Several School of Communications students and graduates were recognized during the Nov. 12 event held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Elon Local News, Elon University’s student-produced newscast, was honored with two awards – both first-place finishes – at the annual RTDNAC/AP Convention and Awards Luncheon. In the ceremony’s professional categories, two School of Communications alumni – Nick Ochsner ’11 and Neima Abdulahi ’13 – were also honored for their work, including Ochsner’s collaborative report with current journalism major Andrew Feather ’17.
In the luncheon’s professional competitions, Ochsner won first place in the Political category for his “On Your Side Investigates: Campaign Spending” report. The WBTV investigative reporter also captured first place in the General News category for his “Failing Our Veterans” report, which Feather also worked on. Feather served as a WBTC investigative intern in summer 2016.
Formerly a digital journalist at FOX46 Charlotte and currently a reporter for WXIA in Atlanta, Abdulahi placed second in the TV News Multimedia Journalist of the Year competition. This is the second consecutive year Abdulahi has finished runner-up in this contest.
Associate Professor Rich Landesberg, who serves as ELN’s adviser, was also in attendance. He serves as the executive administrator and treasurer for RTDNAC.
“I’m incredibly proud of our hard work,” said Ashley Bohle ’17, broadcast news director of Elon News Network. “We put many hours and preparation into our shows. Live television news takes a dedicated team of journalists looking to share stories and keep our community engaged.”
Elon Local News and The Pendulum, Elon’s student newspaper, converged newsrooms this fall, bringing together the traditional print and broadcast platforms. While the new partnership has been branded the Elon News Network, both student media outlets continue to use their established names in their respective mediums.