Awards

Congratulations to all our staff who were involved in the production of these award-winning programs!

Detroit Society of Professional Journalists – Excellence in Journalism Awards 2023

Broadcast

Community/Local News Reporting

1st Place: Detroit Home Repairs – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Catherine Kelly, Malachi Barrett, Bill Kubota

3rd Place: The Black Church in Detroit – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Bill Allesee, AJ Walker, Orlando Bailey

Consumer/Watchdog/Investigative Reporting

1st Place: Communities and Coal Ash – Rob Green, Jordan Wingrove, Sarah Aie, Diana Leane

2nd Place: Unpaid Bills – Rob Green, Jordan Wingrove, David Ruck, Ryan Busch, Kelly House

Environment Reporting

1st Place: Shrinking Water – Rob Green, Jacob Carah, Jordan Wingrove

Feature Reporting

4th Place: The Black Church in Detroit: Gospel Music and the Black Church – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Bill Allesee, AJ Walker, Kevin Lesser

General News Reporting

2nd Place: Future of Work – Will Glover, Zach Allen, Jonathan Shead

Health Reporting

3rd Place: The Black Church in Detroit: Black Church Worship During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Bill Allesee, AJ Walker, Doug Susella

News Editing

1st Place: Vampires of the Great Lakes –  Jordan Wingrove

News/Public Affairs (Regularly Scheduled Program)

1st Place: One Detroit – Zosette Guir, Bill Kubota, Will Glover, Daphne Hughes, Chris Jordan

2nd Place: American Black Journal – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Bill Allesee

News Special and Documentary

1st Place: Water’s True Cost – Rob Green, AJ Walker, Sandy McPhee, Anna Sysling

2nd Place: Beyond the Ballot Box: A One Detroit Election Special with the Detroit Free Press – Bill Kubota, Emily Lawler, Paul Egan, Clara Hendrickson, Zosette Guir

Racial Justice Reporting

2nd Place: The 30th Anniversary of Malice Green’s Murder – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Christian Gibbons

Videography

1st Place: Ice Boating – Noah Mendez, Will Hughes

Digital

Collaborative Coverage

4th Place: Water’s True Cost – Great Lakes Now, Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Michigan Radio, Great Lakes News Collaborative

Racial Justice Reporting

2nd Place: Reparations: What is Owed to Black Americans? – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Catherine Kelly, Zosette Guir

Social Media Strategy

3rd Place: Black Church in Detroit Watch Parties – Daphne Hughes, Colleen O’Donnell, Marty Fischoff, Orlando Bailey

Sojourner Truth Award in Topical Reporting

2nd Place: Vincent Chin’s Legacy – Bill Kubota, Zosette Guir, Chien-An Yuan

Michigan Association of Broadcasters Awards 2022

Detroit Public TV

Continuing Coverage

BEST: Future of Work | One Detroit

Cultural and Performing Arts

MERIT: The Doo Wop Project

Independent Producer

BEST: The Erie Situation | Great Lakes Now

News or Public Affairs Special

BEST: Great Lakes Now

News Special or Documentary

BEST: Reducing Gun Violence in Communities of Color | American Black Journal
MERIT: Detroit Home Repairs | American Black Journal

Sports, Outdoor, or Recreation

BEST: Great Lakes Now Recreation Coverage

Station Excellence

MERIT: Detroit Public TV

90.9 WRCJ

Special Interest and Cultural Programming

MERIT: Honoring Black Composers

Membership Appeal

MERIT: Bachtoberfest

Michigan Emmy Awards 2022

Public Affairs Program

Great Lakes Now: ‘The Great Lakes Agenda’
Rob Green
Jordan Wingrove

Environment/Science – News

‘Birds Vs Buildings’
Doug Clevenger
Laura Weber Davis
Rob Green
Greg King
Jordan Wingrove

Society of Professional Journalists Detroit – Excellence in Journalism Awards 2022

Detroit Public TV

Broadcast

Community/Local News Reporting

1^st Place Winner: “Birds vs Buildings” – Rob Green, Greg King, Doug Clevenger, Laura Weber Davis, Jordan Wingrove

2^nd Place Winner: “Sustainable Shipping” – Amy Brown, Jordan Wingrove, Kari Lydersen, Doug Clevenger

3^rd Place Winner: “Clawson, Michigan: One City Under A Pandemic | Part 3” – Chris Jordan, Bill Kubota

4^th Place Winner: “How Expensive It Is To Be Broke” – Will Glover

Environment Reporting

1^st Place Winner: “Best Supporting Fish” – Sandy McPhee, Nick Austin, Bill Allesee, Andrew Cutraro

