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WTTW Named a Finalist for Seven 2019 Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism

For immediate release
Chicago, IL - April 13, 2020

Chicago Headline Club has named WTTW a finalist for seven 2019 Peter Lisagor Awards. An impartial panel of judges from outside Illinois, members of the Society of Professional Journalists, chose the finalists. The awards represent some of the best journalism produced annually throughout the region, and the judges selected WTTW’s work from among the more than 900 entries this year. WTTW’s finalists are:

Best Investigative Report
“CTA Bus Driver Fired After Striking Cyclist Racked Up Overtime Pay, Was Among Agency's Highest-Paid Drivers,” Part One, Part Two, and Part Three
Nick Blumberg, WTTW News/Chicago Tonight

Best News Specialty/Arts/Culture/Entertainment News/Feature or Series
“South Side Movie Project Aims to Fill in Historical Gaps”
Nicole Cardos, WTTW News/Chicago Tonight

Best News Specialty/Education/Schools News
Brandis Friedman, Nick Blumberg, Amanda Vinicky, Paris Schutz, and Matt Masterson,
WTTW News/Chicago Tonight

Best News Specialty/Environment News
“Shedd Kayak Trips Encourage Paddlers to Explore and Restore Chicago River”
Nick Blumberg, WTTW News/Chicago Tonight

Best News Specialty/Politics/Government News
The Choice for Mayor 2019: A WTTW News Special
Nick Blumberg, Dan Protess, Paris Schutz, and Amanda Vinicky, WTTW News/Chicago Tonight

Best Multimedia Feature Presentation
FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence
Anne Gleason, Jenny Macchione, Justin Henderson, Mike Scipioni, Nate Beversluis, and
Kevin Crowley, WTTW

Best Use of Feature Video
FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence
Dan Protess, Anne Gleason, Cai Thomas, Sam Rong, Jude Leak, and Lesley Kubistal, WTTW

“WTTW is committed to presenting essential and trusted news and public affairs content across our platforms, and we believe that by providing clarity and context around the complex issues of the moment, we can strengthen our democracy and our society,” said Sandra Cordova Micek, WTTW’s President and CEO. “We are honored that WTTW’s work has been recognized by Chicago Headline Club and the esteemed Peter Lisagor Awards.”
Although the Lisagors banquet will not take place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago Headline Club is creating a virtual celebration and video to accompany the announcement of winners in May.

About the Peter Lisagor Awards
The Peter Lisagor Awards are an annual celebration of the best journalism produced throughout the region, spanning all mediums including print, radio, television and digital. The honor is named for the Chicago Daily News Washington bureau chief from 1959 to 1976, one of the nation’s most respected and well-known journalists. Chicago Headline Club established the Lisagor Awards in 1977 to inspire Chicago-area journalists to follow his outstanding example and to recognize truly superior contributions to journalism.

About Chicago Headline Club
Chicago Headline Club is the nation’s largest chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, as well as an independent nonprofit dedicated to supporting journalists and promoting the values of a free press across the region. Founded in 1921, the Club champions freedom of information issues, offers professional training and support, and hosts the annual Lisagor Awards banquet. Its members are from all levels and walks of the profession, from top editors to newbies, from print to broadcast to online.

About WTTW
WTTW is the PBS member station in Chicago, committed to creating and presenting unique media content across distinct television and digital channels – WTTW, WTTW Prime, WTTW Create/WTTW World, WTTW PBS Kids 24/7, wttw.com and the PBS/WTTW video app. Recognized for award-winning journalism and local productions such as Chicago Tonight, Chicago by ‘L’, Check, Please!, digital-first series FIRSTHAND, Urban Nature, and Foodphiles, and national productions 10 That Changed America and Nature Cat, WTTW presents the very best in public affairs, arts and culture, nature and science, history and documentary, and children’s public media content. Connect with WTTW on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube.

Additional Contacts
Kristin Monroe