THE FINALISTS
Florida News Awards Contest

Finalists are listed below!

Winners will be revealed Saturday, April 11, 2026 at Rosen Centre Resort


The 2025 contest produced another terrific turnout, with broadcast journalists
(representing more than 50 different Florida television and radio stations) submitting more than 700 total entries.

Panels of professional journalists from across the United States joined efforts to review and score entries.

Below are the professional and college contest finalists, listed by category

PROFESSIONAL
Winners and Finalists will be announced the evening of April 11, 2026 at our Annual Awards Celebration.

COLLEGE
Winners and Finalists will be announced at 1:00 p.m. on April 11, 2026 at our Press Forward program.
Press Forward is FREE and open to all student and professional journalists.

Physical Awards are presented at the respective programs on April 11, 2026.
For those who can not attend, FABJ can provide award shipping at a rate of $50.

2026 PROFESSIONAL FINALISTS

Finalists in no particular order; Radio & TV joined where possible. Station of the Year and Community Service awards will be announced at a later date

BREAKING NEWS | INDIVIDUAL

Tania Francois

Tyler Hatfield, Matthew Kauerauf

Jacob Murphey

BRANDON BRYANT

Tanner Godown, Emma Heaton

BREAKING NEWS | STATION

WJHG News Team

Spectrum Bay News 9

Viviana Novello, Jillian Haggerty, WINK News Team

Gulf Coast News

WCTV News Team

Spectrum News 13

CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING | SERIES

Maureen McCann,

Channing Frampton, Alison Hickey, Kirk Erwin

Michael Williams, James Bailey

Grace Velez

Isabella Benjumea

CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING | SINGLE

Isabella Benjumea

Emerald Morrow, Kyle Porter

Kate Hussey, Matthew Kauerauf

Evan Dean, Kirk Erwin

Jacob Murphey

Adam Walser, Matt McGlashen, Lisa Blegen Chudzik

CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING | SINGLE or SERIES

Molly Duerig

Jessica Meszaros

COLD OPEN

Marcie Golgoski, Jacob Wiklund, Torrey Barnett

Melissa Borror, Annie Kane, Lee Buese

ROBERT BRADFIELD, IAN CASTRO

Elieset Gonzalez, Katherine Wambolt

Sayde Van Etten

CONTINUING COVERAGE

Gulf Coast News

Gabriella Paul

Amy Diaz, Maggy McGuigan, Grace Velez

Kate Hussey, Matthew Kauerauf

Jack Hull, Riley Lehman

Molly Duerig

Jada Williams

Katie LaGrone, Matthew Apthorp

DIGITAL-BASED REPORTING

Kate Glover, Josh Green, WINK Weather Authority Team

Krystel Knowles, Steve Mort

Lauren Kreidler

Meghan Bowman

Kellianne Klass, Luis De Peña

Central Florida Public Media Content Team

Isabella Benjumea, WJHG News Team

Ava Van Valen, Grace Temple, Ben States

ECONOMIC REPORTING

Christina Andrews

Nadeen Yanes, Sarah White, Josh Whitston

Maggy McGuigan

Kate Hussey, James Bailey

Adam Walser, Matt McGlashen, Lisa Blegen Chudzik

Gabriella Paul, Octavio Jones

Tiffany Salameh, Ciara Earrey, Karina Kubasak

WCJB TV20 NEWS

EDITOR

Matthew Apthorp

Larry Phillips

Wally Lurz

EDUCATION | SINGLE or SERIES

Grace Velez

Alexandra Todd, WWSB News Team

Eileen Kelley, Kevin Smith

Kerry Sheridan

Nicolle Osorio

Maggy McGuigan

Rick Brunson

Chris Cifatte, Robin Wolf, Tanner Godown

FEATURE | CULTURAL / HISTORICAL

Saundra Weathers, Eugene Buenaventura

Tania Francois

Elizabeth Andarge

Jessica Meszaros

Isabella Benjumea, Leticia Vaselli

Brianna Shaw

Amanda DeVoe, Foad Raja

News4JAX

FEATURE | HARD NEWS

Adam Walser, Randy Wright, Matt McGlashen

Michael Paluska, Reed Moeller

LAYAN ABU TARBOUSH

J.T. Lynch

Joe Fisher, Hollani Davis, Caleb Holder

Chris Cifatte, Elieset Gonzalez, Erik Randlov

Nancy Guan

FEATURE | LIGHT NEWS

Claire Galt, Matt Hensley

Thomas Lloyd

Daniel Cohen, Tavares Jones, Taegan Charles

Julie Gargotta, Joh Ficurilli

Claire Macchiarola, Bryan Gonzalez

T.S. Strickland

Staci Inez

Jacob Murphey

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT

Kerry Sheridan

Terri Parker, Carlo Pellegrino

Leticia Vaselli

Staci Inez

Rick Brunson

Michael Hoffman, Khalil McLean

Linnie Supall

Erica Riggins, Eugene Buenaventura

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT | LONG FORMAT

Kate Hussey, Leo Marchesani

Madison Glaser

Annette Gutierrez, Sarah White

Erin Murray, Eugene Buenaventura

Ava Van Valen, Benjamin States, Grace Temple

Christy Soto, Alison Hickey

HEALTH REPORTING | SINGLE or SERIES

Kerry Sheridan, Meghan Bowman, Jessica Meszaros

Adam Walser, Matt McGlashen, Lisa Blegen Chudzik

WCTV Investigates

Erin Murray

Keitha Nelson-Williams, Nick Moron, Taylor Salman

Joe Mario Pedersen

Maggy McGuigan

Evan Dean, Sebastian Gonzalez

INVESTIGATIVE SERIES

Katie LaGrone, Matthew Apthorp

Ava Van Valen, Ben States, Grace Temple

Carlo Pellegrino, Joel Waldmann , Terri Parker

WCTV Investigates

Adam Walser, Matt McGlashen, Randy Wright

INVESTIGATIVE | SINGLE OR SERIES

Kerry Sheridan

INVESTIGATIVE | SINGLE STORY

Robert Bradfield

Marie Edinger

Kate Hussey, Trey Herbert

Amy Diaz

Terri Parker , Carlo Pellegrino

Emerald Morrow, Kyle Porter

MULTI-MEDIA REPORTER (MMJ)

Hunter Walterman

Calvin Lewis

Sophia Vitello

Jeff Butera

Grace Velez

Maggy McGuigan

NATURAL STORYTELLING / “NAT PKG”