2^nd Place Winner: “Sturgeon Guarding” – Kathy Johnson, Rob Green, Nick Austin, Jordan Wingrove, Greg Lashbrook

3^rd Place Winner: “Superior Blooms” – Dan Kraker, Bill Allesee, Derek Montgomery

Health Reporting

1^st Place Winner: “The Covid Long Haulers” – Bill Kubota

4^th Place Winner: “PFAS in the House” – Rob Green, Tom Perkins, Sandra Svoboda, Bill Kubota, Jordan Wingrove

News/Public Affairs

1^st Place Winner: “American Black Journal” – Daphne Hughes, Stephen Henderson, Bill Allesee, Chris Avery

2^nd Place Winner: “Great Lakes Now” at Detroit Public TV

4^th Place Winner: “One Detroit” – Christy McDonald, Zosette Guir, Will Glover, Bill Kubota, Chris Jordan

Racial Justice Reporting

2^nd Place Winner: “Exiled to Motown” – Bill Kubota

Sports Reporting

1^st Place Winner: “A City of Champions” – Bill Kubota

Videography

2^nd  Place Winner: “Detroit Performs: Live from Marygrove” – Sarah Smith, Mariellen Chynoweth, Tina Brunn

Digital

Collaborative Coverage

1^st Place Winner: “Climate change in the Great Lakes region” – Michigan Radio’s Lester Graham, Bridge Michigan’s Kelly House, Circle of Blue’s Brett Walton and Keith Schneider, and Detroit Public Television’s Natasha Blakely

Environment Reporting

1^st Place Winner: “Lake Superior Summer: Blue-green algal blooms come to a lake once believed immune” – Sharon Oosthoek

3^rd Place Winner: “Lake Superior Winter: Researchers belatedly turn their eyes to the impact of warming winters” – Sharon Oosthoek

Health Reporting

2^nd Place Winner: “PFAS in the House: Are toxic “forever chemicals” a steady drip in this reporter’s home?” – Tom Perkins

Social Media Strategy

2^nd Place Winner: “The Black Church in Detroit Watch Parties” – Colleen O’Donnell, Daphne Hughes, Orlando Bailey, Stephen Henderson, Kenita Harris

3^rd Place Winner: “The Great Lakes Now First Friday Watch Party Series” – Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television

Michigan Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Excellence Awards 2021

Detroit Public TV

Winner: Station Excellence

Open a Book, Open the World: The Library of Congress National Book Festival

Winner: Cultural Programming

One Detroit

Winner: News or Public Affairs Special

American Black Journal

Merit: News of Public Affairs Special

Teachers Who Aren’t Teaching: Who Are They? And How Do We Get Them Back?

Winner: News Special or Documentary

Great Lakes Now: Wooden Boat Building

Winner: Sports – Outdoor and Recreation

American Black Journal: The Black Church in Detroit

Merit: Mini-Documentary or Series

Story Pirates (Michigan Learning Channel)

Winner: Independent Producer

Math Mights (Michigan Learning Channel)

Merit: Independent Producer

Read, Write, Roar (Michigan Learning Channel)

Merit: Special Interest Programming

Michigan Emmy Awards 2021

Environment/Science – News

Great Lakes Now: Chicago’s Floating Islands
Rob Green
Doug Clevenger
Laura Weber Davis

Documentary – Historical

Rockin’ Robin: A Tribute to Robin Seymour
Bill Kubota
Fred Nahhat

Interview/Discussion

American Black Journal -Black Lives Matter: Is the Media Getting It Right?
Stephen Henderson
Orlando Bailey
Daphne Hughes
Christopher Jordan
Catherine Kelly

Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter Excellence in Journalism Awards 2021

Television

Community/Local News Reporting:

1^st Place – One Detroit: Clawson, Michigan: One City Under a Pandemic
Detroit Public Television Foundation
Bill  Kubota, Christopher Jordan

Education Reporting:

3^rdPlace – One Detroit Education Specials
Education in the Time of COVID
School Daze
Christy  McDonald, Bill  Kubota, Will  Glover, Chris  Jordan, Zosette  Guir

Environment Reporting:

^2nd Place – Great Lakes Now: Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal Blooms
Detroit Public Television Foundation
David  Ruck, Rob  Green, Zach  Passero, Laura Weber  Davis, Ryan  Busch

Feature Reporting:

1^st Place – Detroit Jazz City
Detroit Public Television Foundation
Jim  Toscano, Danny  Gianino, Ed  Moore, Zosette  Guir

