Cronkite students top national broadcast competition

February 22, 2012

Arizona State University students won more awards at the Broadcast Education Association’s Festival of Media Arts competition than any other school in the country for the third consecutive year.

Students at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication earned 20 broadcast and multimedia journalism awards, more than twice as many as the second-place school.

“Being recognized nationally in so many categories is a testament to the depth and strength of our students and faculty here at Cronkite,” said Mark Lodato, Cronkite assistant dean and news director. “From documentary and radio to feature reporting and newscast production, our students strive to do their very best. We couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

The school also won the most Best of Festival awards, the highest honor given in the competition’s individual categories. Cronkite NewsWatch won best student newscast, the second such honor in three years, while the documentary “Tipping the Scales,” about childhood obesity, earned best student documentary.

“Tipping the Scales” was produced by Lisa Blanco, Arielle Horsch, Samantha Lloyd and Angela Ortega for a documentary class. Professor John Craft, who teaches the class, praised the students for their dedication and professionalism.

“They really put a lot of effort into [the documentary],” he said. “They are incredibly professional.”

In addition, Cronkite students recorded two first-place finishes in the competition. Dan Neligh placed first in TV feature reporting, and Daryl Bjoraas received first-place honors in the TV weathercaster category. Other Cronkite students earned honors in the radio feature reporting, TV hard news, TV anchor, TV sports talent and radio hard news categories.

Cronkite students also dominated the Festival of Media Arts competition last year, earning 19 awards, including two Best of Festival and six first-place awards.

The winners will be honored at an awards ceremony in April at the BEA annual convention in Las Vegas.

The 2012 BEA award winners are:

Best of Festival: Student Newscast

Cronkite NewsWatch

Best of Festival: Documentary – Long-form

“Tipping the Scales,” Lisa Blanco, Arielle Horsch, Samantha Lloyd and Angela Ortega

First Place: TV Feature Reporting

“Phoenix Symphony Conductor,” Dan Neligh

First Place: TV Weathercaster

Daryl Bjoraas

Second Place: Radio Feature Reporting

“Golden Grannies,” Isaac Easle

Second Place: TV Hard News

“Obama Campaign in Arizona,” Lindsay Nadrich

Third Place: TV Anchor

Lindsay Nadrich

Third Place: TV Weathercaster

Taryn Hale

Third Place: TV Sports Talent

Brandon Kamerman

Honorable Mention: Radio Hard News

Lydia Camarillo, “Occupy Phoenix”