2007 Minnesota Associated Press Broadcast Contest Winners

KARE-TV, KQDS-TV, KTLK-FM, MPR, Radio K win AP awards

KARE-TV and KTLK-FM are first-place winners in the Minnesota Associated Press Broadcasters contest for their coverage of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis last summer.

Fargo television station KVLY was cited for its coverage of the Browns Valley flood in western Minnesota. Duluth TV station KQDS was honored for a report on teen suicide.

Minnesota Public Radio of St. Paul was cited for "Toxic Traces Revisited," an investigation into the state's response after a 3M chemical was discovered in drinking water. Radio K at the University of Minnesota won first-place awards for its coverage of a combine demolition derby and the Minnesota State Fair, and for an interview about Pearl Harbor.

News director Cassie Hart of KNSI-AM in St. Cloud won the Lone Ranger Award, given annually to recognize a one-person radio newsroom. Story of the Year went to news director Aaron Ziemer of KMHL-AM in Marshall for his coverage of the February school bus crash that killed four students in southwestern Minnesota.

KSTP-TV of St. Paul won the weekend cooperation award for sharing a Sunday story about a newly returned Iraq War veteran who found his home on fire. WCCO-AM of Minneapolis was cited for overall cooperation.

Winners of the 2007 Minnesota Associated Press Broadcasters' awards contest:

MAPB ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS CONTEST

RADIO CLASS I (stations with one or no fulltime newspeople)

Spot/Hard News
First _ KNSI-AM, St. Cloud, "Man Hunt," by Cassie Hart.
 
Feature
First _ Radio K, Minneapolis, "Combine Demolition Derby," by Ron Miller.
Honorable mention _ KDUZ-AM, Hutchinson, "2007 Grackle Days," by Mark Wodarczyk.

Series/Special
First _ Radio K, "Radio K News: At the Minnesota State Fair," by Ron Miller.
Honorable mention _ KNSI-AM, "St. Cloud Safety Efforts," by Cassie Hart; KVSC-FM, St. Cloud, "Cohen Presentation," by Jenna Lee Wundrow.

Documentary/Investigative
First _ Radio K, "Remembering December 7," by Lee Vandenbusch.
Honorable mention _ KVSC-FM, "Speak Out," by Ben Bardson.

Sports Reporting
First _ KVSC-FM, "NCC to NSIC," by Jody Norstedt.
Honorable mention _ KVSC-FM, "KVSC Sports Alumni-Husky Sports Friday," by John Hadden.

Sports Play-by-play
First _ KARL-FM, Marshall, "SMSU vs. Winona State," by Aaron Ziemer.
Honorable mention _ KLOH-AM, Pipestone, "State Basketball Tournament," by Bill Van Hoecke and Lance Oye; KDUZ-AM, "Crown College Football," by Joel Niemeyer.

Newscast
First _ KNSI-AM, St. Cloud, "July 12 Newscast," by Cassie Hart.
Honorable mention _ KDUZ-AM, "KDUZ News," by Mark Wodarczyk.

Best Web Site
KROX-AM, Crookston, www.kroxam.com, Webmaster Jake Fee.

Lone Ranger Award
Cassie Hart, KNSI-AM, St. Cloud

RADIO CLASS II (stations with two or three fulltime newspeople)

Spot/Hard News
First _ KFGO-AM, Fargo, "Northwood Twister," by Paul Jurgens.
Honorable mention _ KFGO-AM, "Browns Valley Flooding," by Don Haney.

Feature
First _ WJON-AM, St. Cloud, "Austin Motl," by Jim Maurice.
Honorable mention _ WJON-AM, "Soldier's Welcome Home," by Jim Maurice.

Series/Special
First _ KFGO-AM, "Attacked," by Don Haney.
Honorable mention _ WJON-AM, "Top 10 Stories of 2007," by Jim Maurice, Lee Voss and Tim Lyon.

Sports Play-by-Play
First _ KXSS-AM, St. Cloud, "Huskies Beat Falcons," by Jay Caldwell.
Honorable mention _ KFGO-AM, "11-17," by Dan Hammer.

Best Web Site
WJON-AM, www.wjon.com, Webmaster Tim Lyon.

Best in Show
WJON-AM, St. Cloud, "Austin Motl," by Jim Maurice

RADIO CLASS III (stations with four or more fulltime newspeople)

Spot/Hard News
First _ KTLK-FM, Minneapolis, "35W Bridge Collapse," by Jeff Monossso and Jason Lewis.
Honorable mention _ Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul, "Bridge Collapse," by MPR staff.

Feature
First _ MPR, "Chicken Caper," by Curtis Gilbert.

Series/Special
First _ MPR, "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: The Invisible Disorder," by Cara Hetland and Tom Robertson.
Honorable mention _ MPR, "Songs From Scratch," by Nikki Tundel, Sanden Totten, Larissa Anderson and Chris Roberts; WCCO-AM, Minneapolis, "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon," by WCCO Radio staff.

Documentary/Investigative
First _ MPR, "Toxic Traces Revisited," by Lorna Benson.
Honorable mention _ MPR, "How Long Are Children Waiting?," by Elizabeth Stawicki and Dan Gunderson.