2^nd Place – Great Lakes Now: In Isolation … At Aquariums
Detroit Public Television Foundation
Danielle  Dabney, Nick  Austin, Jim  Toscano

Health Reporting:

3^rd Place – Saving Lives: We Can’t Wait Any Longer 
Marty  Fischhoff, Wes  Jones , Mariellen  Chynoweth, Cynthia  Canty, Al  Hibbert

Racial Justice Reporting:

1^st Place – American Black Journal: Do Black Lives Matter in America?
Stephen  Henderson, Orlando  Bailey, Daphne  Hughes, Christopher  Jordan, Catherine  Kelly

Sports Reporting:

1^st Place – Great Lakes Now: Island Basketball
Sandra  Svoboda, Dan  Tyrell, Nick  Austin, Zach  Irvin, Oliver  Van Assche

Videography:

1^st Place – Great Lakes Now: Chicago’s Floating Islands
Doug  Clevenger, Sandy  McPhee, Jordan  Wingrove, Laura  Weber Davis

Online

Collaborative Coverage:

1^st place – From Rust to Resilience: What climate change means for Great Lakes cities
Sandra  Svoboda, Rob Green, Natasha Blakely, INN partners

Social Media Strategy:

3^rd place – Great Lakes Now: The Facebook Watch Parties 
Colleen  O’Donnell, Zach  Allen, Sandra Svoboda

Michigan Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Excellence Awards 2020

American Black Journal: Do Black Lives Matter in America?

Merit: News & Public Affairs Special

Detroit Performs: Detroit Public Theater & Friends: Broadway to Obscurity

Winner: Cultural and Performing Arts

Great Lakes Now

Winner: Mini-Documentary or Series

Saving Lives: School Summit on Suicide

Winner: Special Interest

The Russian Five

Merit: Membership Appeals

Aretha Franklin Remembered

Winner: Membership Appeals

Great Lakes Now Watch Parties

Winner: Use of New Media

Great Lakes Now: Sand, Sinkholes and Science

Merit: Independent Producer

Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter Excellence in Journalism Awards 2020

Television

Automotive Reporting:

1^st Place – One Detroit: Rivian
One Detroit Team

Community/Local News Reporting:

1^st Place – Great Lakes Now: Fatbergs  
Rob Green, Matt Ilas, Bill Kubota, Will Glover
2^nd Place – One Detroit: North Corktown 
One Detroit Team

Environment Reporting:

1^st Place – Great Lakes Now: PFAS and Ann Arbor 
Sandra Svoboda, Rob Green, Paula Gardner, Bill Kubota
2^nd Place – Great Lakes Now: Asian Carp 
Paul Dzendzel, Rob Green, Marie Gould, Jordan Wingrove

Feature Reporting:

1^st Place – Wrecks Within Reach 
Sandra Svoboda, Rob Green, Zach Irving, Free Age Production
3^rd Place – One Detroit: Almond Boneless Chicken 
One Detroit Team

Health Reporting:

1^st Place – Saving Lives: Preventing Youth Suicide  
Mariellen Chynoweth

News Editing:

1^st Place – One Detroit: Detroit Charter Commission
Jordan Wingrove
2^nd Place – Great Lakes Now: PFAS and Zebrafish 
Rob Green, Kevin Leeser, Bill Kubota, Jordan Wingrove

News Special and Documentary:

1^st Place – Great Lakes Now: Finding Impact 
Sandra Svoboda, Rob Green, Jordan Wingrove
2^nd Place – Great Lakes Now: The Forever Chemicals 
Sandra Svoboda, Rob Green, Jordan Wingrove
3^rd Place – Are the Kids All Right? American Black Journal and One Detroit Roadshow
One Detroit Team

Racial Justice Reporting:

1^st Place – American Black Journal 50^th Anniversary
One Detroit Team

Online

Community/Local News Reporting:

1^st place – Growing Pains 
Lorraine Boissoneault

Digital-Media Presentation:

4^th place – Landing Page for “The Forever Chemicals” documentary and related coverage 
Sandra Svoboda, DigiComm Team

Michigan Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Excellence Awards 2019

One Detroit: Facebook Watch Party

Use of New Media – Public Television: Best in Category

One Detroit: Our Commitment to You

Marketing Materials & Promos: Best in Category

Great Lakes Now: The Forever Chemicals

Mini-Documentary or Series: Best in Category

Great Lakes Now: The Forever Chemicals

News Special or Documentary: Best in Category

One Detroit

Community Involvement: Best in Category

Great Lakes Now

News or Public Affairs Special: Best in Category

Mackinac: Our Famous Island

Special Interest: Merit

The American Cycling League Championship Games at the Lexus Velodrome

Sports- Outdoor or Recreation: Merit

2019 NETA Award For Excellence in Education

We are proud to announce that Detroit Public Television’s work in local neighborhoods has been recognized as the best in public television.  Detroit PBS KIDS received the first-ever national NETA Award for Overall Excellence in Education.   The award – considered the highest award in public broadcasting — opened the NETA 2020 Conference, held in conjunction with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Thought Leader Forum in Arlington, Virginia.

