WILL named Outstanding Radio News Operation
Sean Powers, IPM general manager Chet Tomczyk, Jeff Bossert
WILL-AM has been named the Outstanding News Operation in the downstate radio division of the Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association Journalism Excellence Contest.
News and public affairs director Scott Cameron said the award recognized the work of every member of the news team. "Our listeners will always be the most important judges of our reporting and programming, but it's an honor to be recognized by our peers on a statewide level," he said.
Included in WILL's contest submission for the award were stories about the Gifford tornado, the state's pension crisis, health care exchanges, and how the new health care law could help keep former inmates from returning to prison. Also included in the entry were a Focus program remembering Roger Ebert, an In My Backyard segment "For the Clove of Garlic" and newscast coverage of the death of Nelson Mandela, including archival tape of Mandela's daughter Maki.
A radio feature by Illinois Public Media News reporter Sean Powers about the Polar Express rolling into Monticello won two first place awards in the downstate division of the contest.
His report was named the top story in the categories of Best Light Feature and Best Use of Sound. Listen to his feature. The awards were presented Saturday, April 12, at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association spring meeting in Peoria.