CANTON - North Country Public Radio has been honored with two major journalism awards for its reporting over the past year. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) announced Saturday evening that NCPR won two 2020 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for Excellence in Journalism: Best Public Service in Radio Journalism and Best Radio Feature Reporting. The SPJ Awards are among the oldest and most prestigious in the country, honoring print, digital, and broadcast journalists.

The full news team, led by Amy Feiereisel, was recognized for best Public Service in Radio Journalism for its series on the North Country’s child care crisis, Child Care During COVID-19: Struggles and Solutions in the North Country. The series included numerous radio and digital stories, special features, and outreach produced over months, as the region dealt with the economic fallout of the pandemic and lack of childcare options. Emily Russell and former NCPR reporter Natasha Haverty were honored for Best Radio Feature Reporting for their two-part story, New York’s Declining Prison Population, which explored how the region sees criminal justice reform as an economic threat.

“Recognition of this important work is gratifying at any time,” said David Sommerstein, NCPR’s Director of News and Local Content. “But our team of reporters worked tirelessly under very stressful circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. It means so much to have that in-depth journalism appreciated on a national level at this moment.”

The list of all of the 2020 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for Excellence in Journalism is available on the SPJ website.

"This national honor is further evidence of what our North Country audience has known for years," said NCPR Station Manager Mitch Teich. "We are committed to telling the stories of the North Country with curiosity, dignity, and humanity. I'm incredibly proud of the efforts of our news team."