Coverage explored Hurricane Sandy, Prescription Drugs, Other Social Issues
(Bethpage, N.Y.) Hurricane Sandy brought to Long Island and much of the Atlantic coast a litany of environmental and personal devastation. However it was the media’s exploration of heroism and rebuilding for the future, in the wake of the storm, which made for compelling and award-winning news coverage.
Dubbed by the Fair Media Council’s (FMC) Executive Director Jaci Clement as “The Year that Changed Long Island,” examples of outstanding storm coverage were featured during this year’s Folio Award ceremony, presented by AT&T, attended by hundreds of journalists, business and community leaders on April 19. The presentation of the Folios by the FMC, are an annual rite that showcases who the public chose as the best in local news and social media.
The awards were presented for stories that impacted the local community in a variety of radio, television, print, online and social media categories. Some of the winning entries this year illustrated the impact of local media, which examined the prescription drug problem, boating safety and issues affecting our local environment and non-profit communities. The FMC presented a record 44 total awards this year, chosen from hundreds entries, by a panel of judges representing a veritable who’s who of business and non-profit leaders across the region.
This year’s prestigious Robert W. Greene Award for Investigative Journalism went to WABC-TV Reporter Sarah Wallace and Photographer Robert Cantwell for their work exposing the unscrupulous work of a local “doctor” who never attended medical school. In the radio category Hofstra University’s WRHU won for Best Newscast, beating out the professionals.
Among the social media winners, the Community Service Folio Award was presented to the “Save the Holtsville Ecology Center Campaign,” which used Facebook to stop the Town of Brookhaven from shuttering the facility, and the Shutterbug Award for best website was presented to FiOS1 News.
A complete list of winners is below.
FMC Folio Awards, presented by AT&T, was held at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY. Ellis Henican, who keynoted this year’s ceremony, presented a mix of serious and light hearted looks at both the past year’s and more recent news events and their coverage.
The WCBS NewsRadio 880 anchor team of Wayne Cabot and Steve Scott were this year’s award ceremony’s co-hosts. Award presenters included PIX 11’s Frances Rivera and Sukanya Krishnan, Fox 5 New York’s Steve Lacy and Jill Nicolini, WCBS-TV’s Chris Wragge and Mary Calvi, WNBC-TV’s David Ushery and Janice Huff, WABC-TV’s Joe Torres and Amy Freeze, Long Island Business News Editor and Publisher John Kominicki, WLIW’s Jim Paymar, host of the “Long Island Business Report,” and Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.
“When events such as Hurricane Sandy happen, the public receives a clearer understanding of the terrific and brave work done by our local media. The Folio Awards continue to signify the highest of honors in news and social media, because it is the public who judges the work for its community relevance,” explained Fair Media Council Executive Director Jaci Clement.
Major sponsors for this year’s event include AT&T, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Briarcliffe College, North Shore-LIJ Health System, and WeiserMazars LLP.
The Fair Media Council (FMC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that educates businesses, nonprofits and the public to become media savvy. FMC also advocates for quality local news coverage and has about 200 New York Metro area businesses and nonprofits as members. For more information go to www.fairmediacouncil.org, email info@fairmediacouncil.org or call 516.224.1860 or 855.432.4763.
