Finalists for 2021 Sunshine State Awards Announced
SPJ Florida is proud to announce the finalists of the 27th Annual Sunshine State Awards, recognizing the best of the state’s journalism from the 2020 calendar year. The winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 7.
James Batten Award for Public Service
- Florida Today – Staff, Collection: The last conscious moments of Gregory Lloyd Edwards
- Univision News Digital – Staff, Univision News Digital Projects
- USA Today Network – Pat Beall, Daphne Chen, Suzanne Hirt, Josh Salman, Torn Apart
Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting
- South Florida Sun Sentinel – Megan O’Matz, Brittany Wallman, John Maines, Aric Chokey, Everyone’s on I-95, but the police
- Tampa Bay Times – Kathleen McGrory, Neil Bedi, Targeted
- WFTS-TV – Adam Walser, Randy Wright, Melanie Payne, “The Price of Protection…Guardianship Abuse Continues”
NABJ South Florida Diversity Award
- Embrace Magazine – John Sotomayor, “LGBTQ Heroes Series”
- Miami Herald – Jacqueline Charles, Haiti Earthquake: A decade of aftershocks and unkept promises
- TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers – Lindsey Leake, Lindsey Leake collection
Barbara A. Petersen Freedom of Information Award
- Florida Today – Bobby Block, Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon, Mara Bellaby, The struggle to learn what happened to Gregory Lloyd Edwards
- Tampa Bay Times – Kathleen McGrory, Neil Bedi, Targeted
- USA TODAY Network – Florida – Staff, “Will Your Vote Count” launch package
Journalist of the Year
- Miami Herald – Sarah Blaskey, Sarah Blaskey Collection
- Miami Herald – Taylor Dolven, Stranded at Sea
- South Florida Sun Sentinel – Scott Travis, Scott Travis – Education watchdog
Anchor of the Year
- 10 Tampa Bay – Allison Kropff, Allison Kropff – Anchor
- WLRN – Christine DiMattei, Christine DiMattei, WLRN Morning News Anchor
Periodista del año en televisión/radio
- Telemundo 51 – Alexis Boentes, Alexis Boentes on air
- Univision 23 Miami – Rayne Anciani, Coberturas de Rayne Anciani 2020
Photojournalist of the Year
- Spectrum News Florida Bay News 9 – Timothy F. Kania, Timothy F. Kania Photography Composite
- Tallahassee Democrat – Alicia Devine, Alicia Devine Collection
- WFTS – Tampa – Matthew Apthorp, Matthew Apthorp – Photojournalist
Outstanding New Journalist
- El Nuevo Herald – Ana Claudia Chacin, Ana Claudia Chacin Collection
- Miami Herald – Shirsho Dasgupta, Shirsho Dasgupta: Portfolio
- Miami New Times – Joshua Ceballos, Joshua Ceballos collection
Editor of the Year
- Florida Trend – Mark R. Howard, Editor of the Year
- Miami Herald – Amy Driscoll, Amy Driscoll Collection
- WLRN – Terence Shepherd, Terence Shepherd, News Director
College Journalist of the Year
- Journey – Aiyana Ishmael, Aiyana Ishmael Collection
- The Miami Hurricane – Naomi Feinstein, Naomi Feinstein Collection
- WUFT – Taylor Levesque, Taylor Levesque
Adviser of the Year
- WUFT News/University of Florida – Harrison Hove, Harrison Hove, Adviser of the Year
High School Journalist of the Year
- Neo Gaitan, Christopher Columbus High School, Miami