2019 Awards: KUOW journalists Honored for Arts Reporting, Innovation and more
August 30, 2019
This award season, KUOW’s newsroom was recognized for innovation, investigative reporting, spot news, photojournalism, multi-media presentation, arts reporting and more. In addition, two stories from KUOW’s youth media program, RadioActive, were winners in the New York Times Student Podcast Contest.
Below, see all awards KUOW journalists and RadioActive youth have won so far in 2019.
2019 MAYOR’S ART AWARD
KUOW Arts and Culture reporter Marcie Sillman was recognized by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture with the Mayor’s Art Award. The award celebrates people and organizations that "broaden our horizons and humanize our city and our world." The award recognizes Marcie's decades of work covering the arts and expanding dialogue in our community.
"I acknowledge this award on behalf of my fellow critics and journalists, here in Seattle and all around the country. We're really an endangered species ... This is an acknowledgement of what all of us do," said Sillman, in her acceptance speech on August 29. "Art is what matters most in this world ... It has been my real privilege to have a ring-side seat to your work for almost four decades."
Marcie Sillman arrived at KUOW in 1985 to produce the station's daily public affairs program, Seattle After Noon. She later became the local voice of All Things Considered and helped create Weekday, The Beat, and in 2013, The Record. She currently works as a full-time arts and culture reporter for KUOW. During her career, more than 100 of her stories have been heard on NPR's news magazines, as well as on The Voice of America.
REGIONAL EDWARD R. MURROW AWARDS
This year, KUOW won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, which honor outstanding achievements in electronic journalism.
KUOW Photojournalist Megan Farmer’s video "Along the Mother Road," which documented life along Aurora Avenue in Seattle and kicked off KUOW’s Along the Mother Road series, was honored for Excellence in Video.
Patricia Murphy’s reporting on youth and guns in Seattle earned her an Excellence in Innovation award. For this series of stories, Murphy collaborated with youth mentor Will Jimerson Jr. to help young men who carry guns tell their stories. You can read more about her experience conducting these interviews here.
Excellence in Video
VIDEO: 'Aurora could be better than this', Megan Farmer, March 28, 2018.
Excellence in Innovation
My name is Millionaire Lavish. I'm 18 and this is why I carry a gun, Willard Jimerson and Patricia Murphy, October 30, 2018.
PUBLIC RADIO NEWS DIRECTOR INCORPORATED AWARDS
KUOW reporter John Ryan won first and second in the spot news reporting category at PRNDI this year. John has worked as an investigative reporter at KUOW since 2009.
PRNDI also honored Marcie Sillman and Megan Farmer with second place in the Best Multi-Media Presentation category for their profile of Donald Byrd, Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater.
First Place – Spot News Reporting
John Ryan, Homeless, and now campless, in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood, April 19, 2018.
Second Place – Spot News Reporting
John Ryan, If this Seattle building is a nest of Russian spies, why didn’t the U.S. close it sooner?, March 26, 2018.
Second Place – Best Multi-Media Presentation
Marcie Sillman and Megan Farmer, Transforming black pain into beauty: The story of an Alvin Ailey protege in Seattle, November 5, 2018.
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS AWARDS
KUOW and Northwest News Network Journalists were honored at the SPJ Awards on July 1, 2019, with three wins and eight runner ups.
Winner – Feature Photography
Megan Farmer, As Told By Us
Winner – Investigative Reporting
Austin Jenkins (N3), Investigation into Wash. State Rep. Accused of Improper Behavior
Winner – Audio News Series
Austin Jenkins (N3), Washington sent brain injury patients to Oklahoma, then all but forgot about them, February 24, 2019.
Runner Up – Best Photo Portfolio
Megan Farmer, KUOW Photojournalist
Runner Up – Crime and Justice Reporting
Sydney Brownstone and Isolde Raftery, Five women accuse Seattle’s David Meinert of sexual misconduct, including rape, July 19, 2019.
Runner Up – Portrait Photography
Megan Farmer, Marilyn Montufar
Runner Up – Social Issues Reporting
Isolde Raftery, Some Seattle schools can pay for extra teachers. Should they spread the wealth?, October 29, 2019.
Runner Up – Sports Audio Reporting
Tom Banse (N3), Track to Ice: Pacific Northwest bobsledder on verge of making 2018 Olympic team, January 11, 2018.
Runner Up – Investigative Audio Reporting
Anna Boiko-Weyrauch and Gil Aegerter, Her rapist was convicted because of a rape kit. So why are so many kits untested? August 15, 2018.
Runner Up – Audio News Series
Joshua McNichols, Carolyn Adolph, Kate Walters, Carol Smith, Along the Mother Road.
Runner Up – General News Audio Reporting
Anna Boiko-Weyrauch and Gil Aegerter, Yes, light rail station escalators do break a lot. Here’s why, June 21, 2018.
NEW YORK TIMES STUDENT PODCAST CONTEST
Two stories from teens in KUOW’s RadioActive Youth Media program were honored in the second annual New York Times Student Podcast Contest. Out of nearly 900 submissions, only 12 pieces were selected as winners.
Lila Shroff was honored for her story interviewing her 90-year-old neighbor and Holocaust survivor Werner Glass. Zuheera Ali won for her story about depression memes and whether they help or hurt people cope with mental illness.
“We are so proud to see two RadioActive stories among the winning entries in the NY Times student podcast contest this year," said RadioActive Program Manager, Lila Kitaeff Lakehart. "Both stories were produced by RadioActive graduates who have remained involved in our program and have come back to share their skills with the next generation of RadioActive intro workshop participants. We’re glad to see their excellent storytelling and audio production work recognized at the national level, and we’re grateful to have them in our community.”
Lila Shroff, How My 90-year-old Neighbor, a Holocaust Survivor, Sees America Today, October 9, 2018.
Zuheera Ali, Depression Memes and Me: Why I Stopped Looking at Depression Memes, June 11, 2019.