TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama Public Radio, which makes its home in The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences, has been named one of 10 radio winners nationally of the 2012 Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
The APR news team was honored for its coverage of the April 27 tornado, which included around-the-clock breaks with disaster recovery updates, as well as in-depth features on the disaster and the rebuilding process. News Director Pat Duggins and reporters Ryan Vasquez, Maggie Martin and Stan Ingold composed the team receiving the award.
“I can’t possibly express my pride in the APR newsroom,” Duggins said. “Many of our listeners were without power following the tornado, and public radio was their only source of news and information. Ryan, Maggie and Stan all went above and beyond the call of duty at a time when people in storm-ravaged areas needed them most.”
Center for Public Television and Radio Director Elizabeth Brock echoed his sentiments.
“From their origins in 1932, the Sigma Delta Chi Awards have a long and prestigious history, and we are honored to be among this year’s recipients,” Brock said. “I am proud of the outstanding work of the APR news team and thankful for the generous support of The University of Alabama and of the thousands of APR listeners who make this all possible.”
APR also received a second-place award in the National Headliner Awards competition from the Press Club of Atlantic City for its tornado coverage.
Contact
Misty Mathews, communication specialist, mmathews@ua.edu, 205/348-6416
Source
Pat Duggins, pduggins@apr.org