The Society of Professional Journalists honored KBYU News, a division of BYU NewsNet, Saturday, October 6, with its Mark of Excellence Award for best daily newscast.

The Mark of Excellence Awards honor outstanding student journalism in radio, television, and print disciplines.

Accepting the award on behalf of the KBYU news team was Lyndsay Palmer, 22, a broadcast student from Crystal Lake, Illinois. Palmer said the award was an important one for KBYU because it represented recognition by a journalistic association for quality journalism.

"It's a journalism award, not a TV award," Palmer said.

Palmer also said one of the reasons for such high quality journalism in the KBYU broadcast program is a renewed stress on reporting skills.

"We're stressing journalism instead of just trying to look good," Palmer said.

Another Utah recipient of a National Mark of Excellence Award was Weber State who won for best editorial writing.

The Mark of Excellence Awards were presented at SPJ's annual convention in Seattle/Bellevue, Wash., where over 800 professional and student journalists converged this weekend to honor outstanding journalism, raise money for legal defense of besieged journalists, and instruct each other in the trade.

Among those in attendance were seven members of the local BYU chapter of SPJ. Lara Cardon, 20 vice president of the BYU SPJ chapter and major in print journalism, said she went to the convention this weekend to get an introduction to the professional world.

"I really enjoyed getting an inside look at what day-to-day work is for an investigative journalist," Cardon said.

Other events at the convention this weekend were keynote addresses by Pulitzer Prize Winner Eric Nalder, the election and installation of a new SPJ presidency, and seven panels dealing with issues related to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Newly elected president Al Cross said Saturday that journalism and society are facing a challenging time and SPJ needs to be a beacon on the hill.

"We aren't in this business to be popular," he said. "It's our job to tackle the battles even when the public is not on our side."
Copyright Brigham Young University 8 Oct 2001