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Awards

2012 Lone Star Awards

July 12, 2012 · Texas Public Radio took home seven Lone Star Awards in the radio and online categories this past Saturday. One locally produced Texas Public Radio program, “Texas Matters,” received top honors in the Talk Show category.

The Lone Star Awards, handed out by the Houston Press Club, are given each year in recognition of outstanding achievements in journalism and mass communication in the state of Texas.

David Martin Davies and Yvette Benavides shared a first place award in the “Talk Show” category for the November 23, 2011, episode of “Texas Matters,” titled “We Were Not Orphans: Stories from the Waco State Home.” Davies and Benavides shared the first-person accounts of former residents of the Waco State Home for Dependent and Neglected Children. The children at the facility faced beatings and sexual abuse; the facility was closed in 1979. “It was the powerful stories from the Waco State Home that propelled this radio documentary,” says Davies. “These were children living in desperate times who were given a place to live but also subjected to incredible cruelty and abuse at the hands of the state of Texas. This is also an inspiring story of their triumph over adversity. I will never forget interviewing the men and women who grew up at the Waco State Home.”

  • This episode of “Texas Matters” previously won the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Award for best Radio Documentary and the First Amendment Award from The Society of Professional Journalists, Fort Worth Professional Chapter.

Taking second place in the “Talk Show” category was “The Source” host Eileen Pace. Pace was honored with a Lone Star Award for her October 6, 2011 program about Bexar County’s efforts to preserve historic documents in the Bexar County Courthouse. The show featured interviews with Bexar County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff and District Clerk Donna Kay McKinney. Texas Public Radio’s “Texas Matters” is a locally-produced, weekly news magazine that provides an in-depth look at the issues, stories and people of the Lone Star State. The program Fridays, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM and is distributed to radio stations across Texas.

  • Davies also received a second place award in the “Best Use of Sound” category for his feature report on questions being raised over chimpanzee research. Pace also took home an additional second place award in the “Best Radio Series” category for her week-long series of reports, “Kelly Field: A Family Changed.”

In the newly established categories of Online reporting and commentary, Texas Public Radio’s Nathan Cone won three awards. Cone won a third place award in the Opinion category for an essay about the controversial 1971 film “Straw Dogs.” In the Best Online Feature Story category, Cone won second place for his feature story on Disney songwriting legend Richard Sherman, and third place for coverage of the 2011 South By Southwest Film Festival. Cone says he was very happy to be recognized for “A Jolly Holiday with Disney Songwriter Richard Sherman” because he’s been a lifelong Disney fan. “Getting to spend thirty minutes on the phone with Richard Sherman hearing stories of writing songs for movies like ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ was a dream come true,” Cone said.

2011-2012 Texas Associated Press Broadcaster Awards

2011 Lone Star Awards

June 27, 2011 - Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies and Terry Gildea each received two awards at the Houston Press Club's 2011 Lone Star Awards held on June 24.  The Lone Star Awards are handed out in recognition of outstanding achievements in journalism and mass communication in the state of Texas.

  • First Place:  Best Use of Sound. David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Texas Parks and Wildlife Restore Bighorns to Big Bend Ranch State Park”
  • Second Place:  Talk Show. David Martin Davies and Yvette Benavides, “Texas Matters,” KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Dance/Choreographer Tommy Tune”
  • Third Place:  Hard News Feature. Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Rebulding The Faces Of Wounded Warriors”

2011 Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award

March 23, 2011 · Texas Public Radio News Director David Martin Davies received a Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award for his feature on humane animal testing at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research.  The story – “Questions Raised About San Antonio Chimpanzees Used in Bio-Research” – was singled out in the radio category by the Foundation for Biomedical Research.

  • The Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award honors professional journalists whose reporting has enhanced public understanding of how the humane and responsible use of animal models leads to medical and scientific discoveries.

Radio Category: David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Questions Raised About SA Chimpanzees Used in Bio-Research”

2010-2011 Texas Associated Press Broadcaster Awards

  • First Place:  Feature/Serious, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Rebuilding the Faces of Wounded Warriors”
  • Second Place:  Interview, David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Hank Skinner: Death Row DNA Fight”
  • Honorable Mention:  Interview, Nathan Cone, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Barbara Smith Conrad: When I Rise”
  • Honorable Mention:  Feature Light, David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Police vs. Fire Fighters in Jalapeno Eating Contest”
  • Honorable Mention:  Use of Actuality-Production, David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Texas Parks and Wildlife Restore Bighorns to Big Bend Ranch State Park”
  • Honorable Mention: Website, Texas Public Radio, San Antonio, TX www.tpr.org

2009-2010 Texas Associated Press Broadcaster Awards

  • First Place:  Best Feature/Light, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Wounded Warrior Finds Peace in Stand-up Comedy”
  • Second Place:  Best Documentary, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “The Home Front”
  • Honorable Mention:  Best Specialty/Beat Reporting, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. Military Beat
  • Honorable Mention:  Best Actuality, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Burial Program Ensures Homeless Vets Not Forgotten”
  • Honorable Mention:  Best Interview, Nathan Cone, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. Geralyn Pezanoski, Director/Producer of “Mine”

2009 Lone Star Awards

  • Third Place:  Radio Journalist of the Year, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX
  • Third Place:  Politics/Government, David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Mexico Eyes Democratic Race”
  • First Place:  Public Affairs, Terry Gildea, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Inside the Burn Unit at Brooke Army Medical Center”
  • Second Place:  Talk Show, David Martin Davies and Yvette Benavides, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Texas Matters”

2009 My Source Award for Community Engagement

April 30, 2009 · Texas Public Radio has received a My Source Community Impact Award for Engagement from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).  The CPB recognized Texas Public Radio for two of station’s tent-pole community initiatives: Focus on the Environment and AccessAbility Fest.