FMC Folio Winners 2013
Category A: Television & Radio Entry Categories (includes podcasts & online-only TV/Radio formats)
Continuing News Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast
FiOS1 News 1/3/12
Pain Killers: A Prescription for Tragedy
Phil Corsentino, Clare Hickey, Holli Haerr
WSHU/NPR 04/12/12
State Struggled at Fire Prevention Ahead of Manorville Blaze
Charles Lane
Robert W. Greene Award for Investigative Journalism in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast
WABC-TV 5/7/12
Phony Doctor
Reporter: Sarah Wallace
Photographer/Editor: Robert Cantwell
Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast
FiOS1 News 12/7/11
Tie Boy
Phil Corsentino, Jessica Fragoso
Spot News Story
WCBS-TV 01/12/12
Teen Hides in Closet
Jennifer McLogan
WCBS Newsradio 880 07/5/12
July 4th Tragedy on Long Island
Sophia Hall, Peter Haskell, The WCBS 880 News Team
Feature Story – Long Form
WALK 97.5 FM 7/15/12
Island Assignment: Boating Safety
Reporter/Producer: Donna Vaughan
MyLITV 6/25/12
GLBT Prom
Reporter: Stephanie Stern
Editor: Waldo Cabrera
Science, Health or Environment News
WCBS-TV 04/20/12
Dina’s Miracle
Reporter: Carolyn Gusoff
Photographer/Editor: Joe Garufi
WCBS Newsradio 880 5/2012
Bad Medicine: When Painkillers Kill
Irene Cornell
Cultural, Artistic, Historical or Religious News
WNBC-TV 3/2/12
Moving TR
Reporter: Greg Cergol
Photographer/Editor: John Albertson
Dr. Sean A. Fanelli Award in Educational Reporting
FiOS1 News 4/24/12
Autism: Friends Like You
Phil Corsentino, Jessica Fragoso
Economic or Business News
WNBC-TV 1/18/12
A Big Man Turns 93
Reporter: Greg Cergol
Photographer/Editor: Justin Laub
WLNY-TV 10/55 07/29/12
Coocoo.com
Richard Rose
Editorial or Public Affairs Issues
FiOS1 News 8/2/12
Caution: Baby on Board
Executive Producer: Phil Corsentino, Rich French III
Producer: Don Dudley
Director: Ralph Kebrdle
Writer: Don Dudley
Talent: Richard French III
Photographers: Shawn McMillian, Mike Bruno
Web Designer: Kim Mineo
Editor: Laura McGowan
Long Island Exclusive- Hurricane Sandy
FiOS1 News 10/30/12
The Power to Breathe
News Director: Phil Corsentino
Reporter: Kevin Vesey
Continuous L.I. Coverage – Hurricane Sandy
WCBS Newsradio 880 10/29, 11/20/12
Hurricane Sandy
Mike Xirinachs, Sophia Hall, The WCBS 880 News Team
PIX11 News 11/20/2012
PIX11 Cares: Long Island
Anchor: Sukanya Krishnan
Reporters: Dan Mannarino, Lisa Mateo
News Director: John Houseman
Executive Producer: Howard Dorsey
Senior Producer: Marcia Parris
Producers: Ojinika Obiekwe, Kate Sullivan, Brynne Gadinis, Samantha Neely, Khadia Jonjo, Ed Erlenmeyer
Photographer: Kenton Young
Truck Operator: Victor Lopez
WCBS-TV 10/30/12
Sandy Continuous Live
Carolyn Gusoff, Jennifer McLogan
Enterprise Reporting
WCBS-TV 05/11/12, 08/3/12 Our Pill Popping Children and The Efforts of Parents and Professionals Who Refuse to Sweep this Under the Rug Reporter: Jennifer McLogan Photographer/Editor: Patrick Cronin
Consumer Issues News
WRNN-TV 11/13/12
Surveillance Nation
News Director: Phil Corsentino
Talent: Richard French III
Reporter: Kim Lengle
Photographer: Mike Bruno
Best Newscast
WRHU-FM 11/16/12
Newsline
Producer/Anchor: Rick Rissetto
Anchor: Shannan Ferry
Engineer: Marisa Spano
Specific Issues
Specific Issues are special categories devoted to the most pertinent issues facing Long Island today.
