Jewish reporters rack up several Press Club Awards

Investigative reporters Lee Zurik of WVUE-TV (Fox8) and David Hammer of WWL-TV’s Eyewitness News each picked up a total of three first place awards at the annual Press Club of New Orleans gala on Saturday, July 9.

WWL TV’s investigative reporter David Hammer. (Photo by Alan Smason)

Held for the first time at the Marriott Riverside Convention Center Hotel, the event honored local publications, radio and television broadcasters and public relations members with a series  of awards honoring coverage in sports, still photography, writing, digital media, broadcasting and television videography.

Hammer picked up the top award for his investigative report on the “Library Foundation,” took top honors in Environmental/Science coverage for his story, “B.P. Oil Disaster: 5 Years Later” and shared a first place win with WWL’s Katie Moore and fellow Jewish reporter Michael Perlstein of the New Orleans Advocate for their “N.O.P.D. Call Waiting” series.

Zurik followed with three first place awards for his story on “Jindal’s Presidential Run” in the Governmental/Political category, the story titled “Swiped” on financial mismanagement in the Continuing Coverage category and also for his “Billion Dollar Blueprint” story, which was listed under TV’s Public Affairs category.

Lee Zurik of WVUE-TV. (Photo by Alan Smason)

New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Zach Strief served as the emcee for the awards, which also bestowed Lifetime Achievement Awards to New Orleans Magazine editor and WYES producer Errol Laborde (“Informed Sources”) and Action Reporter Bill Capo of WWL-TV.

The Crescent City Jewish News (CCJN) has been honored for the past two years with two first place awards in both Infographics (“Jewish New Orleans and Timeline”) in 2014 and in Entertainment writing (“Valerie Sassyfras: A Musical Phoenix Emerges”) in 2015. Last year the CCJN also received a third place for Features Writing (“Jews and Jazz, Part One”). While the CCJN was not nominated for a Press Club Award for journalistic excellence this year, Southern Jewish Life magazine did earn a second place in the category of Special Section for its story on Hurricane Katrina.