telemundo 51 – Alexis Boentes & Oseami Palazuelos, Las historias tras el colapso
• 3rd Place: El Sentinel Orlando – Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Series on Cuban protests (Serie sobre protestas de cubanos en Orlando)

Periodista del año en televisión/radio

• 1st Place: WSCV – Telemundo 51 – Miguel Santiesteban, Miguel Santiesteban Collection
• 2nd Place: WSCV – Telemundo 51 – Alexis Boentes, Alexis Boentes On Air
• 3rd Place: WTMO – Telemundo 31 – Arnulfo Peralta Solis, Arnulfo Peralta Collection

Periodista del año en prensa escrita/digital

• 1st Place: Univision News Digital – Patricia Vélez Santiago, Patricia Vélez Colección Historias
• 2nd Place: Univision News Digital – Jorge Cancino, Jorge Cancino Colección Historias
• 3rd Place: Univision News Digital – Carlos Chirinos, Carlos Chirinos Colección Historias

Mejor infografía y/o visualización de dato

• 1st Place: Univision News Digital – Ana Elena Azpúrua & Javier Figueroa, Muertes por armas de fuego en EEUU: estos gráficos te muestran cómo se compara con otros países
• 2nd Place: Univision News Digital – Ana Elena Azpúrua & Javier Figueroa, Más riesgo de hospitalización y muerte, pero menos vacunas: la brecha de los hispanos en la pandemia

Mejor cobertura de desastres naturales en televisión/radio/video

• 1st Place: WSCV – Telemundo 51 – Alexis Boentes, Alexis Sanchez & Menfis Marmolejos, Los cayos bajo amenaza de tormentas

Mejor cobertura de desastres naturales en prensa escrita/digital

• 1st Place: El Sentinel Orlando – Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Ginayra Alvarado Villegas, Daniela Vivas Labrador, Series of stories about Hurricane Maria, four years later (Serie de historias sobre el huracán María, cuatro años después)

Mejor trabajo estudiantil (todo tipo de medios)

1st Place: South Florida Media Network/FIU – Valentina Palm, El Secreto sucio de Miami Beach

COLLEGE

College Journalist of the Year

• Winner: Meleah Lyden, University of Florida
• Finalist: Liam Fabre, University of Miami
• Finalist: Mia Uzzell, Florida A&M University

Adviser of the Year

• Winner: Ted Bridis, University of Florida
• Finalist: Jay Lawrence, University of South Florida

Best Student Publication

• 1st Place: PantherNOW – Staff, PantherNOW Fall Print Edition
• 2nd Place: FSView & Florida Flambeau – Staff, FSView Publications, 2021 Collection
• 3rd Place: Distraction Magazine – Staff, Distraction 2021-2022

Best Broadcast Outlet

• 1st Place: PantherNOW – Staff, The Roar
• 2nd Place: Inside Swoop – UNF School of Communication – Professor Ken Thomas, “Inside Swoop in 90 & Beyond”

Best Website

• 1st Place: PantherNOW – Staff, com
• 2nd Place: The Miami Hurricane – Staff, The Miami Hurricane Website
• 3rd Place: Flagler College Gargoyle – Staff, Flagler College Gargoyle

Best News Story

• 1st Place: Fresh Take Florida – University of Florida College of Journalism & Communications – Corbin Bolies, “Felon who won GOP congressional primary never applied for right to hold political office”
• 2nd Place: Fresh Take Florida – University of Florida College of Journalism & Communications – Tristan Wood, “FSU determines three professors guilty of sexual misconduct with students”
• 3rd Place: South Florida Media Network/FIU – Valentina Palm, Miami Beach’s Dirty Little Secret

Best News Photo

• 1st Place: PantherNOW – Julian Davis, FIU’s annual Walk on Water
• 2nd Place: The Miami Hurricane – Josh Halper, Homecoming Fireworks

Best Profile

• 1st Place: South Florida Media Network/FIU – Gabriella Genao, El Caballero de Santiago
• 2nd Place: Distraction Magazine – Emmalyse Brownstein, Billy Corben: Miami Man
• 3rd Place: The Oracle – Angela Cordoba Perez, ‘Proxy Momma’ cooks up kindness for students away from home

Best Review

• 1st Place: FSView & Florida Flambeau – Benjamin Taubman, Licorice Pizza’: A nostalgic and charismatic coming-of-age story
• 2nd Place: PantherNOW – Natalie La Roche, FIU Theater’s Blazing Production of “Fahrenheit 451”
• 3rd Place: The Crow’s Nest – Aubrey Carr, ‘Spencer’ is a visceral portrayal of royalty, but not for everyone

