90.5 WESA reporters, hosts, editors and producers have garnered awards in several competitions recently, including the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow awards, Pennsylvania Associated Press Media Editors Awards, Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Awards , Western PA Press Club Association Golden Quill Awards, and the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation Robert L. Vann Awards. The categories run the gamut from breaking news to public affairs to technology, and showcase the station's hard news and enterprise reporting. Here is a listing of this season's awards:
Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Awards: Large Market Radio (Region 11)
Hard News — Decades After Landmark Lawsuit, Are Allegheny County Public Defenders Still Overworked? An-Li Herring
News Series — The Past, Present, and Future of Abortion Rights in Pennsylvania, Lucy Perkins
Pennsylvania Associated Press Media Editors Awards
Best Series — Dividing Lines
Best Digital Presence — WESA.fm
Best Public Service–Broadcast — Pennsylvania Won’t Say What’s in Its Amazon Bid, But There Are Clues by Margaret J. Krauss
Best Use of Sound (Radio Only) — A Grieving Pittsburgh Focuses on Community and Light in Hanukkah Celebrations by Virginia Alvino Young
Best Newscast —Christopher Ayers: Weekend ATC newscast Oct. 27, 2018
Best Regularly Scheduled News or Sports Talk Program (Second Place): Kevin Gavin and Megan Harris The Confluence
Best Reporter/Anchor (Second Place): Margaret J. Krauss.
Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Awards
Outstanding Local Radio Newscast — Maria Scapellato: Morning Edition
Outstanding Radio Public Affairs Program/Program Series — The Confluence, October 29, 2018
Outstanding Radio Feature Story/Report/Series — Larkin Page-Jacobs Religious, Political Leaders Vow Shooting 'Will Not Break Us' At Soldiers And Sailors Vigil
Western PA Press Club Association Golden Quill Awards
Excellence in Audio Journalism – Spot/Breaking News Winner: Protests of Police Shooting Continue for Fourth Night, This Time on South Side, Chris Potter and Kathleen Davis
Excellence in Audio Journalism – News Feature Winner: Religious, Political Leaders Vow Shooting ‘Will Not Break Us’ at Soldiers and Sailors Vigil, Larkin Page-Jacobs
Excellence in Audio Journalism – Documentary Winner: The Confluence: Tree of Life, Megan Harris, Kiley Koscinski and Kevin Gavin
Excellence in Audio Journalism – Public Affairs/Politics/Government Winner: Decades After Landmark Lawsuit, Are Allegheny County Public Defenders Still Overworked? An-Li Herring
Excellence in Audio Journalism – Education Winner: An Unsuccessful 30-Year Effort to Desegregate Pittsburgh Public Schools, Liz Reid
Excellence in Audio Journalism – Business/Technology/Consumer Winner: Can a Small Sensor Protect the Elderly From Dangerous Falls? A CMU Research Team Thinks So, Kathleen Davis
Excellence in Audio Journalism – History/Culture Winner: Building an Archive in Real Time: How the History Center Is Recording Pittsburgh Jewish History, Katie Blackley
Excellence in Audio Journalism – Arts/Entertainment Winner: Pittsburgh Hosts Nation’s First Festival for African American Craft Beer Brewers, Bill O’Driscoll, WESA
Best in Show — Ed King Memorial Award, Audio Journalism: Decades After Landmark Lawsuit, Are Allegheny County Public Defenders Still Overworked? An-Li Herring
Pittsburgh Black Media Federation Vann Awards
Radio / Spot & Breaking News: An-Li Herring + Staff , This Hurts. This Is Real. Protesters Fill Downtown After Pittsburgh Teen Fatally Shot
Radio / Public Affairs: Bill O’Driscoll, Pittsburgh Hosts First Festival for African American Craft Beer Brewers
Radio / News Series: Staff, Dividing Lines
