COLUMBUS, Ohio — Multiple members of the WTOL 11 staff have been selected as finalists in the 2020 Ohio Associated Press Media Editors broadcast contest.
This year, the station has 14 nominations in areas such as digital media, investigative and enterprise reporting, photography, sports coverage and more, and is the most-nominated station in the Television II category for work in 2020.
While the nominations are gratifying, we give thanks to our viewers for letting us tell your stories and for trusting us as Toledo's News Leader.
Overall, 26 broadcasters submitted 273 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports and weather reporting, as well as features, documentaries and photography from 2020.
The awards in actual order of finish - first or second - will be announced later along with the General Excellence, Hall of Fame, Rising Star and First Amendment award winners.
The complete nominations for Television II are as follows:
- Best Producer: Krystle Kimes, WKBN/WYTV-TV, "2020 Election"; Elise Waller, WTVG-TV, "Walking with Protesters."
- Best Anchor: Lindsay McCoy, WFMJ-TV; Brittany Morgan, WTAP-TV.
- Best Feature Reporting: Kristian Brown and Todd Gaertner, WTVG-TV, "Pushing Through Pain"; Lissa Guyton and Kevin Beining, WTVG-TV, "Sewing Grammy."
- Best Broadcast Writing: Chris Cerenelli, WFMJ-TV; Brian Dugger, WTOL 11, "The Murder of Kevin Carr."
- Best Photographer: Joe Cromer, WTOL 11; Eric Rerucha, WTOL 11.
- Best Reporter: Brian Dugger, WTOL 11; Derek Steyer, WFMJ-TV.
- Best Sportscast: Dana Balash, WFMJ-TV, "Overtime Report"; WTAP-TV, "Football Frenzy - Sept. 11."
- Best Sports Feature: Jordan Strack and Eric Rerucha, WTOL 11, "Back in the Huddle"; Jim Wharton, WTAP-TV, "Local Teen Tees Off Against Cerebral Palsy."
- Best Use of Photography: Todd Gaertner, WTVG-TV, "Our New Normal?"; Eric Rerucha, WTOL 11, "Murder on Brown Road."
- Best Documentary or Series: Brian Dugger and Eric Rerucha, WTOL 11, "Cook Brothers: Reign of Terror"; WKBN/WYTV-TV, "FAIR PLAY - A Conversation About Sports and Race."
- Best Coverage of a Scheduled Event: WTOL 11, "Officer Anthony Dia Funeral"; Lauren Stebelton, WFMJTV, "March for Justice."
- Best Spot News Coverage: WKEF/WRGT-TV, "Police and Protesters Clash"; WTVG-TV, "TPD Officer Killed in the Line of Duty."
- Best Continuing Coverage: Danielle Cotterman and Michael Petrucci, WFMJ-TV, "Missing New Castle Teen"; WTVG-TV, "Toledo City Council Corruption Arrests."
- Best Enterprise Reporting: Melissa Andrews and Eric Rerucha, WTOL 11, "10 Years Gone: A Mother's Heartbreak"; Jenson Strock, WTOL 11, "'You're Actually Doing Harm': How Misinformation Can Cause Problems for Victims of Human Trafficking."
- Best Investigative Reporting: Brian Dugger and Eric Rerucha, WTOL 11, "Murder on Brown Road"; WTOL 11, "Toledo City Council Bribery Scandal."
- Best Newscast: Elise Waller and Katarina Bodziak, WTVG-TV; WTVG-TV.
- Best Weathercast: Thomas Battle, WTAP-TV.
- Best Digital Project: WTOL 11, "Three Languages, One Mission: Life-Saving Information on COVID-19 - Updates in English, Spanish and Arabic."
- Best Digital Presence: WTOL 11.