The University of Memphis’ Department of Journalism and Strategic Media placed sixth nationally in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program for Broadcast and student Erika Konig was a finalist in the National Audio Championship, it was announced on Thursday, June 4.
“Being selected as a finalist was an amazing privilege,” said Konig. “The week was challenging, fun and unforgettable. I’d like to thank my mentors at The Institute for Public Service Reporting and my journalism professors at the UofM for their guidance. This would not have been possible without them. I also want to thank the Memphis community for trusting me to tell their stories. And, to my family, gracias! Los Amo!”
Konig received $1,500 for her selection as an Audio finalist.
The annual Hearst Championships brought together 29 outstanding student journalists from colleges and universities across the United States.
The finalists earned their places in the Championship by producing work judged to be among the best of the 1,353 entries submitted to the 14 monthly Hearst Journalism Awards competitions held throughout the academic year.
Often referred to as the “Pulitzers of College Journalism,” the finalists were gathered in San Francisco from May 30 through June 5 to complete a series of spot assignments under deadline conditions. Their work was evaluated by leading media professionals serving as program judges, who selected the national champions and top finishers in each category.
For the department’s awards, the top 10 schools in each category receive Hearst trophies. The year-long competition includes writing, photojournalism, audio, television, podcasting and multimedia for undergraduate journalism students.
Points earned by individual students in the monthly competitions determine each discipline’s Intercollegiate rankings, with schools accumulating points based on the entrants’ highest accumulated points in each category throughout the year.
