Wise News Network Wins Statewide Mark Binker Award and Others

3:25 PM EST |September 23, 2024|Wise News Network|, , ,

By: Wise News Network Staff

Raleigh, NC (WNN) – The staff of Wise News Network has been honored with the prestigious Mark Binker Award and other journalism awards by the NC Press Association. This ceremony occurred during the 151st Convention of the NC Press Association on September 19th, 2024, at the Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Raleigh, NC.

Rusty Wise (L) and Mason Beam (R) accepting the Mark Binker award and other awards at the NCPA Awards Ceremony. September 19th, 2024 by Anne Wise (WNN).
Rusty Wise (L) and Mason Beam (R) accepting the awards at the NCPA Awards Ceremony. September 19th, 2024 by Anne Wise (WNN).

The prestigious Mark Binker Public Notice Award recognizes a news story or stories derived from a public notice.

Mark Binker, a highly respected investigative journalist in North Carolina, worked for the North Carolina Press Corps, WRAL News, The Insider, and Greensboro News & Record. Binker passed away in 2017 at the age of 43.

NC Governor Roy Cooper commented on Mark Binker:

Mark Binker was an outstanding journalist who uniquely understood complex issues and explained to viewers and readers why they should care. He never ducked asking tough questions or stopped digging for more. – Roy Cooper

Wise News Network received recognition for its coverage of the potential sale of the Cherryville Historical Museum building, at 109 E Main St., Cherryville, NC. The coverage was based on a public notice from the City of Cherryville, NC, regarding the museum building sale in February 2023.

WNN conducted thorough research and submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests over a year. This resulted in multiple articles and videos about the museum building sale in 2023 and 2024. The Mark Binker Award is a prestigious honor presented to a recipient from across the entire State, irrespective of the news format.

Rusty Wise with WNN reporting from the Cherryville Historical Museum Building 109 E Main St, Cherryville NC - segment posted February 8th, 2023 (WNN)
Rusty Wise with WNN reporting from the Cherryville Historical Museum Building 109 E Main St, Cherryville NC – segment posted February 8th, 2023 (WNN)

The WNN Team’s media work informed the public, keeping concerned citizens updated throughout the museum building sale process.

Rusty Wise, Editor and Owner of Wise News Network, stated:

Wise News Network is truly honored to receive this special Mark Binker Public Notice Award. Our team worked hard behind the scenes with lawyers, FOIAs, and extensive research. This was to keep the public informed about the museum building sale by the City of Cherryville. Accurate media is your check and balance of government, especially regarding government transparency issues. Our job is to ensure the public is well informed. – Rusty Wise

Other WNN Staff awards in the Online Category included:

  • 2nd Place in Community Coverage
  • 2nd Place in Photography Spot by Mason Beam
  • 3rd Place in Video
Photo for 2nd place in Photography Spot of emergency personnel gathered outside the fire at Stonewood Estates in Cherryville , NC. Sunday, February 18, 2024, by Mason Beam (WNN).
Photo for 2nd place in Photography Spot of emergency personnel gathered outside the fire at Stonewood Estates in Cherryville , NC. Sunday, February 18, 2024, by Mason Beam (WNN).

The 2024 NC Press Association received over 4,000 entries for the 2024 awards. These were from over 125 newspapers and news outlets in North Carolina. The Colorado Press Association judged the entries.

For more WNN video news stories, visit YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wisenewsnetwork.

For more WNN articles and news stories, visit: https://wisenewsnetwork.com

Contact WNN at [email protected]

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