2009 RTDNAC award winners
Winners were announced Oct. 10, 2009, at the RTDNAC awards luncheon.
Contact RTDNAC to receive duplicate awards or to correct an error on an award. Duplicate certificates cost $5; duplicate plaques cost $30. There is no charge for new certificates if an error was made.
Television
Division I
Best Newscast
1st place: Fox Charlotte
2nd place: WRAL
Spot News
1st place: WGHP – "Downtown Greensboro Flooding" – Brad Ingram
2nd place: WYFF – "Emergency Landing" – WYFF staff
General News
1st place: WYFF – “Let There Be Mom” – Beth Brotherton
2nd place: WLOS – “Behind Closed Doors” – John Le, Eric Sander
Investigative
1st place: WRAL – “Locksmith Sting” – Cullen Browder, Greg Clark
2nd place: Fox Charlotte – “Cabs for Disabled” – Billy Carrier
Feature
1st place: WYFF – “Pay it Forward” – Michael Cogdill, Theresa Gevaert, Mark Lyon
2nd place: Fox Charlotte – “When Old People Ruin Cool Things” – Morgan Fogarty, Carlos Martinez
Series
1st place: WYFF – “Pay It Forward” – Michael Cogdill, Theresa Gevaert, Mark Lyon
2nd place: WLOS – “Person of the Week” – Larry Blunt, Eric Sander, Leighton Grant
Special Report
1st place: WLOS – “Frances and Ivan, Five Years Later” – Julie Wunder, Eric Sander
2nd place: WRAL – “Tar Heel Triumph” – Martha Woodward, Chris Burns
Health-Medicine
1st place: Fox Charlotte – “Chicken Pox Parties” – Morgan Fogarty, Carlos Martinez
2nd place: WRAL – “Autistic Surfing” – Dr. Allen Mask, Rick Armstrong
Consumer/Economic
1st place: WYFF – “Repo Man” – Tim Waller, John Hendon
2nd place: WRAL – “Trashed Recycling” – Monica Laliberte, David McCorkle, Lori Lair
Education
1st place: WGHP – "Last Day of Nancy Reynolds School" – Chad Tucker
2nd place: WBTV – "Reading Fathers" – Steve Crump
Political-Election
1st place: WRAL – Election 2008
Political-General
1st place: WRAL – “Main Street, N.C.” – Bryan Mims, Richard Adkins
2nd place: WLOS – "Say the Word" – John Le, Eric Sander
Best Photography
1st place: WRAL – Richard Adkins
2nd place: WLOS – Leighton Grant
News Documentary
1st place: WYFF – “Chronicle: Paul’s Gift”
2nd place: WBTV – “Turf War” – Molly Grantham, Brian Stephenson, Kim Saxon
News Web Site
1st place: WRAL
2nd place: WYFF – Carla Field, Janice Limon, Theresa Gavaert
Weathercast
1st place: Fox Charlotte – Derek James
2nd place: WYFF – John Cessarich
Sports Special
1st place: WBTV – “50 Years at Lowe’s Motor Speedway”; Nate Wimberly, David Whisenant, Brian Stephenson
2nd place: WRAL – “Showdown in Motown”
Sports
1st place: WYFF – “Shooting for Beijing” – Geoff Hart, Scott Enright
2nd place: Fox Charlotte – “Bruce Drives the Pace Car” – Bruce Snyder, Beth Hamilton
Best Sportscaster
1st place: Geoff Hart, WYFF
Reporter of the Year – North Carolina
1st place: John Le – WLOS
2nd place: Scott Mason – WRAL
Reporter of the Year – South Carolina
1st place: Mandy Gaither – WYFF
2nd place: Tim Walker – WYFF
Photographer of the Year – North Carolina
1st place: Leighton Grant – WLOS
2nd place: Geoffrey Levine – WRAL
Photographer of the Year – South Carolina
No entries
Division II
Best Newscast
1st place: WCTI – “Gunman Kills Sheriff’s Deputy, Girlfriend”
2nd place: CN2 – April 6, 2009, Newscast
Spot News
1st place: WCTI – “Microburst Tears Through Bertie County” – Annette Newell, Bob Mackowski
2nd place: WSFX – “Bladen Microburst” – Laura Sinacori, Justin West
General News
1st place: WECT – “1984 Tornado” – Colin Hackman
2nd place: WITN – “Sex for Sale” – Michael Baldwin, Brandon Hardison
Investigative
1st place: WECT – “Privacy on the Line” – Casey Roman
2nd place: WECT – “Dirty Playgrounds” – Laura Sinacori, Ryan Koresko
Feature
1st place: WECT – Alligator Training – Colin Hackman
2nd place: WITN – “Do My Job” – Lynette Taylor, Craig Milligan
Series
1st place: WSFX – “Sexual Predators” – Casey Roman, Ryan Koresko, Fletcher Mangum
2nd place: WITN – “Pit Bulls Attack” – Natalie Kaplan, Brandon Hardison
Special Report
1st place: WECT – “Beach Erosion” – Lynda Figueredo
2nd place: WCTI – “Extreme Makeover”
Health-Medicine
1st place: WECT – “Cancer Monster” – Frances Weller, Ryan Koresko
2nd place: WITN – “Agent Orange” – Christine Kennedy, Brandon Hardison
Consumer/Economic