Kyle Porter

Matt Hensley, Robin Wolf

Wally Lurz

Emmaleigh Clegg, Emmett Rice

NATURAL STORYTELLING / USE OF SOUND

Christina Andrews

Gabriella Paul

NEWS ANCHOR or ANCHOR TEAM or HOST

Rich Jones, Kristine Bellino, Scott Young

Asher Wildman

Donna Bell, Jessica Foster

John Brown

Sky Lebron

Channing Frampton

Christy Soto

Abby Walton

PHOTOJOURNALIST

Kyle Porter

Matthew Apthorp

Wally Lurz

Sebastian Gonzalez

PODCAST | SINGLE

Delaney Vega, Karli Koskovich, Rebecca Starke

Brendan Byrne, Marian Summerall

Sky Lebron

PODCAST | SERIES

Jessica Foster, Jay Granberg

Sky Lebron

Mike Buresh

POLITICAL REPORTING – SINGLE OR SERIES

Jamie Ostroff, Kate Hussey, Ethan Stein

Spectrum News Florida

Meghan Bowman, Douglas Soule

Mistie Webb, Kayla Lewis

Grace Velez

POLITICAL REPORTING – STATION

Josh Doyle, Neil Nestor, Maddie Heron

PRODUCER

Richard Engelhardt

Dylan Foster

Kaylee Joy Alameda, WWSB-TV News Team

REPORTER

Ethan Stein

Isabella Benjumea

Chancelor Winn

Aaron Maybin

Kerry Sheridan

Mike Walcher

RADIO NEWSCAST

Cathy Carter

Rich Jones, Kristine Bellino, Mike Buresh

SERIES / FRANCHISE REPORTING | HARD

Emerald Morrow

Isabella Benjumea

Andy Cole

Carolyn Dolcimascolo, Robert Sanchez, WINK News Team

Central Florida Public Media Content Team

Joe Mario Pedersen

WPTV News Team

SERIES / FRANCHISE REPORTING | LIGHT

Steve Newborn, Kerry Sheridan, Gabriella Paul

Kelsey Peck

Marcie Golgoski, Jacob Wiklund, Torrey Barnett

Emmeline Ivy

Nicolle Osorio, Raul Díaz

Finding Florida Team

Britt Leoni, Todd Ofenbeck, Kirk Erwin

SPECIALS | FEATURE-HARD

Matthew Peddie, Gracyn Doctor, Amelie Horace

Donna Bell, Jessica Foster, WJHG News Team

Spectrum News Florida

Jamie Ostroff, Wally Lurz, Chris Mills

Ben Montgomery, Mitch Perry, Ray Roa

WPTV News Team

Tampa Bay 28-WFTS-TV

SPECIALS | FEATURE-LIGHT

The Action News Jax Morning Team

WESH 2 News

WCTV News Team

Kelsey Peck

Jeff Butera, Eugene Buenaventura

Finding Florida Team

Sandra Averhart

Matthew Peddie, Gracyn Doctor, Amelie Horace

SPECIALS | POLITICAL

WPTV News Team

Krista Lane, Chris Cifatte, WINK News Team

Spectrum News Florida

SPECIALS | WX

Spectrum News Florida

Seán Kinane, WMNF News

Benjamin Edelman, Bob Harrigan, WWSB-TV News Team

WCTV First Alert Weather Team , Ryan Kaufman

TV20 First Alert Weather Team

Rich Jones, Kristine Bellino, Mike Buresh

Kate Hussey, Trey Herbert

Janine Zeitlin, Thomas James, Susan Gard

SPORTSCAST

Nikash Nath, Juan Montana, Russ Mccaskey

Delaney Vega, Karli Koskovich

SPORTSCASTER

Kyle Burger

Taylor Viles

Josh Moser

Delaney Vega

SPORTS STORY | SINGLE OR SERIES

Meleah Lyden

Tyler Hatfield, Jackson Gaylor

Chris Will, Elijah Morris, Christopher Smith

Alison Posey

Taylor Viles, Ryan Kelly, Ben States

Greg Warmoth, Tai Vann, Kenny Gibson

Joe Mario Pedersen

Kyle Burger

TEAM COVERAGE

Rachel Linden, WOFL FOX35

WCTV News Team

David Maldonado, Brad Dotson, WINK News Team

WJHG News Team

LORENA INCLAN, BRANDON BRYANT

Gulf Coast News

TELEVISION NEWSCAST | EVENING/NIGHT

Spectrum News 13

Dan Karl, Bryan Cornelius, WINK News Team

