ORLANDO, Fla. — The winners were announced at the Society of Professional Journalists 2012 Sunshine State Awards Celebration, presented Saturday, June 23, at the Calder Casino & Race Course in Miami Gardens. The competition recognizes quality journalism in the best tradition of our profession.
In the television division, WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News was the only Central Florida news station to take home awards. The Eyewitness News staff took home top honors for excellent coverage of the acquittal of Casey Anthony.
Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter George Spencer won for best Investigative Reporting for his story on welfare misspending. His report exposed how welfare recipients are allowed to use tax money to gamble at local strip mall casinos.
Executive Producer Amy Fulmer and Producer Tiffany Toepper-Reppenhagen were honored as the second best newscast in Florida for Eyewitness New at 11 p.m. and Executive Producer Marilyn Vaca and Producer Richard Neel were singled out as the number three newscast in the state for Eyewitness News at 6 p.m.
“Being recognized by our peers for our hard work is an honor,” said WFTV Eyewitness News Managing Editor Matt Parcell. “These awards are shared by all of the writers, producers, talent and technical crew that help make Eyewitness News product stand out. It is our goal to always ask the questions that our viewers want answered and to continue to produce investigative journalism at its best” he continued.
WFTV
