COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Radio and television stations in Columbus, Toledo, Cleveland and Kent were named the best in the state Sunday in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors broadcast competition. General Excellence awards for 2015 went to WSYX/WTTE-TV in Columbus, WTVG in Toledo.
Twenty-three broadcasters submitted 296 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports and weather reporting as well as features, documentaries and photography from 2015.
Entries were judged by broadcasters from WLUC-TV, Negaunee, Michigan and WJFW-TV, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Television II; and KDKA, Pittsburgh and WISH, Indianapolis, Television I.
Here is the list of winners:
Television I:
General Excellence: 1, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus; 2, WBNS-TV, Columbus.
Best Producer: 1, Jeremy Edwards, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus; 2, Darlene Montgomery, WCMH-TV, Columbus.
Best Anchor (News- Sports or Weather): 1, Bob Kendrick, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus; 2, Scott Light, WBNS-TV, Columbus.
Best Feature Reporting: 1, Marcus Nichols and Bryant Somerville, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “A Family’s Gift”; 2, Adam Slinger and Justin DePrekel, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, “Forgotten Photos.”
Best Broadcast Writing: 1, Kevin Landers, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “Pinball Wizard”; 2, Adam Slinger, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus.
Best Photographer: 1, Marcus Nichols, WBNS-TV, Columbus; 2, Justin DePrekel, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus.
Best Reporter: 1, Kevin Landers, WBNS-TV, Columbus; 2, Bryant Somerville, WBNS-TV, Columbus.
Best Sportscast: 1, Jerod Smalley and Matt Barnes, WCMH-TV, Columbus; 2, Paul Spohn and Shawn Dunagan, WBNS-TV, Columbus.
Best Sports Feature: 1, Dave Holmes and Dom Tiberi, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “It’s a Wonderful Life”; 2, Jerod Smalley, WCMH-TV, Columbus, “T.T.’s Turn.”
Best Use of Photography: 1, Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV, Cleveland, “The Volley of Fire”; 2, Andy Wallace and Bryant Somerville, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “Johnny Go’s House of Music.”
Best Documentary or Series: 1, Kristyn Hartman and Dave Schulte, WBNS-TV, Columbus, “High Stakes”; 2, Colleen Marshall and Jennifer Kiser, WCMH-TV, Columbus, “I Want to Go Home … A Journey Through Alzheimer’s.”
Best Coverage of a Scheduled Event: 1, Brooks Jarosz and Ben Frecker, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, “Commissioners’ Power Struggle”; 2, WCMH-TV, Columbus, “Football Friday Nite Morning Kickoff.”
Best Spot News Coverage: 1, WCMH-TV, Columbus, “Pallet Fire”; 2, WCMH-TV, Columbus, “House Explosion.”
Best Continuing Coverage: 1, Michael Baldwin and Marita Matray, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, “The Flasher”; 2, Tara Morgan and Justin DePrekel, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, “Hooked on Heroin.”
Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, Duane Pohlman and Jon Edwards, WCMH-TV, Columbus, “Rocky Mountain High”; 2, Kurt Ludlow and Justin DePrekel, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, “Brian’s Story.”
Best Investigative Reporting: 1, Brooks Jarosz and Drew Jones, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, “Hanging Hazard”; 2, Tom Sussi and Matt Spurrier, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, “Panhandling Phonies.”
Best Newscast: 1, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus; 2, WCMH-TV, Columbus. Best Weathercast: 1, Bill Kelly, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus; 2, Dave Mazza, WCMH-TV, Columbus.
Best Digital Presence: 1, WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus; 2, WCMH-TV, Columbus
Television II
General Excellence: 1, WTVG, Toledo; 2, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown.
Best Anchor (News, Sports or Weather): 1, Bill Hormann, WTVG, Toledo; 2, Kristi Leigh, WNWO-TV, Toledo.
Best Feature Reporting: 1, James Brown and Byron Stirsman, WHIO-TV, Dayton, “Making a Difference: Paying it Forward With Eggs”; 2, Lauren Lindvig and Patrick Connelly, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “How It’s Made.”
Best Broadcast Writing: 1, Tony Geftos, WTVG, Toledo, “Two Personal Stories”; 2, Michelle Nicks and Samuel Easton, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “Seals Training.”
Best Photographer: 1, Robert Meluch, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown; 2, Kevin Beining, WTVG, Toledo.
Best Reporter: 1, Mike Holden, WTOL-TV, Toledo; 2, Derek Steyer, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown.
Best Sportscast: 1, WTVG, Toledo; 2, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown. Best Sports Feature: 1, Alex Glaze, WNWO-TV, Toledo, “Playing for Pops.”
Best Use of Photography : 1, Robert Meluch, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown; 2, Todd Gaertner, WTVG, Toledo, “The Great Lakes Coast Guard.”
Best Documentary or Series: 1, Becky Grimes and Byron Stirsman, WHIO-TV, Dayton, “Miami Valley Murder Mysteries”; 2, Kevin Beining and Lissa Guyton, WTVG, Toledo, “Killer Concerns.”
Best Coverage of a Scheduled Event: 1, WTVG, Toledo, “2015 Mayoral Election”; 2, Sheila Miller, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “OSU National Championship.”
Best Spot News Coverage: 1, WTVG, Toledo, “The Death of Toledo’s Mayor”; 2, Tony Geftos and Alexis Means, WTVG, Toledo, “Woman Killed During Gun Battle with Police.”
Best Continuing Coverage: 1, Christina Williams, WTVG, Toledo, “Absentee Owner Outrage”; 2, Jim Otte, WHIO-TV, Dayton, “Issue 3: Legalizing Marijuana in Ohio?
Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, Lissa Guyton and Todd Gaertner, WTVG, Toledo, “Edmund Fitzgerald 40th Anniversary”; 2, Kristi Leigh and Nicole Hahn, WNWO-TV, Toledo, “Drunk on Hand Sanitizer.”
Best Investigative Reporting: 1, Janet Rogers and Michael Petrucci, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “Triple Fatal Fire”; 2, Amanda Smith, WKBN/WYTV-TV, Youngstown, “Mill Creek Park Water.”
Best Newscast: 1, Stan Boney, WKBN/WYTV-TV, Youngstown; 2, WTVG, Toledo
Best Weathercast: 1, WTVG, Toledo; 2, Rich Wirdzek and McCall Vrydaghs, WHIO-TV, Dayton.
Best Digital Presence: 1, WHIO-TV, Dayton; 2, WTVG, Toledo.