BOSTON (December 23, 2020) – Led by radio and television host Callie Crossley, GBH News journalists won two awards from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) during the 2020 Salute to Excellence Award ceremony on Saturday, December 19. The NABJ Awards recognize the best reporting about the Black experience or issues affecting the Black community.
As the host of GBH’s Basic Black, Crossley was recognized in the Television – Top 15 Markets – Public Affairs: Interview/Discussion category for the episode “Men of Color and Mental Health.” The episode, in response to viewer requests, explored the topic of depression and other mental health issues among men of color—often a taboo topic in these communities. This award is shared across the Basic Black team with Executive Producer Delores Edwards; Associate Producer Kavontae Smalls, Production Manager/Editor Bob Judge and Director Rob Fagnant.
Callie Crossley was also recognized in the Radio – Top 15 Markets – Commentary category for “The Betrayal of Jay-Z’s Deal with the NFL.” Her commentary was critical of musician Jay-Z’s business deal with the National Football League, a surprising pivot from his previous vocal support for Colin Kaepernick. Crossley’s radio commentaries appear on GBH News each Monday.
“Since its origins as Say Brother in 1968, Basic Black has played an important role in sharing the stories and issues of local communities of color. Today, the show is more relevant than ever, thanks to the work of Callie, Delores and everyone involved with producing the show,” said Pam Johnston, General Manager for News at GBH. “During an especially challenging year for journalists, and Black journalists in particular, these awards pay tribute to the journalistic talent and devotion of an incredible team.”
When the NABJ award candidates were announced in November, GBH News received six nominations — more than any other media organization in the Top 15 Radio and Television Markets categories. “Returning African American Experiences to History’s Archives,”an Under the Radar with Callie Crossley segment, was recognized in the Public Affairs: Segment category. “The Long Journey North: The Forgotten Story of the Reverse Freedom Rides of 1962” received a nomination in the Documentary category. The story was written by GBH News reporter Gabrielle Emanuel, edited by senior managing editor Sean Corcoran and includes a video by senior digital producer Emily Judem. “After Racist Incident, MFA Opens the Door to Change,” reported by senior investigative reporter Phillip Martin and edited by senior editor Ken Cooper, was recognized in the Feature category.
About GBH News
GBH News is among the fastest-growing local news providers in Greater Boston and draws on the talent of a multiplatform newsroom that includes GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR, television and digital reporting. The GBH newsroom continues to invest in substantive local coverage and has established dedicated desks for higher education, politics, innovation and investigations as well as unique partnerships to expand on that commitment, including with WNYC’s The Takeaway, The World from PRX and The GroundTruth Project. GBH News partners with CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station, and New England Public Media in western Massachusetts to connect the Commonwealth with trusted journalism. GBH News maintains bureaus at the Massachusetts State House; Dorchester, Boston’s largest neighborhood, and Worcester. The Forum Network, part of GBH News, collects thousands of video and audio lectures from the world's foremost scholars, authors, artists, scientists, policymakers and community leaders and makes them available online to the public for free.
About GBH
GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH’s local television channels include GBH 2, GBH 44 and GBH Kids. With a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR; CRB Classical 99.5; and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station. From Boston to the Berkshires, from Worcester to the Cape and Islands, GBH is dedicated to connecting the Commonwealth through news, programming, learning tools and events. GBH has been recognized with hundreds of the nation’s premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at gbh.org.
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