WAER News, Sports & Online Efforts Draw 10 Syracuse Press Awards

WAER’s “City Limits: A Poverty Project” was recognized for two awards at the Syracuse Press Club awards announced this past weekend. The website, citylimitsproject.org took top honors for the online journalism news website category. The panel discussion on “Poverty and Education” was named Top Radio Special Program.

News and Sports coverage took other honors as well, including Best Spot News Coverage, Best Human Interest Feature Story, Best Sports Story and Best Sports Show.

The “City Limits” website contains all the reporting for the year-long poverty initiative, as well as audio of panel discussions that occurred on air on poverty, how education is impacted, and poverty and the criminal justice system.

WAER’s Maura Sheridan took top honors in the Best Sports Story competition for her story “Paving the Road.”

(Hear All WAER Sports Winners Here)

Meredith Kava took second place in the category for “From the Marines to the Syracuse Sidelines.”

The WAER sports staff was also honored for Best Sports Show. “Countdown to Tipoff,” Syracuse v. Kansas pregame, won first place. The show included contributions from many staff members, including Sean Salisbury, Evan Stockton, Jake Marsh and Maura Sheridan.

“Countdown to Kickoff,” pregame for Syracuse v. Clemson football, took second place in the category. Again, many people contribute to the broadcasts; this one was led by Salisbury, Stockton, Noah Eagle and Tyler Aki.

WAER coverage of the Syracuse Climate March was named Best Spot News Story. The story, “Syracuse Climate March Attracts 1000 for Climate Actions & against Trump Policies” by News Director Chris Bolt, chronicled the event in April 2017, which was part of a national day of actions around the issue.

Bolt was also honored for Best Human Interest Feature, along with Tom Honan of Live Space Entertainment for “Songwriter Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell’s Family Remember his Music & Struggle with Alzheimer’s.” The story previewed a performance by Webb in Syracuse and included interviews with Campell’s wife, Kim, and daughter Ashley.

The story “WAER Takes EV on the Road: Can Long Range All-Electric Fit Your Lifestyle?” won second place in the category. Bolt told the story of a week-long test drive in the all-electric vehicle, including the realities of driving and getting it charged.

The Black History Month Series “Central New York Unknown Underground” was named second place in the Best Radio Special Program category. The stories, about the numerous area connections to the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery movement, included: “Jerry Rescue Facts, Slaves Hidden at Restaurant, Women’s Rights Abolitionist,” “New York Abolition Efforts, Douglass, Tubman, had Key Benefactor in CNY, who Many Don’t Know (about Gerrit Smith),” and “Syracuse Street Corner Should be Monument to Prominent Abolitionist (Jermain Loguen) and Underground Railroad History.”