NPR Awards 2002

Read the list of awards and honors received by NPR in 2002:

The Overseas Press Club 2001 Lowell Thomas Award for the Best Radio News or Interpretation: Presented to NPR for Coverage of Sept. 11 and Its Aftermath
During the ceremony in New York City, the judges praised NPR for "the best coverage of Sept. 11 and the best radio coverage we have ever heard." NPR has received 14 Overseas Press Club Awards in the broadcast organization's 32-year history. (April 2002)

See our expanded online coverage, "Voices of Reflection"

George Foster Peabody Award: Presented to NPR for Coverage of Sept. 11 and Its Aftermath NPR's coverage on the first day, through the following three months and beyond, was designed to fulfill our mission to bring listeners the most in-depth and reasoned coverage of this unprecedented news story. NPR offered breaking news, smart talk, music and poetry woven together. Our unique and thorough approach to covering those events "enabled audiences to mourn and reflect upon those unsettled days," Peabody judges said. (March 2002)

See our expanded online coverage, "Voices of Reflection"

George Foster Peabody Award: Presented to NPR for Jazz Profiles
NPR's Jazz Profiles is the only weekly documentary program on jazz in the United States. Singer Nancy Wilson hosts the series of one-hour programs chronicling the people, places, issues, styles, and events in jazz. Using the voices of musicians and jazz experts, combined with illustrative music and Wilson's narration, Jazz Profiles not only tells the stories of jazz, but it makes those stories accessible to a broad audience. (March 2002)

The Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Silver Baton for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism: Presented to NPR for Campaign Finance Coverage
Peter Overby, NPR's money, power and influence correspondent, was honored for his prolific reporting that the award citation said "set the bar for stories about money, power and political influence." (January 2002)

See Peter Overby's latest stories.

American Women in Radio and Television's Gracie Allen Award: Presented to NPR's Weekend All Things Considered for "Loss and Its Aftermath"
"Loss and Its Aftermath" explores how the death of children during armed conflict and political struggle affects Palestinian and Israeli families. NPR News correspondent Jacki Lyden spoke with four families about sorrow, the steps the families took to overcome their loss, and the human cost of the conflict in the Middle East. Produced by Davar Ardalan; edited by Doug Roberts. (April 2002)

See Jacki Lyden's latest stories.

The Pan American Health Organization's Award for Excellence in International Public Health Reporting: Presented to NPR for Coverage of the Dengue Fever
NPR was honored for our coverage of dengue fever and how tiger mosquitoes from Asia have brought the virus to the U.S. and nations south. Reported by Daniel Zwerdling; produced by Marisa Penaloza. (March 2002)

Hear the story.

Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award: NPR's Latino USA
In the category of "Journalistic Excellence in Electronic Media - Large Market Radio," Latino USA won for a series of stories on an industrial accident at a fruit-packing plant in Washington State. Judges said, "This project achieves the main goals of journalism: give voice to the voiceless; hold the powerful accountable." (March 2002)

Sigma Delta Chi Awards For Excellence In Journalism Award: Radio Expeditions
In the "Radio - Investigative Reporting" category, the winner was Radio Expeditions for its production "Coltan Mining and Eastern Congo's Gorillas." Radio Expeditions is a collaboration between NPR and the National Georgraphic Society and is heard in regular installments on Morning Edition. The piece reports on illegal Coltan miners and the effect of mining on some of the world's great wildlife parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Carolyn Jensen, executive producer (NPR); Donald Smith, executive producer (NGS); Alex Chadwick, Jessica Goldstein, William McQuay, Charles Thompson and edited by Christopher Joyce of NPR and the National Geographic Society. (September 2002)

Sigma Delta Chi Awards For Excellence In Journalism Award: "Learning to Live: James' Story"
The NPR documentary "Learning to Live: James' Story" won in the "Radio - Documentaries" category. It was produced by independent producer Dan Collison and aired on All Things Considered on May 29, 2001. The piece documents the journey of an ex-offender as he makes the transition from repeated prison sentences to life in the free world. The piece is narrated and co-written by the ex-offender, James Robinson. Produced by Dan Collison; narrated and reported by James Robinson; editor, Gary Covino; personnel, Amanda Klonsky; executive producer Johanna Zorn (WBEZ); executive producer Ellen Weiss (NPR) of DC Productions in Chicago. (May 2002)

