CANTON – North Country Public Radio has been honored with five major national journalism awards for its reporting in 2024, the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) reported.

“PMJA recognizes the best journalism in the public radio system,” says NCPR News Director David Sommerstein. “To be honored among the excellence of our colleagues is quite an achievement for our newsroom. We’re so proud of the work all our reporters put in every day to spotlight the most important issues facing the North Country, and to reflect the diversity and sense of fun and delight in our region as well.”

NCPR's year-long series on how the North Country is adapting to climate change won first place for continuing coverage. The station's flagship morning news magazine, Northern Light, hosted by Monica Sandreczki and Catherine Wheeler (and Todd Moe, who retired in June 2024), won first place for news/public affairs program.

In addition to these entries that included contributions from the entire newsroom, NCPR journalists were recognized for their individual reporting:

• Northern Light co-host Monica Sandreczki won first place for best arts feature for her story about Marvel's new Mohawk superhero, Kahhori.
• Community engagement reporter Amy Feiereisel won second place in the education feature category for her reporting on troubles at St. Regis Falls' school.
• Report For America corps member Lucy Grindon won first place in the human interest feature category for her story about reenactors at the Battle of Ogdensburg.

The PMJA Awards are the top national awards in public media news and honor digital and broadcast journalists. "We are always excited to be able to honor the great journalism at local public radio stations across the country," said Christine Paige Diers, PMJA Executive Director. "This year, more than 1450 entries competed for these honors." NCPR competes in Division C: newsrooms with 8-15 reporters. (NCPR had eight news personnel in 2024.)

"It's always an honor for NCPR to earn journalism awards, but we take special pride in receiving honors from PMJA," said NCPR station manager Mitch Teich. "With so many of our peer stations around the country producing such great stories, it really points to the exceptional work that our team does for the people of the North Country."