GPB Radio has recently been honored for excellence in reporting by both the Georgia Associated Press Media Editors and Public Radio News Directors Incorporated.

Wins from the Georgia Associated Press Media Editors include the prestigious Pacemaker Award, the top honor for radio for GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM and Best Reporter and/or Anchor first and second place wins, which went to GPB Atlanta 88.5’s Leah Fleming and Rickey Bevington respectively.

“My goal is to make every weekday morning more informative and enjoyable for Atlanta,” said Fleming, who serves at the local host of “Morning Edition.” “I know the news is tough to hear these days, but I hope that I offer a sense of optimism.  It’s an honor to win one of the most sought-after awards in journalism for hosting.”

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.

In addition to the Pacemaker Award, GPB Radio took home 15 awards. The complete list of winners is as follows:

Pacemaker – Radio

GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM

Best Reporter and/or Anchor

First Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, Leah Fleming

Second Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, Rickey Bevington

Best Newscast- Radio

Second Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, Leah Fleming and Taylor Gantt

Best Spot News

First Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, “Determination After Devastation: Stories: of Hurricane Irma”

Best Feature Reporting

First Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, Olivia Reingold, “Methadone Clinics: Business, Blight or Saving Grace?”

Second Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, Sean Powers “Veterans Lifeline”

Best Documentary or News Special Progamming

First Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, “Guns in the South”

Second Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, “Inside Georgia’s Opioid Epidemic”

Best General Reporting

Second Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, Stephen Fowler, “I-85 Collapses”

Best Specialized Reporting

First Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, Emily Jones

Second Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, Grant Blankenship

Best Series Reporting

First Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, “Inside Georgia’s Opioid Epidemic”

Best Sports Feature Reporting

First Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM, Taylor Gantt, “Atlanta United: A Beacon for Soccer in the South”

Best Investigative Reporting

Second Place, GPB Atlanta, 88.5 FM, Sean Powers, “Controversial Immigration Policy May Expand”

Best Website

Second Place, GPB Atlanta 88.5 FM

GPB Radio network station WUGA FM in Athens also took home a second place award in the Best Use of Sound category for the story “Critical Clean Up at State Parks” by Allison Salerno and Martin Matheny.

GPB Radio competed against radio stations across the country for the national Public Radio News Directors Incorporated honors.

The complete list of winners follows:

Best Use of Sound

Second Place

GPB Radio, “Breathing In ATL’s Underwater Hockey Scene” – Emily Cureton for “On Second Thought”

Breaking News

Second Place, GPB Radio, “Hurricane Irma” – GPB News Team

Nationally Edited Breaking News

Second Place, GPB Radio, “I-85 Collapses” – Stephen Fowler

Nationally Edited Soft Feature

Second Place, GPB Radio, “Troubadour” – Bradley George