WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — WTVR CBS 6 was named Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias during the presentation of the 2020 Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Awards. Winners were announced at the awards banquet and annual membership meeting at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
WTVR CBS 6 was honored to place first or second in eight categories:
Outstanding Sports Operation of the Virginias
First, Mark Martin, Josh Lewis and C.J. Harvey, WCHS-TV, Charleston, WV
Second, Lane Casadonte and Sean Robertson, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA.
Best Serious Feature
First, Laura French and Curtis Akers, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA, “Seventeen Years Wasted”
Second, Hannah Goetz and Elbert Mosley, WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV, “Remembering Cassie Johnson.”
Best Video Journalist/One Man Band
First, Maggi Marshall, WSET-TV, Lynchburg, VA
Second, Wayne Covil, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA, “Wayne’s World.”
Best News Promo
First, David Stotts and Rob Byrne, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA, “Cumberland Hospital”
Second, Erik Candiani, Mason Adams and Rob Edmonds, WWBT-TV, Richmond, VA, “A Monumental Election.”
Best Weathercaster
First, Zach Daniel, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA
Second, George Flickinger, WSET-TV, Lynchburg, VA.
Best TV News Anchor
First, Bill Fitzgerald, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA
Second, Taylor Eaton, WSAZ-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV.
Best TV Sports Anchor
First, Lane Casadonte, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA
Second, Adam Winkler, WTKR-TV/WGNT-TV, Norfolk, VA.
Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias
First, Stephen Hayes, Sheryl Barnhouse and David Stotts, WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA
Second, Chris Gegg and Tiaira Shoultz, WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA.
Robin Reed, news anchor at WDBJ-TV, was honored on Saturday with The Associated Press Robert Gallimore Distinguished Service Award. Reed's career with the Roanoke station spans nearly four decades and includes teaching as an adjunct instructor at Virginia Tech.
The West Virginia Lifetime Achievement Award was given to John Nakashima, senior producer and director at West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Nakashima has produced, directed, shot and edited documentaries and music programs for West Virginia Public Television since 1976.
The VAPB also awarded two $1500 scholarships to students majoring in broadcast journalism: Josephine Walker of Virginia Commonwealth University and Duncan Slade of West Virginia University.
Thirty-seven news organizations in Virginia and West Virginia submitted 531 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories from 2020.
The VAPB is an independent association comprised of local members of The Associated Press, a not-for-profit news cooperative that represents thousands of newspapers and broadcast stations across the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