Read more about the award >

2019 Governor’s Service Award

Gretchen Whitmer announced Detroit Public TV (DPTV) as the winner of a 2019 Governor’s Service Award as an Education Service Leader for its work in early childhood education, providing parents, educators and other caregivers with the skills and resources they need to prepare children for school and life.

Gov. Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission selected 43 service award winners this year, which included individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations selected for their commitment to volunteerism, service or philanthropy.

Read more about the award >

Michigan Emmy Awards 2019

Beneath the Surface: Line 5 Pipeline in the Great Lakes

Ed Moore
Mary Ellen Geist

Saving the Willow Run Bomber Plant

Matthew Stinson
Tina Brunn
Chad Schwartzenberger

Tapping the Great Lakes

Matthew Stinson
Chad Schwartzenberger
Mary Ellen Geist

Preschool Matters! – Community/Public Service (PSA) – Campaign

Oliver Thornton
Tina Brunn
Chad Schwartzenberger

Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter Excellence in Journalism Awards 2019

FIRST PLACE

Youth Mentoring at Islandview’s Church of the Messiah

Will Glover for Local News Reporting

Moving Costs at Detroit’s Bethune-Fitzgerald School

Bill Kubota for Education Reporting

Beneath the Surface: The Line 5 Pipeline in the Great Lakes

Mary Ellen Geist and Ed Moore for Environment Reporting

Returning Citizens to Work

Bill Kubota for General News Reporting:

American Black Journal Roadshow – African Americans: Telling Our Story

Daphne Hughes and Stephen Henderson for Racial Justice Reporting

SECOND PLACE

Detroit Designs the World

Jim Toscano, Ed Moore, Zosette Guir, Bill Kubota and Danny Gianino for Feature Reporting

Rich Homberg, President and CEO of Detroit Public Television

Lifetime Achievement Award

Michigan Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Excellence Awards 2018

One Detroit

Best News or Public Affairs Special
Thursdays 7:30pm ET

Detroit Performs

Best Cultural & Performing Arts
Tuesdays 7:30pm ET

Making It: Latino Students’ Pathways to College

Best Special Interest

The American Cycling League Championship Games at the Lexus Velodrome

Best Sports, Outdoor or Recreation
Fridays 9:30pm ET

Beneath the Surface: The Line 5 Pipeline in the Great Lakes 

News Special or Documentary – Merit

Detroit Public TV – WTVS

Station of the Year – Merit

The following programs air on DPTV and received recognition in the Independent Producer category:

Great Lakes Great Tastes 2018

Best in Category

Under The Radar Michigan

Merit
Thursdays 8:30pm ET

MAB Awards 2016 – 2017

WTVS-TV Detroit Public Television

Public Broadcasting Station of the Year

Digital Adventure

Community Involvement

Detroit Performs Series

Cultural Programming
Tuesday at 7:30pm ET

Beyond the Tap

News or Public Affairs Special

When I’m 65

News Special or Documentary

Learning in the Wild

Sports – Outdoor or Recreation

Il Volo: Una Notte Magica

Cultural & Performing Arts

One Detroit

Marketing Materials & Promos
Thursday at 7:30pm ET

American Black Journal

News or Public Affairs Series
Sunday at 9:30am ET / Wednesday at 7:30pm ET

Detroit Remember When: J.P. McCarthy, The Voice of Detroit

Special Interest Programming

MAB Awards 2015 – 2016

Detroit Performs

Cultural Programming
Tuesday at 7:30pm ET

Let’s Have Some Church Detroit Style

Independent Producer (Andrew Sacks)

Be School Smart

Community Involvement

Detroit Neighborhoods

Mini-Documentary or Series

MAB Awards 2014 – 2015

Detroit’s Anti-Blight Story

Best Public Television Mini-Documentary or Series

American Graduate: Community Town Hall

Best Public Television Special Interest Programming