WWL-TV and wwltv.com were honored with more first-place awards than any local television station or web site at the 50th annual journalism awards ceremony hosted by the Press Club of New Orleans.

WWLTV

WWL-TV anchor Angela Hill catches up with former colleague Hoda Kotb at the 50th annual Press Club awards.

The event Saturday at Harrah’s Hotel celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Press Club.  The ceremony was hosted by former WWL-TV anchor/reporter Hoda Kotb.

Channel 4 reporter Katie Moore earned the coveted Jim Metcalf Memorial Award for the best broadcast reporting, for her investigative reports on prison overbilling by the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s office.  The reports also earned Moore a first-place prize for investigative reporting.  “Savvy, smart and super at crunching the documents,” the judges commented, “Moore sets the standard for superior investigative journalism.”

Wwltv.com was named best local news web site by the judges, who also singled out the site’s breaking news coverage of a student’s suicide at John Curtis Christian School.  That entry won first place in the internet breaking news category. 

WWLTV

Northshore bureau chief Doug Mouton and morning anchor/reporter Ron Nelson, the outgoing Press Club president. Mouton accepted honors for general news, continuing coverage and science/health/technology reporting.

Eyewitness News photographer Brian Lukas also captured first-place honors for an internet feature on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, as well as for his internet photography.  Digital Gumbo columnist Jerry Seregni earned the top prize in the internet science/health/technology category.

Other WWL-TV first-place winners were:

Planned Event - Dominic Massa, “Campaign 2007: Election Night Coverage”

Science/Health/Technology – (TIE) Meg Farris, “Small Miracle” and Mike Hoss, “Life Saving Polaroid”

Sports Deadline - Scott Cody, “Draft Day: Minute by Minute” (Cody also won third place in the category.)

General & Feature Photography - Leonel Mendez

In addition, the following WWL-TV staffers were recognized:

General News:       

Doug Mouton, second place

Bigad Shaban, honorable mention

Feature:

Lucy Bustamante, third place

Bigad Shaban, honorable mention

Investigative:          

Lee Zurik, second place

Documentary:

Dominic Massa & Mikel Schaefer, honorable mention

Sports feature:

Scott Cody, second place

Deadline photo:

Tom Moore, second place

Brian Lukas, third place

General photo:

Brian Lukas, third place

Feature photo:

Leonel Mendez, second place

Tom Moore, honorable mention

Photo essay:

Mike Bland, second place

Brian Lukas, honorable mention

Continuing coverage:

Doug Mouton, second place

Best Sports Show:

Scott Cody, Joe Frisard & Danny Rockwell, honorable mention

Best newscast:

Sofia Voulgarakis, honorable mention

Science/healthy/technology:

Doug Mouton, honorable mention

Internet general photo:

Leonel Mendez, second place

Brian Lukas, third place