TV POY 2011

Ghabari, Bradford win ONPA television POY titles

Two photographers who are no strangers to having a POY title linked to their name, have once again been recognized as Ohio News Photographers Association Photographers of the Year. Ali Ghanbari and David Bradford, who both work at WJW-TV in Cleveland, won top honors for their work in 2011. Ghanbari won the year-end contest and Bradford the quarterly clip contest title. The two photographers each have won nine POY titles in their careers.

Ghanbari won as he usually does with consistent work placing in every category in the contest and also winning Best of Show for his entry Walking With the Unknown, a news feature about those who stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. Ghanbari won the POY title for his work in 2010 and now has eight year-end POY titles to go with one clip title won in 2000.

There was a tie for second place in the contest between Kris Sproles from WDTN-TV in Dayton and Bradford, each having 27 points, trailing Ghabari’s 45 points. For Bradford it is the third time he has been runner-up in the contest which he has won three times.

Photographer of the Year
1st – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland – 45 points
2nd (tie) – Kris Sproles, WDTN-TV, Dayton – 27 points
2nd (tie) – David Bradford, WJW-TV, Cleveland – 27 points

Best of Show
Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Walking With Unknown”

Spot News
1st – Scott Doelling, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “Building Collapse”
2nd – Kris Sproles, WDTN-TV, Dayton, “Crazy Crash”
3rd – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Storm Damage”

General News
1st – David Bradford, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Let’s Roll”
2nd – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Mail Safety, Snow and Ice”
3rd – Anthony Mirones, WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, “Pick Up America”

News Feature
1st – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Walking With Unknown”
2nd – David Bradford, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Trick or Treat Test”
3rd – Jeff Ritter, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “Back to School Gadgets”

Sports
1st – Kris Sproles, WDTN-TV, Dayton, “Veteran Sprint to DC”
2nd – David Bradford, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Time to Bond”
3rd – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Lingerie Football”

In-Depth/Series
1st – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Courage to Heal”
2nd – Anthony Mirones, WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, “Dream Home, Sad Reality”
3rd – Annette Lawless, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Breast Cancer Awareness”

Personality Profile
1st – Chris Reece, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Vince Got His Groove Back”
2nd – Kris Sproles, WDTN-TV, Dayton, “American Hero Jesse Snow”
3rd – Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “Doing The Most Good”

Contest judged at WHO-TV, Des Moines, Iowa