Rules:

2006 television results Environment and Growth Reporting First Place: Grant McOmie and Mike Rosborough, KATU, Portland. Second Place: JW August, Thom Jensen and Richard Klein, KGTV, San Diego. Third Place: Doug Whitehead, KCNC, Denver. KATU's Grant McOmie and Mike Rosborough win first place honors with "Snacking Salmon." "Fantastic, hard-to-get footage of sea lion devouring sturgeon and seals getting salmon before they get reeled in by fishermen," the judges wrote. "If you didn't believe there was a problem here, the video puts any doubts to rest. Very good on-location production in this report, especially in the fast-paced transitions between stand-ups and action shots on the fishing boat." KGTV's August, Jensen and Klein take second place for "Rocket Fuel." "A classic watchdog report that's also fun to watch," observed the judges. "Perchlorate ending up in drinking water, milk and on crops is scary stuff, but information we need to know! This report is well-constructed, well written and makes a good case for why we should pay more attention to this contaminant." Whitehead of KCNC receives third place for "Colorado Then and Now." "This story is a wonderful blend of great visuals and good storytelling," write the judges. "It all begins with an interesting concept: follow a photographer who retraces the footsteps of an earlier photographer and then compare the two sets of images to show how Colorado has changed. It deals with both environmental and growth issues as well as being a very effective historical treatment of these current issues." Judged by: Barbara Noyes Pulling, manager of local television programming; Chris Sweet, manager of local television programming; Chad Diamond, videographer; Heidi Perkins, editor; Anita Clearfield, producer; Frank Ferrel, producer; and Mike McDade, post-production supervisor/editor, all of Maine Public Broadcasting Network. 10 entries. Immigration and Minority Affairs Reporting First Place: Jill Hanks, Lew Ruggiero, Fernando Ochoa, Veronica Sanchez and Sam Nuanez, KPNX, Phoenix. Second Place: Brian Maass, Carisa Scott and Kevin Hartfield, KCNC, Denver. Third Place: Jeramy Rosenberg and Mike Landess, KMGH, Denver. The KPNX team of Hanks, Ruggiero, Ochoa, Sanchez and Nuanez takes first place for "Beyond Borders: Arizona’s Immigration Challenge." "This is the most relevant and timely report in this contest," wrote the judge. "'Beyond Borders' takes a good qualitative look at the immigration issues that are dominating national headlines." Maass, Scott and Hartfield win second place for "The Human Smuggler." "This is an interesting and informative piece on one significant component of the on-going immigration issue: that is human cargo," noted the judge. "Good use of surveillance video and character development of 'Pepe.' Follow-up was a bit redundant, but garnered excellent results." Third place honors go to Rosenberg and Landess for "Operation: Baby Lift." "This is a very well-produced and well-shot piece," the judge wrote. "It is a nicely-reported update to a part of American history." Judged by Cathleen O'Toole, Reporter, WPBF-News 25, West Palm Beach, Fla., 4 entries. Spot News First Place: Garrett Wichman, Mike Warner, Kevin Kennedy and Fay Fredricks. KPNX, Phoenix. Second Place: Dan Christopher, Dave Paster and Ben Meader, KATU, Portland. Third Place: Dan Tilkin and Mony Orrick, KATU, Portland. KPNX photographers Wichman and Warner and reporters Kennedy and Fredricks take first place in spot news for "MLK Fights." "This entry was the clear-cut winner ... their coverage of the fights at a Martin Luther King Day parade was well-executed," wrote the judges. "The station had great video both from the air and on the ground. The reporters had excellent use of natural sound and wrote well to their dramatic images. The stories did a good job of building the drama and setting the scene for the viewer. Crowds and parades can present a logistical nightmare; the station did a nice job navigating through the mayhem." Christopher, Pastor and Meader of KATU earn second place honors for "Surf Rescue." "The video of this rescue was good, but the writing was what sold the story," noted the judges. "The reporter did a good job of establishing the situation, then building suspense. I liked hearing from both rescuers and one of the young men who was saved. I wished, though, that the camera could have gotten us a little closer to the action." Tilkin and Orrick of KATU win third place for "Cliff Rescue." "This story had interesting subject matter, which was handled in a sensitive way. The story became less about a suicide attempt, and more about the rescue of a woman in need," the judges wrote. "The photography was excellent, and you felt like you were in the middle of the action. The reporter did a good job limiting track and letting the natural sound tell the story." Judged by reporter Ann Rubin and photographer Don Galloway of KSDK, St. Louis. 