April 13, 2010
Contact: Constance Crawford
Capital Public Radio
(916) 278-8955
constance.crawford@csus.edu

Capital Public Radio Reporters Win Distinguished Journalism Awards

Capital Public Radio’s Marianne Russ has won the well-respected California Journalism Award. The annual award recognizes excellence in state government reporting in print, radio and television. It’s sponsored by the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State and the Sacramento Press Club. Russ, who is CPR’s Capitol Bureau Chief, won for a compilation of stories. They included an in-depth piece on legislation to stabilize the state’s water supply, as well as three stories about California’s ongoing budget woes. Russ dug into the details of Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget line-item vetoes, examined the state’s cash crunch and reported on California’s giant garage sale.

In April, Capital Public Radio Reporter Ben Adler received the 2010 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award given by The Radio Television Digital News Association. Adler won in the “continuing coverage” category for a series of stories examining homelessness in Sacramento. Adler’s series was selected over entries from other large market commercial and public stations in California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam.

Russ was thrilled to learn she had won the California Journalism award. “I am deeply honored by the recognition”, she said. “I love covering state government and view it as critical to our democracy.”

Rick Eytcheson, President and General Manager of Capital Public Radio said, “Marianne is truly one of a kind. She’s a big part of the reason our California Capitol Bureau has seen such great success throughout the state and beyond. Ben is an excellent reporter who pursues local stories with energy and commitment. I am very proud of Capital Public Radio News.”

Russ runs CPR’s statewide political news service, the California Capitol Network (CCN). In 2006, she and fellow reporter Jenny O’Mara received the California Journalism Award for an in-depth series on bonds. In addition to his duties as a
reporter, Adler hosts All Things Considered weekday afternoons on Capital Public Radio’s News/Jazz stations.Links and stories related to each award can be found at capradio.org/awards.

Capital Public Radio serves more than 420,000 listeners per week with classical music, jazz, and in-depth news and information. Capital Public Radio also operates California Capitol Network (CCN) providing California State Capitol news to a network of over 30 radio stations in California, Nevada, and Oregon. The seven listener-supported, non-commercial frequencies: 88.9 FM (Sacramento), 90.9 FM (Sacramento), 91.7 FM (Groveland), 90.5 FM (Tahoe/Reno), 88.7 FM (Sutter/Yuba City), 88.1 FM (Quincy), and 91.3 FM (Stockton/Modesto)are licensed to Sacramento State.

####