UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Entries from two Penn State students were among winners in categories for professional television journalists as part of the Keystone Media Awards.
Jillian Ford finished second for Best Enterprise Reporting and Courtney Allen earned an honorable mention for Best Reporter/Anchor while competing in the division for small to mid-sized TV markets. Their work was produced as part of the “Centre County Report,” the award-winning, student-produced newscast.
“These are professional categories that we enter just to see how we stack up,” said Steve Kraycik, director of student television and online operations in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. “I’m very happy to see our students placing in these categories!”
There were more than 2,700 entries from 122 news organizations for the Keystone Media Awards, which annually recognize excellence from across the state of Pennsylvania. Those entries — in 54 regular categories and eleven specialty categories across seven circulation and four broadcast divisions — were judged by journalists in Colorado. With the merger of the PAPME News Excellence Awards, this year’s contest featured revised circulation divisions, new and updated categories and the addition of AP Broadcast Awards.
The Keystone Media Awards reinforce excellence by individuals in the news media profession by recognizing journalism that consistently provides relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers and audiences, and that faithfully fulfills its First Amendment rights/responsibilities. In addition, the Keystone Media Awards stimulate journalists to improve their craft and ultimately improve their community.