WESH 2 News

Kellie Burns, Peter Busch, Dylan Foster

TELEVISION NEWSCAST | MORNING / MIDDAY

Kelsey Peck, Chris Marchand

Lisa Spooner, Jack Keenan, Emily Long

WCTV News Team

Nikash Nash, Marissa Cusumano, WINK News Team

Spectrum News 13

WESH 2 News Sunrise Team

TRANSPORTATION REPORTING | SINGLE or SERIES

Joh Ficurilli, Jerry Hume

Chris Young, WMNF News

Taylor Petras, WINK News Anchors , WINK News Photojournalists

Joe Byrnes, Molly Duerig, Lillian Hernandez Caraballo

Greg Fox, Mike Kirby

Dave Bohman, James Bailey, Wally Lurz

Isabella Benjumea, J.T. Lynch

WEATHERCASTER

Kellianne Klass

Rob Duns

Jim Dickey

Ryan Michaels

WEATHER REPORTING | SERIES

Aaron Maybin, Bryan Murphy

Jada Williams

Jim Dickey

Kate Hussey, Trey Herbert

WJHG News Team

Grace Velez, Maggy McGuigan

WEATHER REPORTING | SINGLE

Russ McCaskey, Elieset Gonzalez, Jason James

Austin Maida

Jeff Butera, Eugene Buenaventura

Heather Bazley

Tom Bayles

T.S. Strickland

Annette Gutierrez, Delisa Johnson

WEBSITE / DIGITAL

WUSF Staff

WJHG News Team , Alexis Lewis, Mia Hernandez

WFTV Digital Team

Ryan Wyatt Turbeville, Chris Wolf, TV20 Digital Team

Derrick Shaw, Tim Klutsarits

News4JAX Digital Team

Spectrum News Florida

2026 COLLEGE FINALISTS

Finalists in no particular order; Radio & TV joined where possible

BREAKING NEWS

WUFT Staff

CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING

UCF Gulf Scholars Program

Nicole Beltran

Zoe Sax, WMNF News

Julien Lazcano, Sofia Baltodano, Ana Rodriguez

EDUCATION REPORTING

Sofia Zarran

Gracie Palmer

Victoria Perez

FEATURE | CULTURAL / HISTORICAL

David Sutton, Claire Macchiarola

Oriana Torre, Andrea Fonseca

Nathan Masachi, Zipporah Hayes, Giselle Forero

Claire Macchiarola

FEATURE | HARD NEWS

Gabriel Velasquez

Zach Macer, Olivia Howell, Max Keller

Gabe Vargas

Harvey Duplock

FEATURE | LIGHT NEWS

Ailee Shanes, Sofia Dinka

Kendal Asbury

Bryan Gonzalez, Claire Macchiarola

Alex Land

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT

Sofia Dinka

Kailyn Jean-Louis

Naji Rutherford

Sara James Ranta

HEALTH REPORTING

Maddie Overmier, WMNF News

Nicole Borman

Billie Brightman

INVESTIGATIVE

Bernardo Montas

NEWS ANCHOR or ANCHOR TEAM or HOST

Juan Carlos Chaoui

Valentina Gaspari

NEWSCAST

Charles Strouse

Victoria Perez

Mako Radio Staff

Ximena Hidalgo, Chris Perez, Delanie Haddad

PODCAST

Isabel White, Bryan Gonzalez, Kiara Velez

Isa Leen, Ken Thomas

Matthew McCall , Jonathan Paul, Maria Rodriguez

Jonathan Paul, Daniel Lopez, David Menezes

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT/ELECTIONS REPORTING

Kendal Asbury

Giancarlo Diago Cevallos, Santiago Hernandez, Michael Lugo-Bonet

Sara James Ranta

Gavin Bicho

PRODUCER

Emily Drelick

Wrigley Kordt, Shea McDonald

REPORTER

Claire Macchiarola

Valentina Gaspari

Zoe Sax

Juan Carlos Chaoui

SPORTS REPORTING

Ailee Shanes

Juan Carlos Chaoui

Alex Land

TV MAGAZINE (PUBLIC AFFAIRS / DOCUMENTARY)

Emily Soud, Danielle Ruddy, James Bourgeois

Noticias Staff

WEATHERCASTER

Ann Badowsky

Matthew Clark

WEATHER REPORTING

Nicole Borman