NJ 101.5 wins 3 first-place awards in breaking news, public service
The New Jersey 101.5 news team was recognized this week for breaking news coverage and public service to its Garden State audience.
New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists awarded the Townsquare Media station three first-place awards in its 2023 Excellence in Journalism Contest.
These wins reflect work that was done in 2022.
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First Place – Best Public Affairs Show (TV and Radio)
One of the awards was for a town hall special — “Class Disrupted – Pandemic Learning Loss" — which brought together a panel of educators, behavioral specialists and policymakers to examine how best to deal with pandemic learning loss.
Broadcast live on air during the 7 p.m. hour as well as online on New Jersey 101.5's Facebook and YouTube pages, the station's town hall programs during the year are the highest example of WKXW's commitment to public service journalism.
The award will be received by the leading team members behind the town halls: anchor Eric Scott, Director of Content Anne Gress, News Director Annette Petriccione, Managing Editor Sergio Bichao and Operations Specialist Dan Alexander.
First Place for Broadcast – Best Breaking News Coverage
The NJSPJ awarded its first-place award for breaking news to New Jersey 101.5's coverage of the mayhem that erupted in Long Branch at the start of the summer season at the Jersey Shore.
Managing Editor Sergio Bichao, reporter Dan Alexander and then-producer and weekend host Jordan Jansson worked late into the night to chronicle a developing story that had far-reaching impacts on public opinion and policy relating to law and order.
First Place – Best Use of Sound for Radio News Story
Can New Jersey handle another major storm like Sandy? That was the question that reporter Dino Flammia explored for a series of on-air and online reports marking the 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.
News Director Annette Petriccione said that the station's reliable news, weather and traffic reports are part of what has sustained New Jersey 101.5 through more than 30 years in the business.
"This win is an acknowledgment of the critical role that we have at this radio station, and more importantly to those who rely on us for that information," she said. "What we do matters."
Not New York. Not Philadelphia.
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