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Tim Rudell named best reporter in Ohio

W��ɫ�� has received 12 Ohio SPJ Awards for 2015 from Ohio chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). The competition recognized station staff for work created in 2014. The station earned more honors than any other radio station in Ohio, and reporter/producer Tim Rudell was named Best Reporter in Ohio, the second consecutive year the award went to a member of the W��ɫ�� news staff. Awards were presented during a ceremony in Cincinnati on board the Belle of Cincinnati.

Since the addition of broadcast categories in 1998, W��ɫ�� has been recognized with more Ohio SPJ awards than any other radio news outlet. W��ɫ�� competes in the Ohio SPJ contest with radio stations and journalists from media markets throughout Ohio and stations broadcasting to Ohio from surrounding states. 

W��ɫ�� winners of 2015 Ohio SPJ Awards were:

• Best of Show – Best Reporter in Ohio, reporter/producer Tim Rudell (body of work in 2014)
   
• First Place – Best Environment Reporting, Rudell for “Will the Ohio River Carry Fracking Wastewater?”
   
• First Place – Best General Assignment Reporting, reporter Kabir Bhatia for “United Hub Closure in Cleveland Could Have Silver Lining.”
   
• First Place – Best Medical/Science Reporting, reporter/producer Jeff St. Clair for “Exploradio: Sports Training and Knee Injuries in Girls.”
   
• First Place – Best Enterprise Reporting, reporter/producer Amanda Rabinowitz for “Heroin: Big Trouble in a Small Town.”

• First Place – Best Sports Reporting, Rabinowitz for “Gay Games 9.”

• First Place – Best Consumer Reporting, reporter/producer Kevin Niedermier for “Historic Ohio Hotel Looks at Change.”

• Second Place – Best Spot News, Rudell for “Utica Fractionator Eases Propane Shortage.”

• Second Place – Best Minority Issues Reporting, St. Clair for “Avoiding the ‘Acting White’ Trap.”

• Second Place – Best Website, IT/engineering director Chuck Poulton for

• Second Place – Best General Assignment Reporting, Niedermier for “Cleveland Lands the 2016 GOP Convention.”

• Second Place – Best Criminal Justice Reporting, W��ɫ�� staff for “Tamir Rice Shooting.”

The 2015 Ohio SPJ Awards competition honors print and broadcast journalists from Ohio and bordering states who best served the public interest in 2014. The awards, which are presented by the Cincinnati, Central Ohio and Cleveland professional chapters of the SPJ, were judged by members of SPJ chapters throughout the U.S.