Register now for the 2012 broadcast awards dinner

The NYSAPBA awards banquet is June 2 at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs. Our keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet will be Robert Smith, the NPR New York correspondent, who has been covering the economy and presidential politics with his signature entertaining and offbeat reporting style.

Reserve a room at the special rate by the May 11 deadline. The rates, not including tax:

Single/double occupancy: $145.95; Luxury: $165.95; Suite: $245.95. Reservations can be made on the Internet at NYS Associated Press or by calling the hotel directly at 518-584-4550, or by calling 1-800-HOLIDAY (465-4329) using the code: ASP.

Separately, you must register for the banquet itself. Download this dinner registration form and return it by email to Diane Kahng. You can mail a check to the address on the form or pay online.

Newspaper members' meeting and awards banquet

The New York State Associated Press Association 2011-12 contest entry deadline is June 15, and the banquet will be Oct. 3 at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs. Hotel reservation deadline is Sept. 14.

Here are results of its 2010-11 contest recognizing excellent writing, presentation, photography and graphics in AP member newspapers.

Newspapers in Canandaigua, Poughkeepsie, Rochester and Long Island were honored as Newspapers of Distinction at the annual banquet Sept. 21 in Rochester.

Also announced at the NYSAPA Annual Meeting were winners of other top categories, including the Young Journalist of the Year.

The Daily Messenger of Canandaigua, Poughkeepsie Journal, Democrat & Chronicle of Rochester, and Newsday of Long Island were judged the best newspapers in their respective circulation categories. The entire newspaper was judged in this competition.

The NYSAPA is one of the oldest and most competitive journalistic competitions for daily newspapers in the state. This year's contest was judged by panels of journalists from out of state.

Others honored by the NYSAPA are:

— MIKE HENDRICKS YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD

Sean Dobbin of the Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, won the award named for the former Associated Press news editor in Albany and given to a journalist with up to three years' experience.

— BERNARD J. KOLENBERG AWARD

Michelle Gabel of the Post-Standard, Syracuse won the Bernard J. Kolenberg Award for best in show for the photo titled "The Art of Reconstruction." The award is named for an Albany Times Union photographer killed in a plane crash in Vietnam while he was covering the war for The Associated Press.

— BRUCE CROMIE AWARD

Seth Harrison of The Journal News, White Plains, won the Bruce Cromie Award for contributing the best of the state AP's "Photo of the Month" award winners. The award is named for an Albany photographer killed in an auto accident while on assignment for a member newspaper. Harrison won for the second straight year, this time for his image "Exhausted Firefighters."

— AP STAFFERS OF THE YEAR

Breaking News Staffer George Walsh in the Albany bureau and Newswoman Colleen Long in the New York City bureau were named AP Staffers of the Year.

Winners may order duplicate framed certificate here.

WRVO, WGRZ win top honors in AP's NY news awards

Upstate radio station WRVO and Buffalo's WGRZ-TV won the top awards June 4, 2011, in the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association's annual news awards competition.

WRVO, a National Public Radio affiliate based in Oswego, won nine first-place awards to earn the NYSAPBA's Steve Flanders Award, given to the radio station with the most top finishes in the competition for news stories aired during the previous calendar year.

WGRZ took first place in six categories to win the grand prize in the television competition.

The awards were presented during the NYSAPBA's annual banquet in Saratoga Springs. Buffalo-area native and Syracuse University graduate Jeff Glor, news anchor for "The Early Show" on CBS, was the keynote speaker.

WNYC in New York City took home seven first-place awards in the competition for large-market radio stations, while WCBS won first-place awards in four categories.

The Elmira area's WENY-TV won five first-place awards, followed by Buffalo's WBEN-AM, WNBC-TV in New York City, News 12 Long Island and WIVB-TV in Buffalo with four apiece.

Other multiple first-place award winners in the radio competition were Buffalo's WBFO with three and WNED with two.

In the television competition, NY1 in New York City, WHAM in Rochester, Watertown's WWNY, WBNG in Binghamton and News 12 Hudson Valley each won two first-place awards.

In the college contest, Hofstra University's WRHU won two first-place awards in the radio competition, while CTV at Columbia University won a first-place award and shared top honors with Fordham University's EIC in another category.

Winners will be able to order duplicate framed certificates on the state AP broadcast page.

Share your news

We rely on our members and the public to tip us off to news as it is happening. The Bureaus & Contacts link above tells how to reach us. We recognize the best news and feature photography around the state each month. Click the Photo of the Month link to see who won last month's $150 prizes and had their pictures entered into the New York State Associated Press Association annual contest.

The Associated Press in New York State

The Associated Press in New York provides news in all formats to more than 70 newspapers and 150 broadcasters around the state. The staff of about 50 people includes reporters, editors, photographers, technology specialists and administrative assistants. The Metro bureau in New York coordinates coverage of the city, Long Island and Westchester County. The Albany bureau edits and transmits news and sports stories and photos from the rest of the state. Staff includes a Syracuse sportswriter and a three-person Buffalo bureau covering news and sports in the western part of the state.

The Associated Press is the oldest and largest news organization in the world, serving as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video for more than one billion people a day. In the U.S. alone, AP serves 5,000 radio and TV stations and 1,700 newspapers.