Winners announced in 2016 Kentucky AP Broadcasters Contest

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Winners in the Kentucky Associated Press Broadcasters competition recognizing the best in television and radio journalism in 2016 were announced Saturday.

The awards were announced in Lexington for both professional and college contests.

Twenty-five broadcast organizations and five Kentucky colleges and universities submitted 531 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports, and weather reporting as well as feature, investigative, public interest reporting, photography, video, and website categories.

The AP is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.

A complete winners list with judges’ comments is posted at https://discover.ap.org/contests/kentucky-broadcast

TV DIVISION ONE (Louisville, Lexington):

Best Feature Reporting: 1, Scott Eckhardt and Eric King, WLKY-TV, “Abby’s Gift”; 2, Natalia Martinez and Miles Jackson, WAVE-TV, “Yankee for a Day”; 3, Gil Corsey and Dominik Fuhrmann, WDRB-TV, “Remember Me.”

Best Breaking News: 1, WAVE-TV, “Muhammad Ali Death”; 2, Rick Van Hoose and Bill DeReamer, WLKY-TV, “Police Chase”; 3, WKYT-TV, “Stockyard Fire.”

Best Sports Prep Show: 1, Kent Taylor, Kendrick Haskins and Brian Winner, WAVE-TV, “Touchdown Friday Night”; 2, Fred Cowgill and Natalie Grise, WLKY-TV, “WLKY High School Playbook”; 3, WKYT-TV, “WKYT Game Time.”

Best Sports Feature: 1, Lee K. Howard, WKYT-TV, “Lifesaving Fall: Gymnast Beats Brain Cancer”; 2, Josh Kidd and Chris Sutter, WDRB-TV, “Louisville TKO Boxing”; 3, Sterling Riggs and Josh Kidd, WDRB-TV, “Adaptive Rowing.”

Best Sports Special: 1, Dick Gabriel and Cameron Mills, WKYT-TV, “The Team: The 1996 National Champions”; 2, Fred Cowgill and Natalie Grise, WLKY-TV, “Muhammad Ali - Sports Saturday.”

Best Feature or Sports Videography: 1, Scott Eckhardt, WLKY-TV, “Old Friends Farm”; 2, Josh Kidd, WDRB-TV, “McAlpine Locks and Dam”; 3, Lee K. Howard, WKYT-TV, “Lifesaving Fall: Gymnast Beats Brain Cancer.”

Best News Videography: 1, Barton Bill, WKYT-TV, “UK Doctor vs UK Healthcare”; 2, Josh Kidd, WDRB-TV, “Louisville TKO Boxing.”

Best News Special or Documentary: 1, WAVE-TV, “Goodbye to the Greatest”; 2, Scott Eckhardt and Eric King, WLKY-TV, “Bourbon Boom.”

Best Special Series: 1, Sterling Riggs and Doug Smith, WDRB-TV, “What’s in the Water?”; 2, WLKY News Team, WLKY-TV, “War on Heroin”; 3, Valerie Chinn, Travis Ragsdale and Staff, WDRB-TV, “Confiscated Guns Used in Crimes Again.”

Best Public Affairs: 1, Julian Glover, WAVE-TV, “A Mother’s Last Hope”; 2, Miranda Combs and Barton Bill, WKYT-TV, “What’s in Your Water?”; 3, Miranda Combs and Barton Bill, WKYT-TV, “Natalie’s Place.”

Best Political Coverage: 1, Jennifer Keeney and Cara Catlett, WDRB-TV, “WDRB Election Night”; 2, Phil Pendleton, WKYT-TV, “Kentucky’s Campaign Kick-off”; 3, Bill Bryant, WKYT-TV, “Bill Bryant.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, John Boel, Jeff Knight and R.G. Dunlop, WAVE-TV, “Kentucky Constables: Untrained and Unaccountable”; 2, Miranda Combs and Barton Bill, WKYT-TV, “Kentucky’s Weigh Stations”; 3, Marcus Green, Lindsay Allen and Dominik Fuhrmann, WDRB-TV, “Promises Broken?.”

Best Investigative Reporting: 1, John Boel and Doug Druschke, WAVE-TV, “Undercover Block Watch”; 2, Miranda Combs and Barton Bill, WKYT-TV, “Kid Sheriff”; 3, Eric Flack and Jeff Knight, WAVE-TV, “Ali Funeral Ticket Scalping.”

Best Continuing Coverage: 1, WAVE-TV, “Taking Back Your Streets”; 2, WAVE-TV, “Muhammad Ali: Goodbye to the Greatest”; 3, Valerie Chinn, WDRB-TV, “Shepherdsville Mayor Scandal.”

