WKSU HONORED WITH NATIONAL PRNDI AWARD

Tuesday August 14, 2007

For immediate release
Contact: Robert J. Burford,
Public Relations Director
(330) 672-3114
burford@wksu.org

The WKSU newsroom has been recognized with a first-place PRNDI Award for Continuing Coverage from Public Radio News Directors, Inc. The honored work was a compilation of Reporter/Producer Daniel Hockensmith's reports on the 2006 strike at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. PRNDI's awards for journalistic merit were presented during the organization’s annual conference, held this year at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans, LA. WKSU competes in Division A, stations with five or more full time news staffers, alongside the largest public radio organizations, including WBUR in Boston, Chicago’s WBEZ, WNYC and Seattle's KUOW and KPLU.

In an increasingly competitive global economy, American Unions are struggling to maintain a crumbling power base. When contract negotiations between Labor and Goodyear hit a snag over medical and retiree benefits and job security issues, Hockensmith covered the resulting walkout with long-form features as well as shorter, breaking news briefs and live interviews during WKSU's half-hour evening news magazine, "Your Way Home." Hockensmith, who was stationed at WKSU's Canton Bureau during the time of the strike, is currently the host and producer of "Your Way Home," broadcast Monday through Friday beginning at 6 p.m.

PRNDI is a non-profit professional association that exists to improve local news and information programming by serving public radio journalists. PRNDI educates, advocates and organizes to promote high standards, ethical principles and significant public service. The PRNDI Awards stand as the only national contest recognizing outstanding local news produced exclusive by public radio stations.

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM, and is a service of Kent State University. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk, W298BA 107.5 FM in Boardman, and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The WKSU web site is www.wksu.org.

PR07.14 ### 8/14/07
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