Campus News named best college newscast by Society of Professional Journalists for third straight year

For the third year in a row, the Society of Professional Journalists has named MSUM’s Campus News the winner in the student newscast category in its annual Mark of Excellence Region 6 Awards. In addition, Campus News students earned twelve individual awards in six different television categories, more than any other school in the region.

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Mark of Excellence Awards for Region 6 includes colleges and universities in the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. First place winners in each category advance to the national round of judging.

The Program Director for Campus News, Aaron Quanbeck, said that having SPJ name Campus News as the best college newscast for the third straight year says a lot about the dedication of the students. “This award is hard enough to win once, much less three times in a row,” said Quanbeck, “and it takes students who are willing to put in the hard work and long hours to make that possible.” 

Campus News also received an Award of Merit in the college newscast category from the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association (MBJA) in its annual Eric Sevareid Awards. The Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Eric Sevareid Awards includes the six state region of Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska.

Campus News students also received Crystal Pillar Awards in the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Upper Midwest Regional Student Production Awards. The Upper Midwest region covers Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and western Wisconsin.

Campus News airs weekly on Prairie Public Television at 7:30 a.m. during the spring semester. Archived newscasts and stories are also available on the Campus News Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/MSUMCampusNews. The winning newscast can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/tChRb-wTuio

Sara Erickson and Leah Backstrom earned multiple awards for a story they worked on together showcasing MSUM’s H2O Battleship competition. That story can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/blioVXC_E7Q 

MSUM School of Communication and Journalism students hold up Mark of Excellence Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. L to R: Branson Reasor, Anna Sandmeier, Yarvo Browne, Veronica Utecht, Kayleigh Omang, Zac Hoffner, Sara Erickson, Tyler Ziegler, Emma Vatnsdal, Aaron Quanbeck, James McCarty, Betsy Harmsen, Ben Rieke

 

Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards

Best All-Around Television Newscast

Winner: Campus News from 4-30-16

Television Feature Reporting

Finalist: MSUM Students create film “Westall” – Derek Fletcher

Television General News Reporting

Winner: Concordia Budget Cuts – Tyrel Filley

Finalist: Fundraiser Helps Child in Need – Tyrel Filley

Television In-Depth Reporting

Winner: MSUM Student Fights to Stay in School – by Haley Warnecke

Television News and Feature Photography

Winner: Battleship H2O at MSUM – by Sara Erickson and Leah Backstrom

Finalist: MSUM Students create film “Westall” – Derek Fletcher

Finalist: Fargo’s Pinball Arcade – Betsy Harmsen

Television Sports Photography
Winner: Lifeguarding 101 at MSUM – Samantha Stark

Finalist: The Life of a Kicker – Haley Foster

Finalist: Foam Weapon Fight Club –Sara Erickson and Alex Gilbertson

Television Sports Reporting

Finalist: The Life of a Kicker – Haley Foster

Finalist: Foam Weapon Fight Club – Sara Erickson

 

Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Eric Sevareid Awards

Newcast

Award of Merit – Campus News 4-30-17

General Reporting

Award of Merit – Tyrel Filley – Fundraiser Helps Child in Need

Photojournalism

Award of Merit – Sara Erickson and Leah Backstrom – Battleship H2O at MSUM

 

NATAS – Upper Midwest Regional Student Production Crystal Pillar Awards

General Assignment – Light News

Sara Erickson – Battleship H2O at MSUM

Sports

Haley Foster – The Life of a Kicker