Two WNIJ reporters have collected a total of three first-place awards in the annual Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters competition for 2016.
Jenna Dooley won in the Best Series or Documentary category for her series "To the Brink and Back" about the tragedy of drug addiction. She also is the host of NPR's "All Things Considered" on WNIJ.
Senior Reporter Susan Stephens won in the Best Light Feature category for her heartwarming "A Humble Chore Could Change Lives" about special-education students at Beloit Memorial High School who helped lower-income students learn how to do laundry.
Stephens also was honored as Best Newswriter for the consistent high quality of her work in a wide range of stories.
The awards were presented Saturday night at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association gathering in Urbana. INBA is an organization of professional journalists from radio and television stations which serve Illinois audiences.
