Several OPB journalists and staff members have been recently honored with regional awards for their work produced in 2023. Reporters, editors, executive producers, producers, videographers, audio engineers, writers, photographers, graphic artists and more have received Northwest Regional Emmy® Awards, Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Telly Awards and awards from the Public Media Journalists Association.
Their winning stories and in-depth reporting spanned a broad range of categories and subjects: politics, environment, science, arts and culture, food, history, equity, business, education and more.
This work – and all of OPB’s journalism and programs – is made possible by the generous support of OPB members. It can be found online at www.opb.org.
Northwest Regional Emmy Awards
OPB received five Northwest Regional Emmy Awards from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). The awards recognize excellence in programming and individual craft achievement in television and media arts. Production teams from OPB’s original arts program “Oregon Art Beat” and its two digital video series “Superabundant” and “All Science. No Fiction” were honored in this year’s contest.
2024 Regional Emmy Award wins include:
- Arts/Entertainment - Short Form Content: “The Deceptive Glass Sculptures of Dylan Martinez” (Eric Slade, producer; Stephani Gordon, photographer; Michael Bendixen, editor)
- Business/Consumer - Short and Long Form Content: “Superabundant,” “Dungeness Crab: Oregon’s Most Lucrative Fishery” (Arya Surowidjojo, producer; Stephani Gordon, photographer; MacGregor Campbell, graphic designer; Crystal Ligori, narrator; Steven Vaughn Kray, audio)
- Informational/Instructional - Short Form Content: “Superabundant: Soil” (MacGregor Campbell, executive producer; Emily Hamilton, graphic designer; Heather Arndt Anderson, writer; Matt Hemmerich, graphic designer; Crystal Ligori, narrator; Steven Vaughn Kray, audio)
- Writer - Short Form Content: “All Science. No Fiction” (Jes Burns)
- Audio: “Superabundant” (Steven Vaughn Kray)
You can see all Northwest Emmy Award winners here.
SPJ Northwest Excellence in Journalism Awards
Many OPB journalists were recognized with Northwest Excellence in Journalism Awards, one of the largest contests of its kind in the nation. The awards recognize the best in professional journalism in categories covering print/online, audio, television, and more.
The contest spans SPJ Region 10, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. OPB received several first and second place 2024 SPJ awards in the “Large” division in the following categories:
At Large: Collaboration
- First Place: “Colorado’s ambitious plan to restore wolves taps into years-old tensions in Oregon” (April Ehrlich, OPB; Scott Franz, KUNC)
Audio: Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting
- First Place: “Portland’s protests made them friends. After the Normandale Park shooting, they became family” (Conrad Wilson, Alex Zielinski)
Audio: Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting
- First Place: “Crook County residents fear mining company polluted their water. Here’s how Oregon investigated” (Emily Cureton Cook)
Audio: Feature (Hard News)
- Second Place: “Tainted, brown drinking water grips a Southern Oregon town” (Joni Auden Land)
Audio: Feature (Soft News)
- Second Place: “Loot the Deschutes offers lost and found on Bend’s high traffic river” (Emily Cureton Cook)
Audio: Government & Politics Reporting
- First Place: “The rise and fall of Shemia Fagan” (Dirk VanderHart, Lauren Dake, Andrew Theen)
Audio: LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting
- Second Place: “A new exhibit explores Indigiqueer history in the Pacific Northwest” (Crystal Ligori)
Audio: Racial Equity Reporting
- First Place: “As membership declines, Portland churches see money and ministry in affordable housing” (Joni Auden Land)
- Second Place: “Portland group works to make wealth redistribution a reality through real estate” (Tiffany Camhi)
Video: Feature - Hard News
- First Place: “Massive dam removal project spurs hope in the Klamath Basin” (Cassandra Profita, Brandon Swanson, Danika Sandoz)
Video: Video Series
- Second Place: “All Science. No Fiction.: Solutions science from the Pacific Northwest” (Jes Burns, Dan Evans, Stephani Gordon, Brandon Swanson)
Writing: Arts & Culture Reporting