Affordable Housing News
WCBS-TV 06/26/12
Abandoned Homes Renovated
Carolyn Gusoff
Energy Trends & Innovation News
WCBS-TV 04/2/12
Recycled Rain
Reporter: Carolyn Gusoff
Photographer/Editor: Joe Garufi
School-to-Workforce News
FiOS News 2/14/12
100 Black Men
News Director: Phil Corsentino
Talent: Mike Stevens
Executive Producer: Clare Hickey
Transportation Improvements News
MyLITV 2/14/12
Yellow Bus Goes Green
Reporter: Stephanie Stern
Editor: Waldo Cabrera
Taxes: Accountability News
WCBS-TV 10/5/12
Tax Bill Sticker Shock
Reporter: Carolyn Gusoff
Photographer/Editor: Joe Garufi
Affordable Housing Feature Reporting
MyLITV 2/15/12
Connetquot High School & Habitat for Humanity: Building Hope for Local Family
Reporter: Waldo Cabrera
Editor: Waldo Cabrera
School-to-Workforce Feature Reporting
MyLITV 3/28/12
7 Habits of Successful Kids
Reporter: Waldo Cabrera
Editor: Waldo Cabrera
Impact of Immigration Feature Reporting
WNYC Radio 11/05/12
Immigrants Benefiting from Deferred Action Keep an Eye On Election
Mirela Iverac, Karen Frillmann, Paul Schneider
Smart Growth Talk Show and/or Commentary
WLIW 05/01/12
Long Island Business Report
Anchor/Executive Producer: Jim Paymar
Executive in Charge: John Servidio
Producer: Ally Gimbel
Associate Producer: Liz Muentes
Category B: Newspaper/Magazine Entories (includes online-only newspaper/magazine formats)
Cultural, Artistic, Historical, or Religious News
Long Island Press 10/25/12
Westbury Music Fair: And the Round Sound Goes On and On
Contributor: Dave Gil de Rubio
Economic, Business or Consumer Issues News
Long Island Press 05/31/12
Hell or High Water
Senior Reporter/Editor-
Senior Editor: Spencer Rumsey
Enterprise Reporting
Long Island Press 04/05/2012
Clam Wars
Senior Reporter/Editor- Investigations: Christopher Twarowski
Social Media Corporate & Media Categories
Media Savvy Business Award: Best use of social media campaign to achieve defined goals
Long Island Restaurant News
Managing Editor: Tara Berkoski
Assistant Managing Editor: Rachel Bosworth
Writers: Heather Girgenti, Britt Ball
Twitterati Award: Best Use of Twitter
@NYRANews
New York Racing Association, Inc.
Social Media Specialist: Susie Raisher
Video Star Award: Best Use of YouTube.
Long Island Press Video Channel
Long Island Press
Buzz Worthy Award: Best use of social media to up the momentum of getting a message into the hands of a target audience.
Long Island Restaurant Week & Hurricane Sandy
Managing Executive: Tara Berkoski
Marketing Coordinator: Heather Girgenti
Public Relations Coordinator: Rachel Bosworth
Advertising Coordinator: Britt Ball
Community Service Award: For the best Blog site or Web site devoted to issues of interest to a particular community
Saving the Holtsville Ecology Center Through Social Media
Save the Holtsville Ecology Center
Brookhaven Wildlife Center: Danielle Lloyd
e-Philanthropist Award: Best online fundraising campaign that raised in excess of $10,000
Katy’s Courage
Account Executive: Tara Berkoski
Shutterbug Award: Best blog or website devoted to chronicling local news.
FiOS1 News Long Island Website
FiOS1 News
News Director: Phil Corsentino
Webmaster: Kim Mineo
Hurricane Sandy Relief Campaign
Social-Minded Science for Superstorm Sandy
New York Sea Grant
New York Sea Grant Web Content Manger: Paul C. Focazio
SJCNY- Hurricane Sandy Relief Campaign
St. Joseph’s College
Director of Public Relations: Jessica McAleer
Manager of Community Relations: Melissa Kuehnle
Public Relations Associate: Valerie Esposito
Manager of Public Relations: Michael Banach
WBAB Responds on Social Media to Superstorm Sandy
WBAB- Cox Media Group
Social Media Director: David Epstein
Director of Marketing: Jason Steinberg
Webmaster: Suzanne Wolf
Hosts: Roger Luce, John Parise
Producer: Matt Wolfe
News: Ted Lindner
