Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 89.1 FM took home four Lone Star Awards in the radio categories this past Friday. Two locally produced Texas Public Radio programs, “The Source” and “Texas Matters,” received top honors, as did their respective hosts, TPR Reporter Terry Gildea and TPR News Director David Martin Davies, along with his wife and co-host, Yvette Benavides.
The Lone Star Awards, handed out by the Houston Press Club, are given each year in recognition of outstanding achievements in journalism and mass communication in the state of Texas.
Gildea took first place in the “Talk Show” category for a September 10, 2010, episode of “The Source,” where Republican Congressman Lamar Smith was the featured guest. “The Source” is a locally-produced Texas Public Radio talk show that features discussion and analysis regarding issues that are important to the residents of the Alamo City. Each week, Gildea has an insightful, in-depth discussion with respected journalists that are covering the issues and, often, the newsmakers themselves. The program airs Thursdays, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM.
“It’s really exciting that ‘The Source’ has been recognized by the Houston Press Club as a discussion show that is relevant to the people,” said Gildea.
Taking second place in the “Talk Show” category were “Texas Matters” co-hosts David Martin Davies and Yvette Benavides. The pair was singled out for a Lone Star Award for their November 12, 2010 profile of the influential dancer/choreographer and Texas native Tommy Tune. Texas Public Radio’s “Texas Matters” is a locally-produced, weekly news magazine that provides an in-depth look at the issues, stories and people of the Lone Star State. The program Fridays, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM and is distributed to radio stations across Texas.
“It's notable that Texas Public Radio won both first and second place in the ‘Talk Show’ category,” said Davies. “It demonstrates that we are providing quality programming on a local level for our listeners. It's humbling to win these honors, but the experience also helps motivates me and focuses me to work harder on creating quality radio journalism for our TPR listeners.”
Davies also received a first place award in the “Best Use of Sound” category for his feature on relocating big horn sheep to Big Bend Ranch State Park. Gildea took home an additional third place award in the “Hard News Feature” category for his profile on a clinic at Wilford Hall Medical Center and its work in facial reconstruction for wounded veterans in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Over the past few years, Texas Public Radio has significantly expanded its newsroom operations to provide quality local news coverage to complement is national programming. Expanded news coverage throughout the day, as well as local programs such as “The Source” and “Texas Matters” enable Texas Public Radio to be a valuable local news source for the communities it serves in San Antonio, South Central Texas and the Hill Country.