On Thursday, November 15, 2012 the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists honored journalists and media professionals in 20 different categories along with 2 college scholarship awards.
Print Category for publications with circulations UNDER 100,000.
1. DEADLINE REPORTING
For his story in the Florida Courier on the November 2011 hazing death of Florida A&M University’s drum major Robert Champion, the Griot Drum Award went to DEMORRIS LEE.
2. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
For a series that analyzed how Bethune-Cookman University, one of the state’s largest HBCUs, was slapped with state and federal lawsuits, the Investigative Reporting award went to the FLORIDA COURIER STAFF. (Accepted by Jenise Morgan.)
3. FEATURES REPORTING
For his indepth story on St. Petersburg’s controversial African-American leader Goliath Davis, the 2012 Features Reporting award went to MITCH PERRY of Creative Loafing.
4. COMMUNITY/PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Last year, this reporter traced the route of the Freedom Riders and later told the story of St. Petersburg’s civil rights history. Please join me in congratulating Creative Loafing’s ARIELLE STEVENSON.
5. SPORTS FEATURE
For her story, “The Trust Factor,’’ which appeared in the Power Broker Magazine about local professionals who work with celebrity athletes, the Griot Award goes to KEISHA PICKETT.
PRINT CATEGORY FOR PUBLICATIONS WITH CIRCULATONS OF 100,000 AND UP
6. FEATURES REPORTING
Tampa Bay Times’ Eric Deggans was saluted for what judges called his comprehensive and entertaining piece titled “It’s A Supersmart Hero.’’
7. COMMUNITY/PUBLIC AFFAIRS
For his touching story in the Tampa Bay Times about how a Largo family helped a teen realize his potential, the Community/Public Affairs award went to DEMORRIS LEE.
8. SPORTS FEATURE
Demorris Lee won for his Sports Feature Category that appeared in the Tampa Bay Times titled “Black Jockey at Tampa Bay Downs is a Modern Rarity.”
9. OPINION
For his engaging and insightful columns as TV and media critic of the Tampa Bay Times, the Opinion award went to ERIC DEGGANS.
10. BEST FEATURES PHOTO
For his inspiring image that accompanied a Tampa Tribune story titled “For young Muslim-Americans, life after 9/11 tinged with fear, hope,’’ the best feature photo award went to FRED BELLET.
11. BEST SPORTS NEWS PHOTO
For his Tampa Tribune news photo titled “One more kick to USF’s psyche,’’ the best sports news photo went to FRED BELLET.
12. BEST SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO
In this category, the award went to KIM GIBSON of the Florida Courier for his features photos covering professional sports in Florida. (His colleague Jenise Morgan accepted his award.)
RADIO CATEGORY.
13. FEATURES REPORTING.
For her fun and upbeat five-part series “Lets Move vs. Good Hair,’’ the Features Reporting award went to DALIA COLON with HealthyStart.org/WUSF PUBLIC MEDIA.
14. And for a DOCUMENTARY/NEWS SERIES
We congratulated Food Nation Radio Network. The network produced an in-depth and sobering story titled “Food Nation Investigates Conditions of Farm Workers.”
TELEVISION CATEGORY
15. DEADLINE REPORTING.
For his remarkable story about volunteers cleaning up a forgotten cemetery in Pinellas County, the deadline reporting story went to JEFF BUTERA of WFTS-TV ABC Action News.
16. NON-DEADLINE REPORTING
For her engaging profile on Parnell Dickinson, the non-deadline reporting TV award went to DEIAH RILEY of WFTS-TV/ABC Action News.
17. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
For their compilation of Taking Action investigative stories in 2011, the Investigative Reporting award went to MATT MCGLASHEN AND JACKIE CALLAWAY of WFTS-TV/ABC Action News.
18. COMMUNITY /PUBLIC AFFAIRS TV
In a series of great public affairs stories appearing in A Gulf Coast Journal, including one on the Westcoast Black Theater Troupe, the award went to the WEDU Staff. (Jack Conely of WEDU accepted the award.)
MULTIMEDIA
19. BEST MULTIMEDIA NEWS STORY
In a number of compelling online stories and images, the Tampa Tribune shared readers’ feelings on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The winner for Best Multimedia News story went to the TBO.COM Staff.
20. BEST BLOG
For her entertaining blogs focusing on a variety of social issues impacting residents of Tampa Bay, the BEST BLOG award again this year went to KEISHA M. PICKETT of BLACKINTHEBAY.COM.