WLBT in Jackson, WDAM in Hattiesburg win AP's best TV newscasts awards; WMSI/WQJQ wins radio honor

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) _ WLBT-TV in Jackson and WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg received the 2008 Best Newscasts awards Saturday night at the 24th annual Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters Association's awards ceremony. WMSI/WQJQ of Jackson was the recipient of Best Newscast in the state's radio division.

The awards, based on selections made by judges from participating out-of-state AP member broadcast outlets, were presented in Jackson.

WDAM-TV, which captured the Best Newscast award in the small market category, received nine first-place awards _ the most for any television station. WDAM reporter Mike McDaniel won the Howard Lett Newsperson of the Year Award, named for the longtime Jackson broadcaster. The Hattiesburg station also won top honors in Investigative Reporting, Weathercast and News Photography.

WLOX-TV in Biloxi won seven first-place awards and received the James S. Saggus Memorial Award, which is given annually to a station for its efforts to share news with The Associated Press. The award is named for Saggus, a longtime AP newsman, who retired in 1988 and died in 1995.

WLBT received the Best Newscast award for large market stations and won six first place awards, including Best Spot News and General News stories.

The MAPBA also inducted three people into its Hall of Fame. Dennis Smith, longtime vice president and news director of WLBT, was inducted along with veteran WLBT anchor Maggie Wade, who has worked as weekend weather anchor, news reporter, coordinator and producer of children's programming. WLOX veteran anchor Jeff Lawson, who for many years did a weekly segment honoring military veterans, also was inducted.

In the radio division, Mississippi Public Broadcasting earned first place in Documentary and Achievement, which reflects the best of what a station does on a daily basis. WMSI/WQJQ won top honors in Best News Story and Sportscast, along with the Newscast award.

Television stations are divided into two categories: stations in Jackson and Biloxi compete in Division I, while Division II includes stations in Columbus, Tupelo, Meridian, Hattiesburg, Greenville and Greenwood. Radio stations are judged in a single division.

Sports anchor Jeff Shepard of WLOX received the Best Sportscast award in Division I, while Nick Adams of WTOK in Meridian won the award in Division II. Top Weathercast awards went to David Hartman of WAPT and Nick Ortego of WDAM.

MAPBA Awards List

DIVISION I

Achievement
1st Place--WLOX--Hurricane Gustav Coverage/staff
2nd Place--WLOX--Vietnam: Through My Eyes Special Report/TrangPham-Bui (reporter), Travis Alford (photographer)
3rd Place--WLBT--Officer Down/staff

Sports Story
1st Place--WLBT--Roller Derby/Scott Vlahon (reporter, photographer)
2nd Place--WLOX--Jeremy Hill/Jeff Shepard (reporter), Rodney Billingsley (photographer)
3rd Place--WLBT--Bullriding Brothers/Chuck Stinson (reporter/photographer)

Public Affairs
1st Place--WLOX--Hurricane Gustav Coverage/staff
2nd Place--WLBT--Jackson Tornado/staff
3rd Place--WLBT--Heather/Julie Straw (reporter), Mike Evans (photographer)

Documentary
1st Place--WLBT--Justice for Sale/staff
2nd Place--WAPT--Downtown Development/Scott Simmons (reporter), Lamonte Brown (photographer), Ray Coleman (photographer)
3rd Place--WLOX--Mississippi Nukes/Steve Phillips (reporter), Travis Alford (photographer)

Franchise
1st Place--WLBT--Nicole/Stephanie Bell-Flynt (reporter), Tegre Taylor (photographer), Jerome Deloach (photographer), John Matthews (photographer)
2nd Place--WLOX--South Mississippi Heroes, Rebecca Powers (reporter), staff photographers
3rd Place--WLBT--Bi-Weekly Veterans' History Project, Dennis Smith (reporter), staff, Jennifer Martin (photographer), Ted Warren (photographer)

Sportscast
1st Place--WLOX--Jeff Shepard
2nd Place--WLBT--Rob Jay
3rd Place--WLBT--Scott Vlahon

Newscast
1st Place--WLBT--(3-12-08 Newscast)/Maggie Wade-Dixon (anchor), Howard Ballou (anchor), Jenna Lick (producer)
2nd Place--WAPT--(11-20-08 Newscast)/staff, Faith Hannah (producer)
3rd Place--WLOX--(3-12-08 Newscast)/staff

