WLRN News received 19 awards at the 2021 Florida Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists' Sunshine State Awards.
The Sunshine State Awards recognize quality journalism in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands for the calendar year of 2020. Out-of-state journalists judge all entries.
During a virtual ceremony on Aug. 7, WLRN was recognized in two special categories: Christine DiMattei was a finalist for Anchor of the Year and Terence Shepherd was a finalist for Editor of the Year.
WLRN News was also awarded prizes in the following categories:
First place
COVID-19 – All Media - Feature Reporting 1st Place: WLRN – Staff, Unmute Yourself: Public Comment Pushing Through The Pandemic
Best Radio Newscast 1st Place: WLRN – Christine DiMattei, Christine DiMattei for WLRN News
General Coverage - Radio 1st Place: WLRN News – Staff, Reckoning With Racism
Public Affairs - Radio 1st Place: WLRN – Luis Hernandez, Chris Remington & Leslie Ovalle, Sundial
Best Use of Sound - Radio 1st Place: WLRN – Staff, Unmute Yourself: Public Comment Pushing Through The Pandemic
Education Reporting - Radio 1st Place: WLRN – Jessica Bakeman, Reopening School Collection
Multimedia Feature - Digital 1st Place: WLRN with Southerly and Climate Central – Jenny Staletovich & Ayurella Horn-Muller, Racing The Sea: Miami Beach’s Housing Crisis Worsened By Climate Change
Blog Writing - Digital 1st Place: WLRN – Nancy Klingener, Lance Dixon & Katie Lepri, The Tieline
Second Place
General Coverage - Radio 2nd Place: WLRN – Staff, Public Meetings During A Pandemic
Investigative Reporting - Radio 2nd Place: WLRN News – Daniel Rivero, How The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Has Used A Shadowy Charity Fund In Criminal Cases
Government & Politics Reporting - Radio 2nd Place: WLRN News – Daniel Rivero, How The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Has Used A Shadowy Charity Fund In Criminal Cases
Environmental Reporting - Radio 2nd Place: WLRN – Jenny Staletovich, As Seas Rise, a Florida Keys ‘Ghost Forest’ Makes A Last Stand
Arts Reporting - Radio 2nd Place: WLRN – Nancy Klingener, Forgotten Johnny Mercer Songs Rediscovered In Key West
News Web Site - Digital 2nd Place: WLRN – Lance Dixon, Katie Lepri, Mihail Halatchev & WLRN Staff, wlrn.org
Third Place
Investigative Reporting - Radio 3rd Place: WLRN – Tim Padgett, Is Colombia Interfering In The U.S. Election In Florida – With Tactics It Exported To Florida?
Serious Feature Reporting - Radio 3rd Place: WLRN – Caitie Switalski Muñoz, COVID-19 In Jails: One Broward Inmate’s Experience With The Virus
Continuing Coverage or Series - Radio 3rd Place: WLRN in partnership with The World, a co-production of PRX & WGBH – Daniel Rivero, First Time Voter Learns Hard Lessons
You can check out the complete list of winners here.
