Student Journalists at Ithaca College Garner Top Reporting Honors

ITHACA, NY—The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) presented television journalists from Ithaca College with three 2006 Mark of Excellence Awards at SPJ’s regional competition in April. Ithaca College’s student journalists won first-place honors in the categories of Television Newscast, Television General News Reporting and Television In-Depth Reporting.

The top Television Newscast award was presented to the staff members of “Newswatch 16,” the college’s tri-weekly live news program, for the newscasts of March 14, Oct. 10 and Dec. 7.

The Television General News Reporting award went to reporters Ray Villeda ’07 and Colin Bonzey ’07 for “Plan B,” a story that aired on “Newswatch 16” on Nov. 2.

The Television In-Depth Reporting honors were garnered by Marie Luby ’07 for “Timothy’s Law,” which was produced for a journalism class.

All entries were cablecast on ICTV, the student-operated television production organization, during the 2006 calendar year. The Mark of Excellence Award winners are students in the college’s Roy H. Park School of Communications.

“I am especially proud of the ‘Newswatch 16’ win, because all the newscast staff—producers, reporters, and production crew—are volunteers,” said Eloise Greene, manager of television operations in the Park School.

More than 3,300 student journalists submitted entries in 39 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions nationwide. Regional winners will be considered for judging at the national level. Winners of that competition will be announced in mid-May.

With 14,000 members, the Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization. Founded in 1909, it is dedicated to stimulating high standards of ethical behavior and perpetuating a free press.

For more information, contact Eloise Greene at (607) 274-3244 or eloise@ithaca.edu.