Best Digital Coverage: 1, WKYT-TV; 2, WAVE-TV; 3, Melissa Ratliff, WLEX-TV.

Best News Promotion: 1, Nathan White, Wilfred Sieg and Paul Chaplin, WLKY-TV, “The Bourbon Boom”; 2, Dave Medley and Nancy Cox, WLEX-TV, “Home”; 3, Jamie Jaggers and Paul Chaplin, WLKY-TV, “Abby’s Gift.”

Best Daytime Newscast: 1, WLEX-TV, “LEX 18 News at Sunrise”; 2, Erin Austin and Cara Catlett, WDRB-TV, “WDRB News@11:30”; 3, WKYT-TV, “WKYT This Morning.”

Best Evening Newscast: 1, Zak Owens, Becca Gibson and Aaron Ellis, WAVE-TV, “WAVE 3 News Thanksgiving Day Shooting”; 2, WKYT-TV, “WKYT News at 6”; 3, Erin Gritton and WLKY News Team, WLKY-TV, “WLKY Evening News.”

Best Multimedia Reporter: 1, Garrett Wymer, WKYT-TV; 2, John Charlton, WHAS-TV; 3, Kasey Cunningham, WAVE-TV.

Best News Videographer: 1, Scott Eckhardt, WLKY-TV; 2, Josh Kidd, WDRB-TV; 3, Dominik Fuhrmann, WDRB-TV.

Best TV Editor: 1, Daniel Paxton, WAVE-TV; 2, Dave Medley, WLEX-TV; 3, Scott Eckhardt, WLKY-TV.

Best TV Producer: 1, Megan Short, WHAS-TV; 2, Jennifer Keeney, WDRB-TV; 3, Jessica Denson, WDRB-TV.

Best Weather Anchor: 1, Jim Caldwell, WKYT-TV; 2, Jeremy Kappell, WDRB-TV.

Best Sportscaster: 1, Whitney Harding, WHAS-TV; 2, Fred Cowgill, WLKY-TV; 3, Kent Taylor, WAVE-TV.

Best TV Reporter: 1, Rachel Collier, WDRB-TV; 2, William Joy, WAVE-TV; 3, Gilbert Corsey, WDRB-TV.

Best TV News Anchor: 1, Elizabeth Woolsey, WDRB-TV; 2, John Boel, WAVE-TV; 3, Sterling Riggs, WDRB-TV.

Best Overall Excellence: 1, WDRB-TV; 2, WLKY-TV; 3, WKYT-TV.

TV DIVISION TWO (Paducah, Bowling Green, Hazard):

Best Feature Reporting: 1, Caleb Noe, WYMT-TV, “Scars & Cars”; 2, Jake Boswell and Austin Albany, WBKO-TV, “Surviving a Shooting”; 3, Todd Faulkner and Mike Spissinger, WPSD-TV, “Shirley Petway Paying It Forward.”

Best Breaking News: 1, WPSD-TV, “Mayfield Tornado”; 2, Blake Stevens and Michael Bradford, WPSD-TV, “Metropolis Tornado.”

Best Sports Prep Show: 1, Josh McKinney, Jamie McCracken and Karli Bell, WYMT-TV, “Sports Overtime”; 2, WPSD-TV, “Gridiron Glory.”

Best Sports Feature: 1, Jamie McCracken, WYMT-TV, “Fishin’ Buddies”; 2, Sean Baute, WBKO-TV, “Sean Baute - Kicking Queen”; 3, Justin Beasley, WPSD-TV, “Melton Ready for Wheelchair Rugby Paralympics.”

Best Sports Special: 1, Jeff Bidwell, Adam Wells and Justin Beasley, WPSD-TV, “Racing to March”; 2, Josh McKinney, Jamie McCracken and Lauren Cash, WYMT-TV, “Sports Overtime: Year in Review.”

Best Feature or Sports Videography: 1, Mike Spissinger, WPSD-TV, “Pay It Forward”; 2, Jamie McCracken, WYMT-TV, “Fishin’ Buddies”; 3, Allison Rogers and Jarrett Eldridge, WYMT-TV, “Backroads: Mountain Motor Speedway.”

Best News Videography: 1, Mike Spissinger, WPSD-TV, “Paying It Forward.”

Best News Special or Documentary: 1, WYMT-TV, “Jordan Smith: From Harlan to Hollywood”; 2, WYMT-TV, “2016 Year in Review”; 3, Lyndsey Gough, Austin Albany and Jon Doss, WBKO-TV, “Remembering Morgan Violi.”