Newscast
First _ KTLK-FM, "2007 Newscast," by Jeff Monosso.
Honorable mention _ WCCO-AM, "6:30 p.m. News," by WCCO Radio staff.

Best Web Site
WCCO-AM, www.830wcco.com, Webmaster Matthew Peterson.

Best in Show
Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul, "Toxic Traces Revisited," by Lorna Benson

TV CLASS I (stations with 50 or fewer fulltime newspeople) Spot/Hard News

First _ KVLY-TV, Fargo, "Browns Valley Flood," by Trisha O'Connor and Frode Tilden.
Honorable mention _ KVRR-TV, Fargo, "Illegal Aliens," by Travis Skonseng, reporter, and Zach Borg, photographer; KTTC-TV, Rochester, "Death of April Sorenson," by Chris Woodard.

Feature
First _ WDIO-TV, Duluth, "Lake Superior Surfing," by Josh Zenner, reporter, and Dan Bergh, photographer.
Honorable mention _ WDAY-TV, Fargo, "Lake Emily," by Jason Vincent; WDIO-TV, "Halloween," by Brady Smith and Carl Sauer.

Series/Special
First _ KQDS-TV, Duluth, "Teen Suicide," by Nick LaFave and John Thain.
Honorable mention _ WDIO-TV, "Milford Mine," by Renee Passal, reporter, and John Whaley, photographer; KVLY-TV, "Baby Greta," by Lisa Budeau, Dave Erickson and Frode Tilden.

Documentary/Investigative
First _ WDIO-TV, "Backed-up Basements-A Neighborhood Nightmare," by Kim Johnson, reporter, and Jeremy Jacobson, photographer.
Honorable mention _ KQDS-TV, "Car Scam," by Lisa Waldrup and Harry Baker.

Sports Reporting
First _ KXJB-TV, Fargo, "Eric Hanson-3 Story Composite," by Eric Hanson.
Honorable mention _ KVLY-TV, "Pay to Play," by Lisa Budeau and Dave Erickson; KXJB-TV, "Hockey Chairs," by Rich Lodewyk.

Writing
First _ KTTC-TV, "Picking up the Pieces," by Chris Hrapsky.
Honorable mention _ NorthlandsNewsCenter, Duluth, "Deer Hunting Traditions," by Dave Anderson.

Newscast
First _ KQDS-TV, "Fox 21 News at 9," by Fox 21 News Staff.
Honorable mention _ WDIO-TV, "Eyewitness News at 10 p.m."

Best West Site
KAAL-TV, Austin, www.kaaltv.com

Best in Show
KQDS-TV, Duluth, "Teen Suicide," by Nick LaFave and John Thain

TV CLASS II (stations with 51 or more fulltime newspeople)

Spot/Hard News
First _ KARE-TV, Golden Valley, "35W Bridge Collapse," by KARE11 staff.
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "August Floods," by KARE11 staff; KARE-TV, "Duluth Blizzard," by Boyd Huppert and Andy Sugden.

Feature
First _ KARE-TV, "Nick's Choice," by Joe Fryer and Brett Akagi.
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "Two Geese and a Car," by Scott Seroka and Brett Akagi; WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, "Bell Ringer," by Jeanette Trompeter.

Series/Special
First _ KARE-TV, "Standing Tall-A Soldier's Story," by Joe Fryer and John Drilling.
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "June's Journey," by Boyd Huppert and Jim Douglas; KARE-TV, "Bullying in the 21st Century," by Joe Fryer and Brett Agaki; KARE-TV, "Broken System, Broken Lives," by Rick Kupchella, Jeff Wiltgen, Jim Douglas, John Drilling, Nate Anderson, Monica Hanson, Jesse Thompson, Deb Lyngdal and Gary Knox.

Documentary/Investigative
First _ WCCO-TV, "WCCO I-Team: Consumer Lube Job," by Maria Awes.
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "Fueling Higher Prices," by Rick Kupchella, Jeff Wiltgen and John Drilling; KARE-TV, "35W Bridge Investigation," by Scott Goldberg and John Drilling.

Sports Reporting
First _ WCCO-TV, "Comeback Kid-Justin Greenwood's Story," by Carry Clancy, Dave Charest and Mark Rosen.
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "Driven to Dance," by Eric Perkins and Jeff Breitenstein; KARE-TV, "In the Game," by Boyd Huppert and Jonathan Malat.

Writing
First _ KARE-TV, "In the Game," by Boyd Huppert.
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "Nick's Choice," by Joe Fryer; WCCO-TV, "WWII Memorial Trip," by Paula Engelking; and WCCO-TV, "Labyrinths," by Dennis Douda.

Newscast
Honorable mention _ KARE-TV, "KARE11 News at 10 p.m.," Jen Young, producer.

Best Web Site
WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, www.wcco.com

Best in Show
KARE-TV, Golden Valley, "Standing Tall-A Soldier's Story," by Joe Fryer and John Drilling.

COOPERATION AWARDS
Story of the Year
"School Bus Crash," by Aaron Ziemer, KMHL-AM, Marshall

Weekend Cooperation
"Fire-Iraq Veteran," by KSTP-TV, St. Paul

Overall Cooperation
WCCO-AM, Minneapolis

Century Club Certificate (for contributing 100 or more stories to the Minnesota AP report in 2007)
KWLM/KQIC, Willmar