Skip to content

Finalists Announced in 2019 Michigan APME Broadcast Contest

Finalists have been announced in the Michigan Associated Press Media Editors 2019 radio and TV contest.  The awards in actual order of finish — first or second — will be announced at the annual Michigan APME annual awards banquet April 4 in Lansing. The General Excellence, Rising Star and First Amendment award winners also will be announced at the meeting.

Twelve broadcasters submitted 237 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports and weather reporting as well as features, documentaries and photography from 2019.

Entries were judged by broadcasters from WOSU-FM, Columbus, Ohio, Radio II; Ohio Public Radio and TV, Columbus, Radio I; WTOL-TV, Toledo, Ohio, and WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, Ohio, Television.

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing newspapers and broadcast stations in the United States.

Finalists in the 2019 Michigan APME broadcast contest:

Television I:

Best Feature Story: Lori Pinson, WJBK-TV (Detroit); “Lori’s Hidden Michigan-Underground Railroad.”

Best Weathercast : Lori Pinson, WJBK-TV (Detroit); “Severe Weather Friday.”

Television II:

Best Feature Story: Angie Hendershot and Eric Fletcher, WJRT-TV (Flint); “ABC 12 Days of Giving- First Flight”; Chivon Kloepfer and David Parks, WLNS-TV, Lansing; “Love, Loss, and the Gift of Life.”

Best Reporter/Anchor: David Custer, WNEM-TV (Saginaw); Dana Whyte, WLNS-TV (Lansing).

Best Sports Feature Story: Cassidy Cobb and Greg Miller, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “The Heartbeat of the Hornets”; Alex Sims and David Parks, WLNS-TV (Lansing); “Family and Faith: Josh Butler’s Journey.”

Best Sports Coverage: Matthew Doyle and Greg Miller, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “9&10 Sports Football State Finals 2019”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “A Championship on Selection Sunday.”

Best Sportscast: Matthew Doyle and Cassidy Cobb, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “Sports OT Homecoming Show”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “MSU Beats Michigan for Big Ten Title.”

Best Use of Videography (TV Only): Catherine Emery, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); Derrick Larr, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac).

Best Use of Photography : Rae Hines, WLNS-TV (Lansing); David Parks, WLNS-TV (Lansing).

Best Documentary: Corey Adkins and Stephanie Adkins, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “Crossing Lake Erie”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “Veterans Voices.”

Best Public Service: Stephanie Adkins and Regan Blissett, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “Seeking Shelter”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “The Safety Day Giveaway.”

Best Spot News Coverage: Lou DiVizio, WJRT-TV (Flint); “Mid Michigan Tornado”; Kit Kuhne, WJRT-TV, (Flint); “Officer Shot in the Face.”

Best Continuing Coverage: WLNS-TV, Lansing; “A Rough Month for the LPD”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “A Rough Year for MSU.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Corey Adkins and Stephanie Adkins, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “Mystery Valley”; Angie Hendershot, WJRT-TV (Flint); “Born in to Crisis 4.”

Best Investigative Reporting: David Lyden and Derrick Larr, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “Betrayal of Trust”; Ann Pierret, WJRT-TV (Flint); “Teacher Misconduct.”

Best Weathercast : David Young and Diane Phillips, WLNS-TV (Lansing); “Sunfield Storms”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “Winter’s Fury.”

Best Newscast: Alison DeRees, WNEM-TV (Saginaw); Kit Kuhne, WJRT-TV (Flint).

Best Digital Presence: Karie Herringa and Joe Buczek, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); WLNS-TV (Lansing).

Best Multimedia Storytelling: Karie Herringa and Haleigh Vaughn, WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac); “Call for Civility”; WLNS-TV (Lansing); “The Weather Workbook.”

Radio I:

Best Feature Story: David Leins and Russ McNamara, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Homeward Bound: Greek Dogs Travel 5,000 Miles to Find Homes in the U.S.”; Doug Tribou, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “When Ann Arbor Pool Closes to People, Dogs Have Their Days.”

Best Reporter/Anchor: No winner.

Best Sports Feature Story: Pat Batcheller, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Tigers Put Awful Season Behind Them, Hope 2020 Is Better”; Isabella Isaacs-Thomas, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Shred Like a Girl: Ann Arbor Program Encourages Girls to Pick up a Skateboard.”

Best Sports Coverage: No winner.

Best Sportscast: No winner.