General News
1st Place--WLBT--Metro One/Most Wanted/Marsha Thompson (reporter), Mike Evans (photographer), Metro One (photographer)
2nd Place--WLOX--Cochran Quads/Trang Pham-Bui (reporter), Travis Alford (photographer)3rd Place--WAPT--Who's Accountable? Cell Phones/Scott Simmons (reporter), Lamonte Brown (photographer)

Feature Photography
1st Place--WLOX--Bridge Waters/Greg McNease (photographer)
2nd Place--WLOX--Page 13-Crosby Arboretum/Jonathan Sobolewski (photographer)
3rd Place--WLBT--St. Paddy's Parade/staff

Feature Story
1st Place--WLOX--Missing Pickle/Steve Phillips (reporter), Travis Alford (photographer)
2nd Place--WLBT--Coon Dog Cemetary/staff
3rd Place--WAPT--Christmas Pair/Kathryn Kight (reporter), James Foster (photographer)

Investigative Reporting
1st Place--WLOX--Foundation Hope/A.J. Giardina (reporter), Rodney Billingsley (photographer), Natalie Campen (photographer)
2nd Place--WLOX--Camp Coastal/A.J. Giardina (reporter), Rodney Billingsley (photographer), Natalie Campen (photographer)
3rd Place--WAPT--Who's Accountable? Katrina Rants/Scott Simmons (reporter), Lamonte Brown (photographer), Daniel Gibbs (photographer)

Spot News
1st Place--WLBT--Jackson Tornado/staff
2nd Place--WLBT--Officer Down/staff
3rd Place--WAPT--Hurricane Gustav/Don Champion (reporter), Ray Coleman (photographer), Daniel Gibbs (photographer)

News Photography
1st Place--WLOX--House Fire, Greg McNease (photographer)
2nd Place--WLOX--Motor Cop Killed, Travis Alford (photographer)
3rd Place--WAPT--Smart Cars, Sharita Erves (reporter), James Foster (photographer)

Best Web Site
1st Place--WAPT

Weathercast
1st Place--WAPT--David Hartman
2nd Place--WLBT--Paul Williams
3rd Place--WLBT--Barbie Bassett

DIVISION II

Achievement
1st Place--WDAM--Howard Raid/staff
2nd Place--WDAM--Oakwood Evictions/Mike McDaniel (reporter)
3rd Place--WTOK--Mississippi Presidential Debate/Lindsey Brown(reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer), Lindsey Brown (producer)

Sports Story
1st Place--WDAM--Justin McCray/Heather Cook (reporter, photographer)
2nd Place--WDAM--The Morning Brett Became A Jet/Mitch Williams (reporter, photographer)3rd Place--WABG--Like Father, Like Son/DeShawn Brown (reporter, photographer, producer)3rd Place--WTOK--Challenger League/Nick Adam (reporter)

Public Affairs
1st Place--WTOK--Traffic Issues: Dangerous Intersection/Tametria Conner (reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer), Tom Daniels (producer), Wade Phillips (producer)
2nd Place --WDAM--Howard Industry Raid/Ontario Richardson (reporter), Tiffaney Bradley (reporter)
3rd Place--WDAM--Busted in the Park/Mike McDaniel (reporter)
3rd Place--WABG--Meth Awareness/Tanya Carter (reporter, photographer, producer)

Documentary
1st Place--WTOK--Katrina 3rd Anniversary/Lindsey Brown (reporter, photographer)
2nd Place--WDAM--Sex Predators/Mike McDaniel (reporter)
3rd Place--WDAM--PTSD: The Soldier Sickness/Mike McDaniel (reporter)

Franchise
1st Place--WDAM--Mystery Shopper/Mike McDaniel (reporter)
2nd Place--WTOK--The Flu Outbreak/Tametria Conner (reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer), Tom Daniels (producer), Wade Phillips (producer)
3rd Place--WTVA--Hippotherapy/Danielle Rotolo (reporter), Alvin Ivy (photographer)

Sportscast
1st Place--WTOK--Nick Adams
2nd Place--WDAM--Mitch Williams (11-20-2008)
3rd Place--WDAM--Mitch Williams (8-05-2008)
3rd Place--WLOV--Marlin Williams

