Fazio Wins Multiple Journalist Awards

May 17, 2010 - PRLog -- The Indiana Society of Professional Journalists held its annual awards banquet on Friday, April 23rd in Indianapolis.  The 31st Annual Best in Indiana Journalism Awards, recognizing outstanding performance in journalism in 2009, sponsored by the Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.  The competition was open to all journalists working in Indiana as well as students of Indiana colleges and universities.

WTWO’s Patrick Fazio won three first place awards for "Best General News," “Best Coverage of Government” and “Best Investigative Reporting."

Fazio's in-depth investigation revealed the prosecutor and court system never cleared the felony murder conviction from a Vigo County man's record, even though DNA testing freed him after serving 23 years in prison. Fazio's reports led Indiana legislators to draft a bill to automatically clear a person's conviction when DNA evidence frees them from prison.  The story earned Fazio first place for "Best Investigative Reporting"

The first place “Best Coverage of Government” story was for Fazio’s detailed reporting on the Terre Haute Mayor's Eligibility Lawsuit Ruling from Indiana's Supreme Court.

Fazio also won first place for "Best General News" for the Indiana National Guard's 138th homecoming from Iraq just in time for Christmas.  The story featured a wife and children waiting for their father to come home for the first time since the Christmas before.

A third place finish also went to Fazio for "Best Spot News" for the coverage of a shooting and hostage standoff in Clay County, Indiana.  

Fazio’s awards were the most won by any TV news station locally in Terre Haute.  Fazio is in his thirteenth year working on-air, including the past four years at WTWO and WFXW FOX 38.  He currently serves as evening news co-anchor for the Live at 5, The Evening Edition at 6pm and Late Edition at 11pm newscasts on the local NBC affiliate channel 2.

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WTWO is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group that currently owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to 62 television stations in 34 markets in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, New York, Rhode Island, Utah and Florida. Nexstar’s television station group includes affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and The CW and reaches approximately 13 million viewers or approximately 11.5% of all U.S. television households. WTWO serves the Wabash Valley region of Indiana and Illinois.