10 entries. Consumer Reporting First Place: Larry Barker, Glenn Graham and Ron Romero, KRQE, Albuquerque. Second Place: Chris Ingalls, Eric Olsen and Kellie Cheadle, KING, Seattle. Third Place (tie): Marty Emerald, Kristen Castillo and Heidi Ortiz, KGTV, San Diego. Third Place (tie): Chris Ingalls, Eric Olsen and Kellie Cheadle, KING, Seattle. Barker, Graham and Romero take first place for "Rural Fire Protection." "Very well-researched and -put together," wrote the judges. "Lots of 'wow' moments. Tied in part two nicely with human connection. Hard to believe this was allowed to happen." Ingalls, Olsen, and Cheadle receive second place for "Rescue From Ruin." "Complex investigation the reporter made extremely easy to understand with good human examples of why this practice is so wrong," the judges wrote. "Left some unanswered questions about the subjects' missing payments, which hurt the overall compassion factor." Emerald, Castillo and Ortiz take third place with "E-bay Bully." "E-bay Bully" was "fun to watch and moved well," wrote the judges. "Overall, we felt while it was an interesting look at a unique problem none of us had ever heard about, we wanted to know more about how to protect ourselves and how the perpetrator ever got his hands on the victims phone numbers." Third place also goes to Ingalls, Olsen and Cheadle for "Career Schools." "Career Schools" had "good content and gave a voice to both sides," the judges noted. "In the end, we felt like it took too long to get to the 'gotcha' moment and were left wondering how much the 'victims' had really done to help themselves." Judged by Eric Flack, consumer reporter; Scott Utterback, chief photographer; and Drew Cook, photographer; all of WAVE 3, Louisville, Ky., and Jenny McClendon, reporter, WHAS 11, Louisville, Ky. 12 entries. Investigative Reporting First Place: Carisa Scott, Rick Salinger and Kevin Hartfield, KCNC, Denver. Second Place: Larry Barker, Glenn Graham and Ron Romero, KRQE, Albuquerque. Third Place: Carisa Scott, Brian Maass and Kevin Hartfield, KCNC, Denver. KCNC's Scott, Salinger and Hartfield win first place with "How Far Will the Army Go?" "This investigative report is a classic example of watchdog journalism that makes a difference," the judges wrote. "The CBS4 Investigative Team, in conjunction with an enterprising high school journalist, exposed serious misconduct by U.S. Army recruiters who were willing to break the rules to achieve their recruiting goals. The reports prompted the Army to stand down across the country to examine recruiting policies and procedures." Barker, Graham and Romero of KRQE take second place with "MVD Hearings." "Another good example of watchdog journalism, this report documented how hundreds of accused drunk drivers are being allowed back behind the wheel because of an overloaded legal system," noted the judges. "The investigation reveals that everyone knows the system is a joke, but no one has done anything to stop the 'free ride.'" Scott, Maass and Hartfield of KCNC receive third place for "Sex Spas." "This CBS4 investigation discovered brothels, masquerading as legitimate massage businesses, have moved into upscale neighborhoods near churches, libraries and high-end homes," wrote the judges. "The team's use of hidden cameras documented how brazen these sex operations have become." Judged by Phil Williams, chief investigative reporter, and Bryan Staples, investigative producer/photojournalist, both of WTVF in Nashville, Tenn. 25 entries. Feature Reporting, Same Day First Place: John Sharify and Jon Knorr, KOMO, Seattle. Second Place: Jeff Bills and Amy Bender, KPHO, Phoenix. Third Place: John Sharify, Doug Pigsely and Dan Liberator, KOMO, Seattle. KOMO's Sharify and Knorr win first place for "Star Wars Man." "Very funny! I'm laughing out loud. The writing was perfect. It was very conversational with a light tongue-in-cheek delivery," wrote one of the judges. "The use of natural sound was very good. It had me laughing," wrote another judge. You also made good use of what looked like a limited video opportunity. I would have liked to see the story flushed out more." KPHO's Bills and Bender receive second place for "Strippercise." "Great open ... editing, editing, shooting, writing ... very well-produced ... creative interview shots. The story had a nice feeling throughout," observed one judge. "The 'relax' line was priceless!" another judge noted. "The only thing that I noticed was that the pace of the writing slowed down toward the end. That is the only thing in my mind that separated you from the first place winner." Sharify, Pigsely and Liberator take third place for "The Waver." "Sweet dog ... nice bites. When the girls blew a kiss ... I loved that! It was a simple outstanding story. It was memorable and well-shot," wrote a judge. "It was extremely well-written, especially because it was not OVER-WRITTEN," noted another. Judged by Dave