Siouxland Public Media received major accolades with the Midwest Broadcast Journalism Association (MBJA). On, April 4, 2020 - Siouxland Public Media won nine Eric Sevareid Awards. Siouxland Public Media picked up more “First Place” awards (7) than any other radio or television station in the tri-state area. The station also received two “Awards of Merit”.
The MBJA covers a six-state region including the states of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
News Director Mary Hartnett topped the Documentary/Special category with a special broadcast of “The Exchange” featuring the anniversaries of Flight 232 and the Moon Landing.
“The Exchange” airs weekly on Siouxland Public Media. Each episode explores significant issues impacting the region and celebrates local arts and culture.
Reporter and Special Products Producer Sheila Brummer was singled out for her writing, reporting, anchoring and work with the Siouxland Media Lab. She took first place in all the news reporting categories; audio, general reporting, investigative, hard and soft feature.
The Siouxland Media Lab brings the tools of public broadcasting to the youth and underserved in Sioux City. In the summer of 2019, the project combined the talents of Siouxland Pubic Media professionals with up-and-coming radio producers and reporters from Girls, Inc. of Sioux City.
Hartnett and Brummer bring more than 50-years of combined experience to create insightful, smart and compelling storytelling on issues important to the Siouxland community.
Because of coronavirus concerns the winners were posted online instead of being announced at a banquet and awards ceremony during the annual Midwest Journalism Conference in Bloomington, Minnesota.
First Place Awards:
Audio: Multicultural Fair Showcases Diversity in Siouxland/Sheila Brummer
Broadcast Writing: Sheila Brummer 60th Anniversary of the Day the Music Died/Boys in Blue: Exhibit Explores Veterans of the U.S. Civil War
Documentary/Special:Flight 232 and The Moon Landing/Mary Hartnett
General Reporting: Assessment Anxiety Property Owners in Sioux City/Sheila Brummer
Hard Feature: Justice for Jon/Sheila Brummer
Investigative: Checking out the Issue of Homelessness at the Sioux City Library/Sheila Brummer
Soft Feature: Moon Landing Connects Young and Older Generations-Producer/Sheila Brummer
Award of Merit:
Newscast: Sheila Brummer
Talk/Public Affairs: Young Reporters Interview the Mayor of Sioux City
Producers/Sheila Brummer and Jorge Quezada
The mission of Siouxland Public Media KWIT-KOJI is to enhance the quality of life by providing public radio that informs, entertains and expands the mind.
KWIT FM-90.3/KOJI FM-90.7 airs from the campus of Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa. With 100,000 watts of power, Siouxland Public Media brings public radio to Siouxland communities within a 100 mile radius of Sioux City, including northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota. Since 1978, Siouxland Public Media KWIT-KOJI has provided comprehensive news coverage from National Public Radio (NPR), classical and other quality music and outstanding information and entertainment programing, a format not available on commercial radio stations. News and information programs distinguish KWIT-KOJI from other media, with more than 40 hours a week devoted to programs that explore the news with intelligence and depth; “Morning Edition”, “All Things Considered” and “Weekend Edition”.
The Eric Sevareid Awards are named for the North Dakota-born and University of Minnesota-educated journalist best known for his work as a correspondent for CBS Radio and Television. Each year, the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association presents awards to the best work done by broadcast news operations and journalists working in small, medium and large markets in our six-state region on radio, television and online. Our distinguished panel of judges is made up of journalists and educators who live outside of Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, Iowa and Nebraska to help ensure impartiality.
