University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications student journalists were recently recognized at the 2019 Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Conference in Orlando.

The annual Florida AP Broadcasters Competition is divided into professional and college categories. In the professional competition, students’ entries are judged alongside professional broadcasters. In the 2019 competition, 37 radio and television stations submitted 581 entries featuring news and sports stories from 2018.

Radio professional competition winners include:
Feature | Hard News: Second Place, Dolores Hinckley, “Hurricane Michael Recovery”
Feature | Light News: Second Place, Sofia Millar, “The Last Laundromat”
General Assignment | Long Format: Second Place, Amy Nelson, “Traffic Stop Policies”
Breaking News: First Place, WUFT-FM, “Gilchrist County Deputies Killed”
Continuing Coverage: First Place, WUFT-FM, “Hurricane Michael”
Investigative: First Place, WUFT-FM, “Doggie Death Row”
Public Affairs: First Place, Ryan Vasquez, “Every Vote Counts”
Weather Reporting: First Place, WUFT-FM
Sports Feature: First, Meredith Sheldon, “Overcoming Adversity Through Archery”
Digital Programming: First Place, WUFT-FM
Reporter of the Year: First Place, Dolores Hinckley
Radio Newscast: Henry Colburn and Raymon Troncoso
Overall Station of the Year: WUFT-FM

Television professional competition winners include:
Feature | Hard News: First Place, Alexa Lorenzo, “Python Hunters”

Radio college competition winners include:
Best Breaking News: First Place, Hasley Pitman, “Ocala Opioid Murder”
Best Hard News Feature | Long Format: First Place, Maria Roberts, “Importance of Voter Signatures”
Best Hard News Feature | Long Format: Second Place, Raymon Troncoso, “March on Parkland”
Best Hard News Feature | Short Format: First Place, Taylor Marks, “Felon Voting Rights Restored”
Best Hard News Feature | Short Format: Second Place, Alexis Howard, “Hurricane Irma Anniversary”
Best Light Feature | Short Format: First Place, Alexis Howard, “Fresh from the Turkey Farm”
Best Light Feature | Short Format: Second Place, Samantha Green, “Baby Rico”
Best Light Feature | Long Format: First Place, Raymon Troncoso, “Snakes: Separating Fact from Fiction”
Best Light Feature | Short Format: Second Place, Samantha Green, “Jungle Friends”
Best Use of Sound: First Place, Sofia Millar, “Haircuts for Autistic Children”
Best Use of Sound: Second Place, Rachel Rhodes, “A Family Displaced by Hurricane Michael”
Best Radio Newscast: First Place, Skyler Lebron, WUFT-FM
Best Breaking News: Second Place, Henry Colburn, “Every Vote Counts Rally”

Television college competition winners include:
Best Breaking News Video: First Place, Dolores Hinckley, “Operation Airdrop”
Best Light Feature | Short Format: First Place, Dolores Hinckley, “Inspiring Cover Girl”
Best Sports: Second Place, Justin Ahlum, “Hawthorne High: Season on the Brink”
Best Hard News Feature | Short Format: Second Place, Mary Grace Scully, “Carli the Capuchin”
Best TV Newscast: Second Place, “WUFT News First at Five”
Best Breaking News Video: Second Place, Clarisa Melendez, “Venezuela: The Fight for Its Future”

The Associated Press, a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States, sponsors the annual competition. The awards were presented at a banquet on April 13.

Posted: April 15, 2019
Category: Alumni News, College News, Student News
Tagged as: Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Awards