Hussman School students win individual national championships in multimedia and radio news, place 2nd in television news

June 7, 2018

Two UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media students have won national championships in the Hearst Journalism Awards competitions held in San Francisco June 3-6, 2018.

Robert Gourley, a 2018 graduate entering the Hussman School’s Environment and Science Communication dual-degree program as a master’s student, won Hearst’s multimedia championship. The Mooresville, North Carolina, native was also recognized with the award for the best multimedia story of the year for his piece “Don’t Think Twice.”

Jay Siebold, a 2018 graduate from Swansboro, North Carolina, won the radio broadcast news championship. He also received the award for best use of radio for news coverage.

Anne Marie Hagerty, a 2018 graduate from Raleigh, North Carolina, placed second in the television broadcast news competition and was recognized with the best use of television for news coverage award.

“This kind of powerhouse showing in the Hearst championships is a testament to the talent of our students and the commitment of our faculty,” said Susan King, dean of the school.

The Hussman School placed second overall in the intercollegiate competition, making 2018 the 15th year in a row the school has placed in the top 5 nationally — winning seven national championships in that span and three consecutively from 2015 to 2017.

The Hearst Journalism Awards competitions include more than 100 universities with accredited undergraduate journalism programs. Students demonstrate writing, photography, radio, television and multimedia skills throughout the year in monthly competitions. The top performers are chosen as championship finalists who compete in rigorous on-the-spot assignments chosen and judged by media professionals.

The awards program was founded in 1960 to foster journalism education through scholarships for outstanding college students. Since its inception, the program has distributed more than $13 million in scholarships and grants for the very best work by student journalists.