The Alaska Press Club held its annual conference in Anchorage this April and the KFSK news team brought home six awards for their work in 2023.
The prestigious competition sees many hundreds of entries every year, receives national industry attention and its judges are drawn from the highest echelons of American journalism.
Reporter Thomas Copeland won four awards, including first place for Best Education Reporting for his story on Alaska schools struggling to keep up with food inflation
The judges commended his “strong scene-setting and great writing throughout. Tiny, creative turns of phrase make this story, bringing levity and clarity to an important and complex issue. The reporter keeps the listener engaged even through an explanation of complicated school lunch funding. Nicely voiced too, natural and engaging. A terrific piece of audio.”
Copeland now produces Newshour from the BBC World Service in London, available every day, 4am on KFSK before Morning Edition.
Copeland also scored second place prizes for Best Reporting on Government or Politics and for Best Public Safety Reporting.
His story on Petersburg’s housing needs was praised for its “wonderful energy in the voicing of the narration which lifted this story above the pack. Kudos as well for having all in-person tape and a personal story to draw us in.”
And Copeland’s exclusive scoop that Alaska’s volunteer firefighting force halved over the last decade was applauded by judges as “really good. Tightly written. And the way you described the drop in numbers was brilliant.”
News Director Shelby Herbert won third place for Best Alaska Outdoors Reporting for her story – Petersburg Ranger District authorizes wilderness survival show, “Outlast,” to film in Little Duncan Bay.
“How can a dangerous brown bear encounter with a lone hunter not find a place in this category,” the judges commented, “especially when the reporter recognizes his own culpability.”
Reporter Hannah Flor also brought home third prize for Best Culture Reporting for her coverage of Petersburg’s visit from the Hokule’a, the Polynesian voyaging canoe which toured southeast Alaska last summer.
Contest judges particularly loved one line in her story – “be who we are”.
And a final win for Copeland with third place for Best Sound Rich Feature. His fun-filled account of Petersburg’s Fourth of July celebrations was an audience favorite.
The judges wrote that “it stands out in this contest because it uses so much sound and short, meaningful quotes from participants. The reporter was thoughtful in his first-person presence and used it to make the story fun and keep the listeners engaged.”