1st place: WECT – “Inspection Rejection” – Casey Roman
2nd place: WWAY – “Trouble Shooters: Missing Down Payment” – Ann McAdams, Sam Adams
Education
1st place: WECT – “Getting In” – Casey Roman
2nd place: WWAY – “Seclusion Room” – Margo Gray
Political-Election
1st place: WECT – “Campaign Crazies” – Claire Simms, Justin West
2nd place: WECT – “Soles vs. Fennell” – Joe Keily
Political-General
1st place: WWAY – “WWAY Goes to Washington” – Kevin Wuzzardo
2nd place: WECT – “The Inauguration” – Max Winitz
Best Photography
1st place: WECT – Ryan Koresko
2nd place: CN2 – Jennifer Sharp
News Documentary
1st place: WECT – “First Alert Hurricane Special” – Colin Hackman
News Web Site
1st place: WITN – Stephanie Shoop
2nd place: WECT – Deb Worley
Weathercast
1st place: WECT – Robb Ellis
2nd place: WSFX – Colin Hackman
Sports Special
1st place: WECT – “Friday Night Football” – Bob Bonner
2nd place: WITN – “The Skip Holtz Show” – Brian Mehoor, Billy Weaver, Tom Midyette
Sports Feature
1st place: WECT – “Cancer Stricken Golfer Plays with Jim Furyk” – Bob Bonner
2nd place: WITN – “Remembering Jaquan” – Lynette Taylor, Brandon Hardison
Best Sportscaster
1st place: Bob Bonner – WECT
Reporter of the Year – North Carolina
1st place: Claire Simms – WECT
Reporter of the Year – South Carolina
No entries
Photographer of the Year – North Carolina
No entries
Photographer of the Year – South Carolina
No entries
Radio
Best Newscast
1st place: NCNN – Dec. 11, 2008 newscast – David Horn
Spot News
1st place: NCNN – “November Tornado” – Clayton Henkel, Ellen Reinhardt
General News
1st place: WBT – “Stimulus in Charlotte” – Chris Miller
2nd place: WFDD – “Up in Smoke” – LeShea Agnew
Investigative
1st place: NCNN – “Net Change on the Carolina Coast” – Clayton Henkel
2nd place: WFDD – “Black Political Evolution” – LeShea Agnew
Series
1st place: NCNN – “Driven to Distraction” – Clayton Henkel
Consumer/Economic
1st place: WBT – “Mr. Lewis Goes to Washington” – Chris Miller
2nd place: WUNC – “Book Exchange” – Leoneda Inge
Education
1st place: WFDD – “Summer Camps/Gas Prices” – LeShea Agnew
2nd place: WUNC – “Rosa Gill” – Dave DeWitt
Political General
1st place: WFDD – “The Acceptance Speech Heard Around the World” – LeShea Agnew
2nd place: WBT – “Budget Cuts” – Chris Miller
Political-Election
1st place: WUNC – Gubernatorial Profiles – Laura Leslie
Documentary
1st place: WFDD – “The Letters” – Kathryn Mobley
2nd place: NCNN – “N.C. Reports: Face of the Recession” – Clayton Henkel
Health-Medicine
1st place: NCNN – “Zambia Abortions” – Rose Hoban
Sports Reporting
1st place: WUNC – “Coach K” – Jessica Jones
2nd place: WFDD – “Dash Gets Additional Funding” – Jeff Tiberii
Sports Special
1st place: NCNN – “Racing Today” – David Horn
2nd place: WFDD – “From Poverty to Fame” – Jeff Tiberii
Best Sportscaster
1s place: NCNN – Dec. 12, 2008 sportscast – Bruce Ferrell
Student
Best Student Newscast
1st place: Phoenix 14, Elon University – May 4, 2009 – Drew Smith
2nd place: Winthrop Close Up, Winthrop University – Spring 2009 – Derrick Stubbs
Best Student News Story
1st place: “Organ Donor Registry” – Carolina News, University of South Carolina – Laura Goldman
2nd place: “KIA in Afghanistan” – Carolina News, University of South Carolina – Alex Luchsinger
Best Student Feature
1st place: NA
2nd place: “Leaving the Nest” – Carolina News, University of South Carolina – Kirsten Shaffer
Best Photography
1st place: Jennifer Carpenter – UNC-Chapel Hill
2nd place (tie): Emily Abraham – Winthrop University
2nd place (tie): Bethany Tuggle – UNC-Chapel Hill
Best Student Weathercast
1st place: Carolina Week, UNC-Chapel Hill – John Boyer
Best Student Sportscast
1st place: Carolina Week, UNC-Chapel Hill – April 15, 2009 – Jason Kahn
2nd place: Winthrop Close Up, Winthrop University – Owen Reid
Best Student Sports Story
1st place: “Ladies Football Clinic” – Carolina News, University of South Carolina – Laura Goldman
2nd place: “Banned Substances” – Carolina News, University of South Carolina – Matt Moore
Best Radio Sports
1st place: “Chapel Hill High School Football Star Dies” – Carolina Connection, UNC-Chapel Hill – Jason Kahn
2nd place: “UNC-CH Fencing” – Carolina Connection, UNC-Chapel Hill – Mike Tomsik