Best Special Series: 1, Angela Reighard, WYMT-TV, “Making a Marine”; 2, WPSD-TV, “Heroin’s Hold On US”; 3, Allison Rogers, Freddy Hunt and Jarrett Eldridge, WYMT-TV, “Backroads with Allison Rogers.”

Best Public Affairs: 1, Rachael Krause, WPSD-TV, “Breaking Windows to Show Dangers of Hot Cars”; 2, Angela Reighard, WYMT-TV, “Could Black Lung Benefits Be in Jeopardy?”; 3, Jacqueline Nie and Austin Albany, WBKO-TV, “Special Report: Women’s Running Safety.”

Best Political Coverage: 1, Rachael Krause, WPSD-TV, “Illinois Budget Effects”; 2, Matthew Rand and Tanner Hesterberg, WYMT-TV, “Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Eastern Kentucky”; 3, WYMT-TV, “U.S. Senate Race.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, Chad Darnall and WPSD Staff, WPSD-TV, “Women and Guns”; 2, Jennifer Horbelt and Mason Watkins, WPSD-TV, “Say Anything”; 3, Michael Bradford and Jennifer Horbelt, WPSD-TV, “Screen Time Overload.”

Best Investigative Reporting: 1, Hayley Minogue, WYMT-TV, “Dexter Smith Caught Cheating on GED Test”; 2, Caleb Noe, WYMT-TV, “Restaurant Shuts Down”; 3, Ashley Sanchez and Jason Thomason, WPSD-TV, “Uncovering Wage Theft.”

Best Continuing Coverage: 1, Caleb Noe, WYMT-TV, “Harlan County Forest Fires”; 2, WPSD-TV, “Mayfield Tornado”; 3, Amanda Roberts, Chad Darnall and Jason Thomason, WPSD-TV, “Fulton 5 Fraud Charges.”

Best Digital Coverage: 1, Chad Bishop, WBKO-TV; 2, Chris Johnson, WYMT-TV; 3, Nathan Lyttle, WYMT-TV.

Best News Promotion: 1, Jarrett Eldridge and Kelly Allen, WYMT-TV, “Dedicated to Eastern Kentucky”; 2, Ashley Appel, WPSD-TV, “Screen Time Overload”; 3, Jarrett Eldridge, WYMT-TV, “Election Recap.”

Best Daytime Newscast: 1, Mitchell Grogg, WYMT-TV, “Mountain News This Morning”; 2, Berry Stockton and Laura Rogers, WBKO-TV, “AM Kentucky Live - Midday Live, WBKO”; 3, Greg Phelps, WPSD-TV, “Breaking Election Coverage/Breakfast With Santa.”

Best Evening Newscast: 1, WPSD-TV, “WPSD Newscast”; 2, WBKO-TV, “WBKO at 6:00”; 3, WYMT-TV, “Mountain News at Six.”

Best Multimedia Reporter: 1, Caleb Noe, WYMT-TV; 2, Sarah Anderson, WYMT-TV; 3, Brianna Clark, WPSD-TV.

Best News Videographer: 1, Mike Spissinger, WPSD-TV.

Best TV Editor: 1, Mike Spissinger, WPSD-TV; 2, Josh McKinney, WYMT-TV.

Best TV Producer: 1, Ana Medina, WBKO-TV; 2, Manda Barger, WPSD-TV; 3, Kyle Collier, WYMT-TV.

Best Weather Anchor: 1, Trent Okerson, WPSD-TV; 2, Jennifer Rukavina, WPSD-TV; 3, Jason Lindsey, WPSD-TV.

Best Sportscaster: 1, Adam Wells, WPSD-TV; 2, Justin Beasley, WPSD-TV; 3, Dominique Yates, WBKO-TV.

Best TV Reporter: 1, Jake Boswell, WBKO-TV; 2, Tanner Hesterberg, WYMT-TV; 3, Amanda Roberts, WPSD-TV.

Best TV News Anchor: 1, Gene Birk, WBKO-TV; 2, Laura Rogers, WBKO-TV; 3, Tanner Hesterberg, WYMT-TV.

Best Overall Excellence: 1, WPSD-TV; 2, WYMT-TV; 3, WBKO-TV.

RADIO (Commercial, Non-Commercial):

Best Short Light News Feature: 1, John Hingsbergen, WEKU-FM, “Hundreds Gather in Lexington for Interfaith Encounter”; 2, Matt Markgraf, WKMS-FM, “Paducah’s Maiden Alley Hosts Inaugural ’Cinema Systers’ All-Lesbian Film Festival”; 3, Joe Jackson, WKYX-FM, “Children in the Middle.”