Best Use of Sound (Radio Only): Lester Graham, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Honk! Talk to Geese”; Ryan Hooper, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Would You Rent a Stray Dog From the City of Detroit?”

Best Use of Photography : David Leins, WDET-FM (Detroit); “This Woman’s Christmas Wonderland Recaptures Childhood Joy for Visitors”; John Patrick McGuire, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Photographs for Life on the Inside Web Page.”

Best Documentary: Dustin Dwyer, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Forty Days on Strike With UAW Local 167”; Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Life on the Inside.”

Best Public Service: Ryan Hooper and LaToya Cross, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Your Guide to Sensory-Friendly Spaces for Autistic Kids in Metro Detroit”; Lauren Janes and Sarah Hulett, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Legislation Would Expand Expungement Eligibility, Which Could Mean Better Jobs.”

Best Spot News Coverage: Quinn Klinefelter, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Former Congressman John Conyers Dies as a Civil Rights Icon With a Tarnished Legacy”; Eli Newman, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Jefferson-Chalmers Residents and City Clash Over Flooding.”

Best Continuing Coverage: Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “UAW Strike Against GM.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Sarah Cwiek, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “In Detroit, a New Approach to Stemming Cycles of Violence: Meeting Victims’ Needs”; Kate Wells and Sarah Hulett, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Exposed to Lead in Infancy, Now Flint’s Youngest Students Face Challenges in School.”

Best Investigative Reporting: Laura Herberg, WDET-FM (Detroit); “Listeners Ask, Why Does DTW Have Those Giant Fans?”; Kate Wells, Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); “Woman Who Had Relationship with Prosecutor in Her Rape Case Wants You to Know: It’s Complicated.”

Best Weathercast : No winner.

Best Newscast: Pat Batcheller, WDET-FM (Detroit); Pat Batcheller, WDET-FM (Detroit).

Best Digital Presence: Michigan Radio (Ann Arbor); WDET-FM (Detroit).

Best Multimedia Storytelling: Michigan Radio, Ann Arbor; “Life on the Inside Website”; WDET-FM (Detroit); “Ready, Set, Crash? Flat Rock Speedway’s Night of School Bus Destruction.”

Radio II:

Best Feature Story: Scott Pohl, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “LCC Play Portrays Homelessness in Lansing”; Ricardo Quintanilla, WSGW-AM (Saginaw); “Northwood eSports.”

Best Reporter/Anchor: Patrick Center, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); Michelle Jokisch Polo, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids).

Best Sports Feature Story: Tim Robinson, WHMI-FM (Howell); “Larry Prout Jr. Has a Big Heart.”

Best Sports Coverage: No winner.

Best Sportscast: Pat Johnston, WSGW-AM (Saginaw); Tim Robinson, WHMI-FM (Howell); “Saturday Scoreboard 9-14-19.”

Best Use of Sound (Radio Only): Patrick Center, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “America’s Tallest Singing Christmas Tree”; Scott Pohl, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “Ken Burns Returns With ‘Country Music’.”

Best Use of Photography : Alec Gerstenberger, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “ThankLansing, a Celebration for Lansing’s Newest Neighbors.”

Best Documentary: Jon King, WHMI-FM (Howell); “Viewpoint – New, Streamlined Divorce Law”; Kevin Lavery, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “Making the Grade.”

Best Public Service: Shelley Irwin, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “Sports Camp for All”; Kevin Lavery, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “Early Childhood Calendars Boost Lansing Area Learning.”

Best Spot News Coverage: Daniel Boothe, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “Grand Rapids Trump Rally”; Patrick Center, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “Belknap Gustnado.”

Best Continuing Coverage: Michelle Jokisch Polo, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “The Arrest of U.S. War Vet Jilmar Ramos-Gomez”; WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “MSU Special Coverage.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Michael Percha and Ann Williams, WSGW-AM (Grand Rapids); “Cyber Kids”; Michelle Jokisch Polo, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “Grand Rapids Race & Marijuana.”

Best Investigative Reporting: Patrick Center and Alan Helzer, WGVU-FM (Grand Rapids); “Ottawa County’s Ground Water Crisis.”

Best Weathercast : No winner.

Best Newscast: Tamia Boyd, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); Jon King, WHMI-FM (Howell).

Best Digital Presence: WSGW-AM (Saginaw).

Best Multimedia Storytelling: Al Martin, WKAR-FM (East Lansing); “Eva Salinas Celebrates 100 Years of Legacy and Love on Cinco de Mayo.”

Scroll To Top