Work produced by WUSF in 2025 received 23 awards from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists on Saturday, including overall station of the year.
WUSF's journalists received first place honors in 13 categories and were finalists in another 10.
Kerry Sheridan was named the state’s top radio reporter and Sky Lebron was a finalist for top host. The station’s website also won first place.
The team was honored for its work in broadcast and digital journalism that spanned a variety of topics from immigration to politics, environment and public affairs.
While 14 individual reporters, anchors, and producers were named, the entire WUSF news team shares in the honors.
First place honors:
- Overall station of the year
- Reporter: Kerry Sheridan
- Radio newscast — Cathy Carter: “Nov. 10, 2025 5 p.m. newscast”
- Investigative series — Kerry Sheridan: “Emails detail plans to transfer USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College” (Story 1, Story 2, Story 3, Story 4, Story 5)
- Continuing coverage — Gabriella Paul: “The impacts of government cuts to benefit programs” (Story 1, Story 2, Story 3, Story 4, Story 5)
- Podcast-Series — Sky Lebron: “The Bay Blend: WUSF's Daily News podcast” (Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5)
- Economic Reporting — Gabriella Paul and Octavio Jones: “Not so forever home”
- Political Reporting — Meghan Bowman and Douglas Soule: “Your Florida Team Covers State Politics” (Story 1, Story 2, Story 3, Story 4, Story 5)
- Series, Franchise Reporting Light — Steve Newborn, Kerry Sheridan and Gabriella Paul: “WUSF reports on the wilderness” (Story 1, Story 2, Story 3, Story 4)
- Website/Digital — WUSF Staff: WUSF’s website and social media
- Digital-based Reporting — Meghan Bowman: “A collection of Megan Bowman's reporting”
- Feature – Hard News — Nancy Guan: “A woman’s choice to self-deport from Sarasota pushes her family to consider the same”
- Education single or series — Kerry Sheridan: “Charter Schools of Hope announce plans to move into public schools” (Story 1, Story 2, Story 3, Story 4, Story 5)
Finalists
- News Anchor or Anchor Team or Host: Sky Lebron
- Climate/Environmental reporting — Jessica Meszaros: “Extreme heat is increasing health risks for pregnant Floridians”
- Feature – Cultural Historical — Jessica Meszaros: “Preserving Black heritage in Progress Village, 65 years later”
- Podcast- Single — Sky Lebron: “The Bay Blend takes a dive with mermaids”
- Specials – Feature-Light — Matthew Peddie, Gracyn Doctor, Amelie Horace: “Lakeland's mayoral race, celebrating Public Media Music Day and the local craft beer scene”
- Natural Storytelling – Use of Sound — Gabriella Paul: “The boom of backyard beekeeping in Florida”
- General Assignment — Kerry Sheridan: “Anger in Sarasota as district unveils plan to merge schools”
- Sports Story — Meleah Lyden: “Swinging through history: How a golf course shaped Tampa's Black community”
- Health Reporting — Kerry Sheridan, Meghan Bowman, Jessica Meszaros: “A collection of health stories from WUSF” (Story 1, Story 2, Story 3, Story 4)
- Specials- Feature-Hard — Matthew Peddie, Gracyn Doctor and Amelie Horace: “Atlanta's Battery sparks Rays' plans and 'levy' breaking for property owners”