Newscast
1st Place--WDAM--(3-12-2008 Newscast), staff
2nd Place--WTVA--(8-05-2008 Newscast), Craig Ford, Dick Rice, Brett Garrett (anchors), Dave Bauer (producer)
3rd Place--WTOK--(11-20-2008 Newscast), staff, Wade Phillips (producer)

General News
1st Place--WDAM--Pastor Spanking/Ontario Richardson (reporter)
2nd Place--WTOK--House Shooting/Andrea Williams (reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer)3rd Place--WTOK--Preacher on a Scooter/Tametria Conner (reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer), Tom Daniels (producer), Wade Phillips (producer)

Feature Photography
1st Place--WXVT--Winter Solstice/Ryan Sullivan (reporter, producer, photographer)
2nd Place--WDAM--Sights & Sounds Christmas/Mon Mussiett (photographer)
3rd Place--WXVT--State Camps/Stephen Robinson (reporter, producer, photographer)

Feature Story
1st Place--WXVT--Delta Traveler-Moon Lake, Anne Martin (reporter, producer, photographer)2nd Place--WLOV--Elvis Tribune Artists, Susan Parker (reporter, producer)
3rd Place--WDAM--Skydiving Granny, Keegan Foxx (reporter)

Investigative Reporting
1st Place--WDAM--The Price Isn't Right/Mike McDaniel (reporter)
2nd Place--WTOK--Nursing Home Shutdown/Tametria Conner (reporter, photographer), Tom Daniels (producer), Wade Phillips (producer)
3rd Place--WDAM--X-Treme Fitness X-Treme Scam, Mike McDaniel (reporter)

Spot News
1st Place--WTOK--McCain Debate/Lindsey Brown (reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer), Lindsey Brown (producer)
2nd Place--WDAM--Sanitation Protest/Mike McDaniel (reporter)
3rd Place--WTOK--Police Shooting/Andrea Williams (reporter), Sidney Luvene (photographer)

News Photography
1st Place--WDAM--Longest Walk/Mon Mussiett (photographer)
2nd Place--WTOK--186th Series--E.S.G.R./Lindsey Brown (reporter), Rebecca Ward (photographer)
3rd Place--WDAM--Old Traffic Ticket/Charles Herrington (photographer)

Best Web Site
1st Place--WDAM

Weathercast
1st Place--WDAM--Nick Ortego
2nd Place--WLOV--Dick Rice
3rd Place--WXVT--Kevan Smith

James S. Saggus Memorial Award
WLOX

Howard Lett Newsperson of the Year
Mike McDaniel, WDAM-TV

RADIO

Newscast
1st Place--WMSI/WQJQ--(8-05-2008 Newscast)/Randy Bell (reporter)
2nd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--(3-12-2008 Newscast)/Randy Bell (reporter)

News Story
1st Place--WMSI/WQJQ/Train vs Trash Truck/Randy Bell (reporter)
2nd Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting/Shoe Repair Business/Phobe Judge (reporter)
3rd Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting/Patrick Brown/Lawayne Childrey (reporter)

Sportscast
1st Place--WMSI/WQJQ--Viking Classic/Randy Bell (reporter)
2nd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--Saints Camp/Randy Bell (reporter)

Documentary or Series of Stories
1st Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--PTSD/Sandra Knispel (reporter)

Public Affairs
1st Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--Mississippi Edition/Karen Brown (reporter), Lisa Michie (producer)
2nd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--Cremation Controversy/Randy Bell (reporter)
3rd Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--Teens Tudor/Sandra Knispel (reporter)

Feature Story
1st Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--Angel Boxes/Lawayne Childrey (reporter)
2nd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--An Oil Well in My Own Backyard?/Randy Bell (reporter)
3rd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--Sitting in Tony's Booth/Randy Bell (reporter)

Radio Sound
1st Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--Memorial Day/Ron Brown (reporter)
2nd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--113th Returns/Randy Bell (reporter)
3rd Place--WTNI--HCHS Pregame '08/Tommy Domenico (reporter)

Achievement
1st Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--Hurricane Gustav/staff
2nd Place--Mississippi Public Broadcasting--Mississippi Edition/Karen Brown (reporter), Lisa Michie (producer)
3rd Place--WMSI/WQJQ--Jackson Tornado/Randy Bell (reporter)