The My Source Community Impact Awards for Engagement were created by CPB to give well-deserved recognition to stations for their commitment and responsiveness to their communities, providing innovative services – on-air, online, and in-person – that have measurable results.

2009 Edward R.Murrow Awards

April 9, 2009 · Texas Public Radio wins two Edward R. Murrow Awards for radio journalism.  The stories were selected as winners from the Texas-Oklahoma region in the large market division.

The story "Young Gardners Take Root" won in the Use of Sound category and "Student Reporters Cover Campus Fire" won the Feature Reporting category. The stories will now go on to face judging in national competition.  Texas Public Radio's News Director David Martin Davies reported both stories for KSTX.

The Radio-Television News Directors Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971.  Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.

  • Use of Sound - Radio Only, David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Young Gardners Take Root”
  • Feature Reporting, David Martin Davies, KSTX-FM, San Antonio, TX. “Student Reporters Cover Campus Fire” (Video)

2008 Lone Star Awards

June 11, 2008 · Across Texas, public radio stations are celebrating their domination of the Houston Press Club’s 2008 Lone Star Awards. Texas Public Radio News won more awards in the radio categories than any other station in the state. The annual honors recognize outstanding achievements in journalism in the fields of print, radio, Internet and television.

San Antonio’s KSTX 89.1 topped with a total of eight awards — five first-place and three second-place. In addition Dallas’ KERA 90.1 FM, Houston’s KUHF 88.7 FM and Austin’s KUT 90.5 FM were also honored.

“While we are certainly proud of our showing at this year’s Lone Star Awards, we are more proud of public radio’s dominance in these categories,” says David Martin Davies, Texas Public Radio’s News and Public Affairs Director. “These awards are a clear sign that, across the state, public radio is growing as an invaluable source for in-depth local news coverage.”

TPR’s weekly news magazine Texas Matters earned a number of awards including Best Radio Talk show and Best Public Affairs program. Davies, who hosts Texas Matters, received several awards including Soft News Feature, Hard News Feature, Use of Sound and Radio Journalist of the Year. Davies previously received three regional Murrow Awards earlier this year and has also been honored by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters for his extensive coverage of the U.S.-Mexico border.

TPR reporter Terry Gildea was also honored with the Best Sport Reporting award for his feature on Texas League umpires.  “It feels wonderful to be honored for a series I had such a great time reporting on,” says Gildea, a true sports fan. Gildea also received second-place honors for his memorable three-part series “A Pregnant Pause,” about Bexar County’s alarming teen-pregnancy rate.

2008 Edward R. Murrow Awards

April 14, 2008 · Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 89.1 FM has won four top awards for excellence in broadcast journalism in the 2008 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards contest, including recognition for its comprehensive coverage regarding the dangers journalists face on the U.S./Mexico border. The awards are granted by the Radio Television News Directors Association (RTNDA).

KSTX 89.1 FM competed in RTNDA’s Region 6, Radio: Large Market category, which encompasses commercial and public radio stations in metropolitan areas across Texas and Oklahoma. The station received four of the 13 awards handed out in its category, more than any other competing station.

“It’s an honor for Texas Public Radio to receive such high commendation from our industry peers,” said David Martin Davies, Texas Public Radio’s News Director. “Public radio has long been recognized nationally for its in-depth, balanced news coverage. Our goal is to uphold those national standards at the local level.”

Davies was recognized for his piece “Border Journalism Under Attack by Drug Gangs,” which won Best Feature: Hard News. His story examined how dangers from drug gangs and other obstacles are hindering news coverage on the Texas/Mexico border as the region gains increased attention in the national spotlight.

The RTNDA also commended Davies for Best Use of Sound for his piece entitled “Texas State Railroad on Board with the Polar Express.” Other accolades include Best Writing for news stories highlighting a wide array of topics including old, yet effective technologies in green building, the toilet seat art museum in Alamo Heights and human/animal connections. Texas Public Radio was also acknowledged for best broadcast-affiliated website, www.tpr.org.

The Radio-Television News Directors Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.

2008 Public Health Award for Media Excellence

February 27, 2008 · Texas Public Radio’s Terry Gildea has received a Public Health Award for Media Excellence (PHAME) in electronic media for his three-part radio series, “A Pregnant Pause: Reflections on Teen Pregnancy in Our Community.” The series, which aired locally on KSTX 89.1 FM during Morning Edition last fall, took a three-pronged approach in analyzing Texas’ number one ranking in teen pregnancy.

"My thanks to the folks at Project WORTH and Seton Home for participating in these stories,” said Gildea. “It's an honor to be recognized by the Texas Public Health Association."

A Pregnant Pause examined state legislative efforts to reduce teen pregnancy numbers, namely the Texas Prevention First Act. The series continued with a look at education and health care measures aimed at prevention through the efforts of Project WORTH. The final part of the series took a look at Seton Home and their efforts to provide financial and emotional support to teenage mothers.

Gildea joined Texas Public Radio in 2007 as a news reporter and local host for NPR’s All Things Considered. He previously was a reporter for the Capitol News Connection, which focuses on localized reporting of national politics in Washington D.C.

The PHAME is awarded by the Texas Public Health Association, which comprises health professionals from multiple disciplines. Gildea will be presented with a plaque Thursday, March 6, during an awards ceremony.