KVNF receives accolades in news journalism
April 7th, 2025 (Paonia, Colorado) - KVNF Community Radio is proud to announce that the KVNF News Team has received multiple awards from The Colorado Broadcasters Association (CBA) and Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ).
Thanks to a generous grant from the Press Forward Foundation, the KVNF News team has recently been expanding coverage across the KVNF listening area, bringing our audience more in-depth news from the communities we serve. This recognition from CBA and SPJ is testament to the quality of the programming being produced.
KVNF journalists took home four awards at the Colorado Broadcasters Association’s (CBA) Awards of Excellence and seven awards at the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Top of The Rockies Awards.
Colorado Broadcasters Associate - Awards of Excellence
In the Small Market category from CBA Lisa Young received the Award of Excellence for the Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast for our flagship news program “KVNF Regional Newscast”. Laura Palmisano also received an Award of Excellence for the Best Public Affairs Program for a piece she did in which Colorado Medical Providers Discuss Medical Missions in Ukraine, Gaza. Palmisano and Young, both also received Certificates of Merit from CBA - Palmisano for Best News Coverage of a Single Event for a piece about how musicians gathered in Lake City to keep tradition alive, and Young for Best Public Affairs Program for a piece she did on Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose.
Society of Professional Journalists
In the “Small Newsroom” category from the SPJ, KVNF’s Brody Wilson took home a first place in the Ag and Environment Feature category, for a piece he did on Regenerative Ranching with Jason Wrich from Wrich Ranches. Laura Palmisano, also took home a first place in the Health News category, for a piece she did on Colorado public health officials ramping up vaccination outreach ahead of the new school year.
The following awards were also received from SPJ in the “Small newsroom” category:
- Second Place - Health Feature - Laura Palmisano - Colorado medical providers discuss medical missions in Ukraine, Gaza.
- Second Place - Politics News - Laura Palmisano - Marisela Ballesteros makes history as first indigenous person elected to Gunnison City Council.
- Third Place - Climate Reporting - Lisa Young - Ecoflight provides 'bird's eye' view of potential oil and gas development on Grand Mesa.
- Third Place - Science and Technology Feature - Brody Wilson - Project 7 Water Authority New Treatment Plant.
- Third Place - Health news - Laura Palmisano - Lake City physician assistant returns from medical mission in Ukraine.
KVNF would also like to recognize our peer award winning newsrooms throughout our listening area including the Ouray Plain Dealer that won 11 awards from SPJ, The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel that won 4 awards from SPJ, and The Telluride Daily Planet that won 8 awards from SPJ, and KKCO TV in Grand Junction that won Small Market Station of the Year from CBA. We’re fortunate to work among these groups of professionals.