Best Long Light News Feature: 1, Samantha Lederman, WUKY-FM, “Valerie’s Quest”; 2, Rick Howlett, WFPL-FM, “Thurby”; 3, Joe Corcoran, WKYU-FM, “Owensboro Students Find Their Roots with ’Bluegrass in the Schools’.”

Best Short Serious News Feature: 1, Stu Johnson, WEKU-FM, “Lexington Vigil Pays Tribute to Victims of Nation’s Worst Mass Shooting”; 2, Bill Hughes, WKYX-FM, “Bridge Blast”; 3, Joe Jackson, WKYX-FM, “Where’s Governor Bevin.”

Best Long Serious News Feature: 1, Mareea Thomas, WNIN-FM, “A Disturbing Ending to a Life Well Lived”; 2, Lisa Gillespie, WFPL-FM, “In Ultra-Red Jackson County, Health Care Didn’t Move Voters”; 3, Becca Schimmel, WKYU-FM, “Shafted: Dark Future Possible for Miners Who Kept Our Lights On.”

Best Breaking News: 1, Stu Johnson, WEKU-FM, “Lexington Vigil Pays Tribute to Victims of Nation’s Worst Mass Shooting”; 2, WHAS-AM, “Breaking News Times Three”; 3, Steve Burger, Brick Briscoe and Samantha Horton, WNIN-FM, “Fans Remember Bluegrass Legend.”

Best Sports Feature or Special: 1, Samantha Lederman, WUKY-FM, “U.S. Eventer Hopes To Recapture Glory Aboard Kentucky-Bred Ex-Racehorse”; 2, Nicole Erwin, WKMS-FM, “Nita Head: A Pioneer for Women’s Sports at Murray State”; 3, Bill Hughes, WKYX-FM, “Cardinals Caravan Hrabosky.”

Best Sports Reporting: 1, WHAS-AM, “Kentucky Derby 142”; 2, Chuck Mraz, WMKY-FM, “MSPR Sports.”

Best Special Series or Documentary: 1, Roxanne Scott and Ashlie Stevens, WFPL-FM, “The Next Louisville: Where Are the Black People in Bourbon?”; 2, Tara Anderson, WFPL-FM, “The Next Louisville: Why Cubans Are Moving to the City Like Never Before”; 3, Samantha Lederman and Josh James, WUKY-FM, “Animal Cruelty in Kentucky.”

Best Short Public Affairs: 1, Tim Brockwell, WKYX-FM, “Massac Tax Vote”; 2, Tim Brockwell, WKYX-FM, “Sexual Assault Wrap”; 3, Tim Brockwell, WKYX-FM, “Uber Wrap.”

Best Long Public Affairs: 1, Chad Lampe, WKMS-FM, “Adolescent Addiction and Its Impact on the Brain”; 2, Joe Corcoran, WKYU-FM, “Ft. Campbell’s Screaming Eagles Back in Iraq to Support the Fight Against ISIS”; 3, Paul Hitchcock, WMKY-FM, “MSU’s Social Work Internship Program.”

Best Political Coverage: 1, Josh James, WUKY-FM, “Best Political Coverage”; 2, Lisa Autry and Kevin Willis, WKYU-FM, “Kentucky Republicans Try Something New: A Caucus”; 3, Joe Jackson, WKYX-FM, “Fancy Farm Absent Democrats.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, Nicole Erwin, WKMS-FM, “Growing Concerns: Trump’s Immigration Rhetoric Sows Anxiety in Agriculture”; 2, Nicole Erwin, WKMS-FM, “Piggy Express: ’Right to Farm’ Law Shields Giant Hog Operation”; 3, John Null, WKMS-FM, “Unsolved Mystery: The Murder of an Eggner’s Ferry Bridge Toll Collector.”

Best Investigative Reporting: 1, Kate Howard, WFPL-FM, “U of L Foundation Bought an Empty Factory in Oklahoma_Because a Donor Asked”; 2, R.G. Dunlop and John Boel, WFPL-FM, “Kentucky Constables: Untrained And Unaccountable.”

Best Continuing Coverage: 1, Rick Howlett, WFPL-FM, “Muhammad Ali”; 2, WHAS-AM, “The Death of Muhammad Ali”; 3, Joe Jackson, WKYX-FM, “2016 Mayfield Tornado Coverage.”

Best Digital Coverage: 1, WFPL-FM, “The Next Louisville: Race, Ethnicity and Culture.”