Ogle, photojournalist; Kris Patrow, journalist; and Lorri Burchett, photojournalist, all of KSTP of Minneapolis, Minn. 12 entries. Feature Reporting, No Time Limit First Place: John Sharify, Kiyomi Taguchi and Darrin Tegman, KOMO, Seattle. Second Place: John Sharify, Jon Knorr and Tri Ngo, KOMO, Seattle. Third Place: Laural Porter and Kurt Austin, KGW, Portland. KOMO's Sharify, Taguchi and Tegman take first place honors with "Meth Mom." All four judges ranked "Meth Mom" first. "Riveting and tells an incredibly disturbing story," wrote one judge. "Well-told, emotional, powerful story; unique, inventive presentation," another judge noted. "The extended shooting timeline is proof of an impressive commitment by the reporter and the station." Sharify, Knorr and Ngo win second place for "Baby Photos." "A heartbreaking story," wrote one judge. "Well-shot, well-written and well-edited. The reporter should have had a microphone on when he asked questions. This (story) made me cry like a baby. Exceptional!" Another judge wrote, "Beautiful writing, impeccable production values, flawless timing and editing, terrific twists in the narrative." KGW's Porter and Austin receive third place for "Where's Molly?" "A touching, creative way to cover what most would dismiss as a routine legislative voice-over-sound-on-tape. Great writing and storytelling," noted one judge. "Wow! What a story!" wrote another judge. "Great natural sound, shot well, great historic pictures and video. Superb!" Judged by Mark Saxenmeyer, special projects reporter; Lilia Chacon, general assignment reporter; Andrea Brown, special projects producer; and Jason Jedlinski, special projects reporter, all of WFLD, Fox Chicago News. 32 entries. Series Reporting First Place: John Sharify, Kiyomi Taguchi, Darrin Tegman and Delia Kostelnik, KOMO, Seattle. Second Place: Jeff Bills and Nicole Crites, KPHO, Phoenix. Third Place: Laural Porter and Kristen Henderson, KGW, Portland. KOMO's Sharify, Kiyomi, Tegman and Kostelnik win first place with "Where's Mommy?" "Powerful storytelling, wonderful time commitment to this story, and great photography and editing" helped make "Where's Mommy?" the judges' top pick. The judges noted they've "never seen the impact of methamphetamines illustrated so well" by telling the story "from the perspective of the abandoned children." Bills and Crites of KPHO take second place with "Cardiac Arrest." "The story relayed important information in an entertaining way. Not something we typically see with medical reports," wrote the judges. This three-part series featured crisp photography, tight writing, and nice use of graphics. "A wonderful experiment that's sure to have saved a viewer's life." Porter and Henderson's series "Lost Lives" takes third place for KGW. "Outstanding research, good writing, and nice photography," wrote the judges. This series on the treatment of mentally ill patients made excellent use of natural sound for pacing and standups to illustrate points. Judged by reporters Olga Halaburda and Jennifer Kolbusz, and photographers Mike Vandersnick and David Duchan, all of WFRV, Green Bay, Wis. 13 entries. Sports Reporting First Place: Jeff Bills, KPHO, Phoenix. Second Place: Katy Brown and Mike Rosborough, KATU, Portland. Third Place: Tammy Leitner and Jeff Bills, KPHO, Phoenix. Bills wins first place for "Drive It Like You Stole It!" "Great natural sound; video usage; and crisp, clean editing," the judges wrote. "Nice use of humor and music. We felt like we were actually at the event: sharing a drink with the other fans and watching the competition. That's what telling a story is all about, right? This may have been better suited for another category, but by far the best of this class." Brown and Rosborough of KATU take second place for "Blind Baseball Player." "Great sound on tape from teammates," the judges noted. "From a video standpoint, we would have liked to have seen the 'hook' of the story developed a little better; i.e. not showing the batting helmet with the mask so early. Nice overall effort, and a very memorable story." Leitner and Bills take third place honors with "In the Ring." "Seeing a reporter get in the ring is nothing new, but when that reporter's opponent delivers a couple of stinging shots - well, it made us take cover," observed the judges. "Fine shooting and editing. If this story had a stronger intro (something other than the boxer's height and weight) and ending, it would have ranked higher." Judged by Jason Bristol, sports director; Joe Martin, photojournalist; and Rishi Barran, sports reporter/photojournalist, all of WHP in Harrisburg, Pa. 7 entries. Daily General Assignment Photojournalism First Place: Dean Smith, KNTV, San Jose. Second Place: Kurt Austin, KGW, Portland. Third Place: Scott Onnen and Shelby Croft, KPHO, Phoenix. KNTV's Smith takes first place for his composite entry. Austin of KGW wins second place for his reel. Onnen and Croft receive