KOMU-TV Students, Faculty Win 9 Awards From Kansas City Press Club

The Honors Recognize Outstanding Reporting, Writing and Photography in Print, Broadcast and Online Journalism

Columbia, Mo. (June 19, 2015) — KOMU-TV, the premiere training ground for television reporters and producers at the Missouri School of Journalism, took home nine awards from the Kansas City Press Club Heart of America Awards ceremony held June 13. KOMU is affiliated with both NBC and CNN.

“Target 8: Spice Makers Use New Compounds to Make Product Legal” by reporter Jessica Mensch and Assistant Professor Jamie Greber won First Place in the Investigative Reporting category.

The Kansas City Press Club, a chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, uses the Heart of America Awards to honor outstanding reporting, writing and photography in print, broadcast and online journalism. Entries were accepted from news organizations in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Five of the awards earned first place in their categories. KOMU is the only university-owned commercial television affiliate that uses its newsroom as a working lab for students. The award winners are those who work as faculty and mentors and their students who are studying radio-television journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism.

“This is another shining example of the work we strive for every day,” said Randy Reeves, associate professor and KOMU news director. “These awards showcase the work of our veterans and our student journalists.”

“Inside Infertility,” a five-part news series by KOMU 8 News Anchor Brittany Pieper, won First Place in the Beat Reporting category.

First-Place Awards

Beat Reporting: “Inside Infertility,” a five-part news series by KOMU 8 News Anchor Brittany Pieper.
Entertainment Reporting: World Series Coverage, a staff effort led by KOMU 8 News Anchor Jim Riek with producers Ashley Colley and Ky Bright.
Investigative Reporting: “Target 8: Spice Makers Use New Compounds to Make Product Legal” by reporter Jessica Mensch and Assistant Professor Jamie Greber.
Public Service Project: “Grand Opening of Joplin Schools,” with reporting led by Riek with reporters Hannah Battah, Lee Anne Denyer and Tyler Greever.
Sports Reporting: “Love Is Blind” by sports reporters Mihir Bhagat and Brent Pearson.

Other Honors

Second Place, Public Service Project: “Town Square – Bullying and The Working Poor,” led by Assistant Professor and Executive Producer Jeimmie Nevalga, Assistant Professor and Interactive Director Annie Hammock, news anchor Angie Bailey and Denyer.
Second Place, Sports Reporting: “Special Season” by reporter Bhagat.
Third Place, Sports Reporting: “Mexico Cheerleader” by Greever.
Honorable Mention, Sports Reporting: “Waiting Game” by Bhagat and Clayton Conness.

KOMU is an auxiliary enterprise of the University of Missouri and is expected to generate all revenues for station operations. Its operations and investments in broadcast technology are funded entirely by advertising and retransmission revenues. The station receives no funding from the university or state.

Updated: September 8, 2020

The Honors Recognize Outstanding Reporting, Writing and Photography in Print, Broadcast and Online Journalism

First-Place Awards

Other Honors

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