Best Short Newscast: 1, Alan Lytle, Karyn Czar and Josh James, WUKY-FM; 2, WHAS-AM.

Best Long Newscast: 1, WHAS-AM; 2, Dan Conti, Arlo Barnette and Samantha Morrill, WMKY-FM; 3, WKYU-FM.

Best Use of Sound: 1, Samantha Lederman, WUKY-FM, “U.S. Eventer Hopes To Recapture Glory Aboard Kentucky-Bred Ex-Racehorse”; 2, Becca Schimmel, WKYU-FM, “Ripple Effect: The Big-Ticket Fix for the Ohio’s Aging Dams”; 3, Nicole Erwin, WKMS-FM, “Titan the Rooster Cock-a-doodle-doos to Employee of the Month.”

Best Radio Reporter: 1, Rick Howlett, WFPL-FM; 2, Lisa Autry, WKYU-FM; 3, Rhonda Miller, WKYU-FM.

Best Radio Anchor: 1, Suzanne Duvall, WHAS-AM; 2, Alan Lytle, WUKY-FM; 3, Dan Conti, WMKY-FM.

Overall Excellence: 1, WHAS-AM; 2, WKYU-FM.

COLLEGE TV:

Best Feature Story : 1, Paige Hagan, Western Kentucky University, “Young Artist Exposes Millennials’ Narcissism”; 2, Sofie Tapia, University of Kentucky, “Artisanal Crafts in Berea”; 3, Catharine Gardner, Western Kentucky University, “Hats Off to the Kentucky Tradition.”

Best Sports Coverage : 1, Caryn Eisert, Western Kentucky University, “Football: WKU vs Alabama”; 2, Marcus Browning, Lexie Ratterman and Will Puckett, Western Kentucky University, “WKU The Extra Point”; 3, Catharine Gardner, Western Kentucky University, “The Math Behind March Madness.”

Best Public Affairs: 1, Catharine Gardner, Western Kentucky University, “Up ’Til Dawn”; 2, Noah Richard, University of Kentucky, “2016 Republican Caucus.”

Best News Story: 1, Marc Thomas, University of Kentucky, “Trinity Gay Memorial Service”; 2, Lauren Shepard, Asbury University, “Distracted Driving”; 3, Michael Squire, Western Kentucky University, “Mercury in Kentucky Waters.”

Best College Newscast: 1, Noah Richard, University of Kentucky, “UK Student News Network”; 2, Will Puckett, Western Kentucky University, “WKU News Channel 12”; 3, Lexie Ratterman and Allyson Wells, Western Kentucky University, “WKU News Channel 12 Election Show.”

Best College Videographer: 1, Paige Hagan, Western Kentucky University; 2, Piper Cassetto, Murray State University, “Clear the Track: The Legacy of Racer One.”

Best College Television Reporter: 1, Darby Beane, Western Kentucky University.

COLLEGE RADIO:

Best Feature Story: 1, Samantha Morrill, Morehead State University, “Einstein’s Dreams, MSU Theatre Recognition”; 2, Courtney Howell, Morehead State University, “PAC Summer Arts Camp”; 3, Lee Mengistu, University of Kentucky, “Tikur Traveler: The Young Folks.”

Best Sports Coverage: 1, Nathan Gutierrez, Morehead State University, “Win the Day.”

Best Public Affairs: 1, Noah Richard and Morgan Henry, University of Kentucky, “Campus Voices: Ovarian Cancer Awareness”; 2, Melissa Payne, Stepper Toth and Caitlin Schwartz, University of Kentucky, “Campus Voices: Student Debt and Graduation Rates”; 3, Penny Schmitz and Caitlin Schwartz, University of Kentucky, “Campus Voices: Kentucky Rape Kit Backlog.”

Best News Story : 1, Ashley Chapman, Morehead State University, “Fentanyl-Laced Heroin”; 2, Tanner Boyd, Morehead State University, “Former President Bill Clinton at MSU”; 3, Parker Franklin, Murray State University, “How Universities Address Kentucky’s Doctor Shortage.”

Best College Newscast: 1, Samantha Morrill and Arlo Barnette, Morehead State University, “Mountain Edition News.”

Best College Digital Journalist: 1, Ambriehl Crutchfield, Western Kentucky University.

Best College Radio Reporter: 1, Alana Watson, Western Kentucky University; 2, Noah Richard, University of Kentucky.

College Best of Show TV: Paige Hagan, Western Kentucky University

College Best of Show Radio: Samantha Morrill, Morehead State University

Tom Peterson Memorial Scholarship: Lee Mengistu, University of Kentucky