The VPM News team received five awards for excellence in reporting at the 2021 Virginias AP Broadcasters Awards. The winners were announced on March 26 during a banquet at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
“We are so proud of our news team and the fantastic work they’ve done over the last year,” said Elliott Robinson, VPM News Director. “It’s an honor to be recognized in five categories alongside so many significant entries. Our goal remains to bring thoughtful and inclusive news coverage to our audience on the issues that matter most in our community.”
The annual competition drew 587 entries from 37 broadcast news organizations representing Virginia and West Virginia.
VPM's first-place award winners in the Radio I/Metro division include:
Best Continuing News: Ben Paviour and Whittney Evans for “Marijuana Legalization in Virginia”
Best Sports Feature: Ian Stewart for “ One Year in, Black Girls Hike RVA Still Breaking Stereotypes”
VPM’s second-place winners were:
Best News Spot: Ian Stewart for " Poll Workers Prepare for Another Pandemic Election Day"
Best Documentary or In-Depth: Megan Pauly, Sara McCloskey and Crixell Matthews for " Dreams Deferred: How an Overlooked Type of School Debt Is Affecting Thousands of Students in Virginia"
Best Investigative Reporting: Ben Paviour for " A Historically Black Town Stood in the Way of a Pipeline so Developers Claimed It Was Mostly White"
To view the full list of winners, visit Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters.