The Public Media Journalists Association recognized WUSF with two national awards on Monday for journalism produced in 2025.
WUSF won first place in the Climate/Environment Feature category for Jessica Meszaros' story on how extreme heat is increasing health risks for pregnant women. And WUSF Morning Edition host Craig Kopp received second place in the Newscast category.
The national contest places public media stations into divisions based on staff size. WUSF competed in the second-largest division against stations that have between 16 and 29 full-time news staff.
Seventy-five judges evaluated 1,586 entries from 134 organizations across the country.
"These awards reflect the extraordinary commitment of public media journalists to serving their communities, even as the industry navigates a challenging environment," said Christine Paige Diers, Executive Director of Public Media Journalists Association. "From covering the human impacts of federal policy shifts to documenting environmental change and celebrating local culture, the work recognized this year demonstrates why local public media matters."
A virtual awards ceremony will be held on July 21. The professional association for public media journalists includes members from more than 130 public radio and television newsrooms across the nation.
