Denver Post, KUNC lead the prize patrol

By Michael Roberts Tue., Apr. 14 2009 at 3:24 PM

Categories: Media

Photo by Andy Cross

A photo from the Denver Post's award-winning series "The Battle Within."

Two local news organizations have added baubles to their trophy cases in recent days. The Society of Professional Journalists bestowed its top investigative plaudit upon the Denver Post series "The Battle Within," in which Erin Emergy and David Olinger revealed that many soldiers suffering from significant medical issues are frequently ordered back into battle despite physicians' objections. Meanwhile, KUNC, a public-radio station in Greeley, earned two regional Edward R. Murrow awards -- one in the breaking news category, for coverage of last year's tornado in Windsor, the other in hard news, for a report about registering new Latino voters in advance of the November election. KUNC has a smaller news staff, and fewer resources, than does Colorado Public Radio, but it seems to consistently do more with less. Better luck next year, CPR.

Tags:

Colorado Public Radio, David Olinger, Denver Post, Erin Emery, KUNC, Michael Roberts

Write Comment

Email to Friend

Print Article

Related Content

More About:

I'm not giving any more money to CPR, KCFR, whatever! They need more than a million dollars because of the economy, and they have huge debts? Join the club! Their managers need a haircut. I can't believe that a non-profit like that pays so much money for so few people! It's obscene!
And, CPR is still begging for your money?
Money contributed by the CPR Board of Directors for the KCFR "News Initiative" for 2007: $511,270 Murrow Awards for 2007: ZERO RNTDA.Org http://www.rtnda.org/pages/media_items/2007-murrow-regional-winners102.php#region3 RNTDA.Org Murrow Awards for 2008: ZERO http://www.rtnda.org/pages/media_items/2008-regional-edward-r.-murrow-winners1005.php
Salary and Benefits for CPR's top 6 executives (From Form 990 for 2007 which is publicly available). *Calculate automatic raises for years 2009 and 2009 at 3-10%. Max Wycisk, President Salary: $185,000/year Benefits: $32,353 Total: $217,353 Sue Coughlin, Vice President of Development Salary: $114,129/year Benefits: $17,466 Total: 131,595 Jenny Gentry, Vice President of Finance and Legal Affairs Salary: $109,845/year Benefits: $13,572 Total: $123,417 Jim Paluzzi, Vice President of New Media and Technology Salary: $109,726/year Benefits: $13,330 Total: $123,056 Bob Hensler, Vice President of Engineering Salary: $106,314/year Benefits: $16,465 Total: $122,779 Sean Nethery, Vice President of Programming Salary: $92,828/year Benefits: $14,901 Total: $107,729 Grand Total: $825,929 Total Revenue for 2007: $8,688,370 Top 6 as a percentage of Total Revenue: 9.5%
If you believe KCFR's website, Meagan Verlee, their one-and-only general assignment reporter, has "six regional Edward R. Murrow Awards," all before arriving at KCFR. SIX AWARDS! http://www.kcfr.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=315 How many does KCFR have in its ENTIRE history? One? Seriously, is it possible that neither quantity nor quality matter to KCFR? And, how is it possible that a talented reporter like Verlee can move halfway across the country and win absolutely bupkis during her time in Colorado? Has she finally been sucked into the vacuous vortex of KCFR News? Roberts says, "Better luck next year." Ha! As if luck has anything to do with KCFR's lackluster performance. I'd be willing to bet that it is just as likely that KCFR didn't submit any news pieces for consideration; either because they were too lazy to cobble together the materials or because they were too cheap to pay the entry fees. Maybe both! Someone needs to take charge of the KCFR �News Initiative,� because if quantity and quality are not appropriate measures of news department performance, than that place is managed by pure whim, accompanied by copious amounts of chin-wagging, brow-stroking and hand-waving.

TotalComments: 5