- First Place: “Revamp considered for Portland’s Keller Auditorium after seismic report deems it unsafe” (Steven Tonthat)
- Second Place: “Eugene film festival spotlights Asian American and Pacific Islander stories” (Steven Tonthat)
Writing: Breaking News
- First Place: “Dozens of homeless people displaced by Tillamook floods” (Joni Auden Land)
Writing: Business & Economics Reporting
- First Place: “Oregon has an extreme housing shortage. Here’s what could be done” (April Ehrlich)
Writing: Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting
- First Place: “For some Oregonians, losing 10 wolves to Colorado is complicated” (April Ehrlich)
Writing: Feature - Hard News
- First Place: “Pilot accused of trying to shut down plane engines was afraid to report depression, colleagues say” (Jonathan Levinson)
- Second Place: “Portland’s protests made them friends. After the Normandale Park shooting, they became family” (Alex Zielinski, Conrad Wilson)
Writing: Feature- Soft News
- Second Place: “Video games at OHSU help kids cope during medical treatment” (Steven Tonthat)
Writing: Government & Politics Reporting
- First Place: “Outgoing Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has a chance to lead differently. Will he take it?” (Alex Zielinski)
Writing: Government & Politics Reporting
- Second Place: “Coverage of Oregon’s record-breaking Capitol walkout” (Dirk VanderHart)
Writing: Investigative Reporting
- First Place: “Crook County residents fear mining company polluted their water. Here’s how Oregon investigated” (Emily Cureton Cook)
Writing: LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting
- First Place: “A new network of hate groups in the Pacific Northwest targets smaller Pride festivals” (Jonathan Levinson)
Writing: Poverty & Homelessness Reporting
- First Place: “How homelessness in Oregon started, grew and became a statewide crisis” (Alex Zielinski)
Writing: Racial Equity Reporting
- First Place: “Public defenders sue Washington County over what they say is systemic courthouse racism” (Jonathan Levinson)
- Second Place: “Warm Springs Tribes challenge Deschutes County resort development over treaty rights” (Emily Cureton Cook)
Writing: Technology & Science Reporting
- First Place: “A new ‘Pied Piper’ robot protects Oregon’s vineyards from pests” (Jes Burns)
You can see the full list of SPJ award winners here.
The Telly Awards
The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. Founded in 1979 to honor local, regional and cable television commercials, with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after, the award has evolved with the rise of digital video to include branded content, documentary, social media, immersive and more.
Receiving over 12,000 entries globally from 6 continents and all 50 states, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world. OPB’s Telly Award wins include:
Gold Winner: Videography & Cinematography – Online
- “Superabundant: Dungeness Crab” (MacGregor Campbell, Stephani Gordon)
Silver Winner: Food & Beverage – Online
- “Superabundant: Season 2″ (MacGregor Campbell, Arya Surowidjojo, Heather Arndt Anderson, Meagan Cuthill, Stephani Gordon, Emily Hamilton, Crystal Ligori, Steven Vaughn Kray)
Silver Winner: Voiceover & Narration – Online
- “Superabundant: The epic story of Oregon’s soil” (Crystal Ligori)
Bronze Winner: Motion Graphics & Design – Online
- “Superabundant: Dungeness Crab” (MacGregor Campbell, Stephani Gordon)
View the full list of Telly Award winners here.
The Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) Awards
OPB was presented with two awards from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA). The annual Awards recognize the very best in public media work and exceptional public media projects. PMJA membership includes more than 130 local public radio newsrooms across the country.
Awards are presented in five divisions representing public media organizations with as few as one to more than 30 newsroom employees. OPB was recognized in Division E, which encompasses organizations with 30 or more employees. Awards include:
Special Feature Category - Economic Impacts on Local Communities
- Second Place: “Portland group works to make wealth redistribution a reality through real estate”
Visual Storytelling
- First Place: “A new ‘Pied Piper’ robot protects Oregon’s vineyards from pests with some good vibes”
You can find the full list of PMJA winners here.