Peabody/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award For Excellence In Health And Medical Programming: "The DNA Files"
"The DNA Files," a five-part radio series exploring the mystery of genetic science, hosted by Peabody Award winner John Hockenberry and produced by SoundVision, was distributed by NPR and heard on numerous stations across the country. To be eligible for the Peabody/Robert Wood Johnson Award, a program must have first been honored with a Peabody. Peabody-winning programs focusing on health or medical issues are eligible for further recognition with the Peabody/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award because of their subject matter. (May 2002)

2002 National Association of Black Journalists Awards: News and Features by NPR Correspondent Cheryl Corley
Correspondent Cheryl Corley was awarded first place in the radio news category for news stories, including a report on mixed income housing in Chicago, the debate over reparations for slavery, racial segregation in the United States and Chicago, and a story on the difficulty of forging alliances between African Americans, Muslims, and Arabs to protest racial profiling. Corley was awarded second place in the radio features category for pieces including a feature on reggae gospel music, a profile of artist Kerry James Marshall, and a report on the 75th anniversary of the Harlem Globetrotters. (July 2002)

2002 National Association of Black Journalists Awards: NPR Coverage of the U.N. Conference on Racism
NPR was awarded second place in the radio documentary category of the 2002 National Association of Black Journalists Awards for coverage of the U.N. Conference on Racism. (July 2002)

See our expanded online coverage, "U.N. Conterence on Racism"

Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism: NPR Correspondent Kathy Lohr
The medal, given since 1930, is the highest honor the School of Journalism bestows. Recipients have included Christiane Amanpour, Tom Brokaw, Winston Churchill, Walter Cronkite, George Gallup, Malvin Goode, Gordon Parks, and Helen Thomas. (Summer 2002)

National Association of Hispanic Journalists: NPR Reporter Mandalit del Barco
Del Barco was awarded first place in the radio category of the NAHJ awards for her piece "Terror Corridos." The piece ran on Morning Edition in November 2001, and featured corridos (ballads) about Sept. 11, written and sung by Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles. The editor for the award-winning piece was Bebe Crouse.

National Mental Health Association Prize: NPR Correspondent Libby Lewis
Lewis' series on Russell Weston, the man accused of killing two federal police officers in the U.S. Capitol, were praised by judges as "refreshing" and "different" from other entries. Libby is an editor on the national desk. (June 2002)

2002 Webby Award Nomination: NPR's All Songs Considered
Called 'the Oscars of the online world,' the Webby Award honors Web sites that exemplify the very best the Internet offers. The All Songs Considered 2002 nomination in the music category marks the third consecutive year NPR has been nominated for a Webby award by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.

17th Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards: Jazz From Lincoln Center
"Hotter Than That," a program produced by Jazz From Lincoln Center and distributed by NPR, won an award for outstanding creative achievement for a "remote production, recording, or broadcast." The special was done in conjunction with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

See a Sampling of Additional Honors Presented to Individual NPR Staff, Reporters, Hosts, and Correspondents in 2002:

The Henry Clay Distinguished Kentuckian Award went to Bob Edwards. The award is bestowed by the Kentucky Society of Washington. (September 2002)

Vice President for Distribution Pete Loewenstein was awarded the 2002 Edward R. Murrow Award, for his extraordinary leadership in public radio's distribution revolution. Under the current distribution system that he created, the number of interconnected stations has grown from 200 to more than 400. CPB presents the Murrow Award annually to individuals who foster public radio's quality and service and shape its direction.

Science correspondent Chris Joyce won the Whitaker Prize for science reporting from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Foreign correspondent Sylvia Poggioli was awarded the Welles Hangen Award for Superior Achievement in Journalism from Brown University. (May 2002)

Talk of the Nation Science Friday host Ira Flatow was awarded the 2002 Elizabeth Wood Writing Award from The American Crystallographic Association.

Daniel Schorr, NPR senior news analyst, won Washington State University's 2002 Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement in Broadcasting.

Maria Martin, Executive Producer of NPR's Latino USA has been awarded a Fulbright fellowship, which allowed her to train radio journalists in Guatemala from March to November of 2002.

NPR Engineer Bill McQuay, technical director for the NPR/NGS Radio Expeditions series, was presented with a 2002 Individual Artists Award in Media from the Maryland State Arts Council.