third place for "News Recruits." "The winner simply did a better job immersing us in the story," wrote the judges. "As viewers we felt involved as opposed to simply watching. All stories were well shot. The winners took the time to place the camera in the various environments, not just shoot at them. It made a huge difference in pacing and presentation." Judged by Drew Cook, photographer; Scott Utterback, photographer; and Eric Flack, reporter; all of WAVE 3, Louisville, Ky. 3 entries. Sports Photojournalism First Place: Kurt Austin, KGW, Portland. Second Place: Brian Warner, KGW, Portland. Third Place: Mike Rosborough, Tom Turner and Ron Carlson, KATU, Portland. KGW's Austin wins first place with "A Tale of Two Boxers." "A great piece put together so well with creative storytelling," wrote the judges. "The photographer captured some wonderful moments that no matter whether you like boxing or not, you really care about these people. Terrific pacing throughout never lets you lose interest. The reporter and photographer seem to be completely in sync ... great teamwork! Really a tremendous commitment to a story from start to finish." Warner of KGW takes second place with "Dragonboat Racing Masters." "This piece, though shorter than we would've liked, was shot amazingly well under tough conditions," judges commented. "This stand-out sports feature had a wonderful of mixture of creative wides, mediums and tights with great sequencing. The photographer does a great job putting the viewer inside the racing boat. An outstanding piece that left the judges wanting more." KATU's Rosborough, Turner and Carlson receive third place for "Girls B-Ball Championship." "In a category that had some great highlight footage, this piece stands out with its visual and emotional storytelling from beginning to end," the judges wrote. "The two photographers were totally utilized with great action/reaction and locker room moments. The judges felt that the locker room is what put this piece in the top three. It put the viewer right in the middle of a place they don't always get to see or hear. Great job using that wonderful access to your advantage, it really made this 'highlights' package stand above the rest." Judged by Michael DelGiudice, Peter Shapiro, David Garden, Brian Endres and Brei Travalena, all of News 12 Long Island, N.Y. 10 entries. Videography/Photography First Place: Major King, KMGH, Denver. Second Place: Mark Oltz, KNTV, San Jose. Third Place: Kurt Austin, KGW, Portland. Major King of KMGH wins first place for "The Void of Uncertainty." "While judging this piece, it became very clear early in the story that a lot of time, patience, and effort went into this entry," wrote the judge. "I would have normally been a little hesitant to place a story like this in first place only because of the breath-taking mountainous setting where beautiful pictures are all around, which undoubtedly makes the photography process easier; however, I noticed a level of effort and patience in the photography, which - in my mind - places this story in a category of its own." KNTV's Oltz takes second place for "Willow Creek Olive Oil." "The pictures in this piece really stand out! I was impressed at the overall level of creativity and unique composition in many of the shots," the judge noted. "I loved the moments that were captured when the dog grabbed the bone right in front of the camera, and when the little girl wiped her hands on another person's pants. Great job!" Third place goes to Austin of KGW for "Where's Molly?" "Excellent storytelling! GREAT WRITING!" remarked the judge. "This is a special piece about one man's reunion with his sister after spending most of their lives apart. I loved the way the reporter and photographer took advantage of moments in this piece that would have normally been ignored. For example, the opening sequence of pictures and sound shows a man walking around anticipating the arrival of his sister. I think most teams would have simply ignored that moment to focus of the action-filled arrival shot." Judged by Marc Rice, photographer, with assistance from Stephen Stock, reporter, both of WESH, Orlando, Fla. 10 entries. Video Essay/Natural Sound First Place: Dean Smith, KNTV, San Jose. Second Place: Aaron Cohn and Serijo Hernandez, KPHO, Phoenix. KNTV's Smith wins first place for "Soldiers' Soles." Cohn and Hernandez take second place for "Spooky Spirits." "The winner simply did a better job immersing us in the story," wrote the judges. "As viewers we felt involved as opposed to simply watching. All stories were well shot. The winners took the time to place the camera in the various environments, not just shoot at them. It made a huge difference in pacing and presentation." Judged by Drew Cook, photographer; Scott Utterback, photographer; and Eric Flack, reporter, all of WAVE 3, Louisville, Ky. 2 entries. The results of the video editing category are not yet available.