Best Serious Feature

• 1st Place: Fresh Take Florida – University of Florida College of Journalism & Communications – Elise Elder, “Former NYPD officers in Florida heralded by DeSantis include surprises”
• 2nd Place: Miami New Times – Alan Halaly & Natalia Galicza, Will Surfside Ever Be the Same? Residents Tell Their Small Town’s Story
• 3rd Place: Journey Magazine – Akilah Winters, Tally 19: The Enduring Trauma of Revolution

Best Light Feature

• 1st Place: South Florida Media Network/FIU – Aaliyah Pasols, She made Miami chongas famous. Now she’s the voice of Selena in the new Netflix series
• 2nd Place: WLRN News – Raquel Coronell Uribe, Miniature Pirate Ship’s Odyssey From Scotland To Miami’s Shores And Back
• 3rd Place: Flagler College Gargoyle – Wyatt Parks, L.A.N.T.-ing Change at Diversity and Inclusion Week

Best Sports Story

• 1st Place: PantherNOW – Jonathan Mayer, From JUCO Transfer to FIU Panther: The Story of Tyrese Chambers
• 2nd Place: The Miami Hurricane – Wyatt Kopelman, Springing globally: Gullstrand returns to UM following lifelong Olympic dream
• 3rd Place: The Oracle – Leda Alvim, Changing the game: Greg Wolf’s influence on fan experience

Best Sports Photo

• 1st Place: The Miami Hurricane – Josh Halper, Airborne
• 2nd Place: University Press – Eston Parker III, In Stride
• 3rd Place: PantherNOW – Liam Rooney, The FIU Men’s Soccer team celebrates

Best Opinion Column

• 1st Place: The Miami Hurricane – Baila Mudgil, Social media censorship, a threat to democracy
• 2nd Place: The Sandpsur – Zoe Pearson, Opinion: What to do when recycling isn’t an option
• 3rd Place: The Beacon Today – Haley Hartner, Where have all the moderates gone? Capitol attack highlights failing party system

Best Front Page Design

• 1st Place: Distraction Magazine – Keagan Larkins, 50th Issue
• 2nd Place: PantherNOW – Staff, Front Page September 2021
• 3rd Place: Distraction Magazine – Teagan Polizzi & Keagan Larkins, RetroVision

Best Inside Page Design

• 1st Place: Distraction Magazine – Maria Emilia Becerra, Off the Charts
• 2nd Place: Distraction Magazine – Keagan Larkins, Cane Records: Behind the Music
• 3rd Place: PantherNOW – Diego Diaz & Michael McEwen, COVID-19 in the Americas

Best Video

• 1st Place: The Beacon Today – Brenna Brown, Pandemic Pregnancy
• 2nd Place: PantherNOW – Valentina Palm, Hundreds of Maskless Students Crowd Greek Life Party

Best Multimedia Feature

• 1st Place: PantherNOW – Jordan Coll, Remembering the Life of Jerry Wright

Best Coverage of LGBT Issues

• 1st Place: South Florida Media Network/FIU – Ursula Muñoz Schaefer, Dabney Richards & Vanessa Sanchez, Transgender murders plague Puerto Rico (includes video story)
• 2nd Place: Distraction Magazine – Kylea Henseler, Bring the Haus Down
• 3rd Place: PantherNOW – Jesse Fraga, Transgender Military Ban Repeal Saved an FIU Student’s Dreams

Best Coverage of Race & Underrepresented Communities

• 1st Place: WUCF – Julianne Amaya, Lillian Hernandez Caraballo & Staff, The Road to Freedom Avenue: The Legacy of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore
• 2nd Place: WUFT News – MacKenzie DiLeo, Porters Community Residents Are Growing Tired Of Noise And Dust Coming From Neighboring Cement Companies
• 3rd Place: Fresh Take Florida – University of Florida College of Journalism & Communications – Hope Dean, “Florida Black Man Shot By White Officer In 2001 Still Waiting On Payout From His City”

Best COVID-19 Coverage

• 1st Place: Fresh Take Florida – University of Florida College of Journalism & Communications – Elisabell Velazquez, “Florida’s college football stadiums have been packed, but so far no apparent pandemic outbreaks”
• 2nd Place: South Florida Media Network/FIU – Elizabeth Garcia & Helen Acevedo, South Florida immigrants struggle to access COVID-19 vaccine
• 3rd Place: Journey Magazine – Mia Uzzell, Florida College Students Wary of In-Person Instruction Amid Omicron Surge

HIGH SCHOOL

High School Journalist of the Year

• • Winner: Emanuel Naccarato, Christopher Columbus High School