August 9, 2017
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) announced winning journalists across the state in the 2017 TMA
Anson Jones, MD, Awards
for excellence in health and medical news reporting during
2016 (see winner list below). TMA member physicians presented the awards to journalists in their newsrooms throughout the spring
and summer on this, the 60th anniversary of the competition.
“For 60 years, TMA
has carried on the tradition of honoring the best works by Texas journalists that
convey important health information to the public,” said TMA’s Council on
Health Promotion Chair Benjamin Lee, MD, of Dallas. The council oversees the
competition. “Each year, we see timely and important news reports from both
small-town and large metropolitan news outlets that help Texans live healthier
lives.”
The annual TMA
awards recognize print, television, radio, and online media journalists in 11
award categories. One award honors the Texas Health Journalist of the Year to recognize a
body of work produced in a single year by a print, broadcast, or online
journalist.
Award winners
receive $500. The journalist of the year receives $1,000.
In 1957, TMA
physicians gave a Fort Worth
Star-Telegram reporter the first Anson Jones, MD, Award. (A fountain pen
was part of honoree Blair Justice’s winnings.) Since then, TMA has continued to
honor top-notch Texas journalists with the annual awards named after the
pioneer physician and prolific writer who served as the last president of the
Texas Republic. Ironically, the Star-Telegram
happened to win an award again on this milestone anniversary.
TMA currently is
accepting entries for the 2018 awards competition. Journalists have until Jan. 10, 2018, to submit an entry for any news story published or aired
in 2017. Members of TMA’s Council on Health Promotion judge the competition,
along with respected former journalists from both news publishing and broadcast
fields.
“2017 already has its share of
health news, from the attempts to revamp the Affordable Care Act, to telemedicine,
to the opioid crisis,” said Dr. Lee. “We encourage journalists to enter their stories
in the Anson Jones awards and hopefully become a winner.”
Journalists can direct
questions to ansonjones[at]texmed[dot]org or call Tammy Wishard, TMA outreach
coordinator, at (512) 370-1470.
TMA 2017 Anson Jones, MD, Award Winners
Large-Market Television
Winner: Border Counties
Prepare for Local Zika Transmission
Bianca
Castro and Linda Angelle
KXAS-TV NBC 5,
Dallas/Fort Worth
Honorable Mention:
Digital
Pills Help Patient, Doctors Keep Track of Medications
Bianca Castro, Linda Angelle, and Guy Mitchell
KXAS-TV NBC 5, Dallas/Fort Worth
Small-Market Television
Winner: Colon Cancer
Survivor Says Symptoms Can Be Silent
Brittany
Price
KJTV Fox 34, Lubbock
In-Depth Television
Winner: Few Children
Receiving Cancer-Preventing Vaccine
Sally
Hernandez, Chris Nelson, John Hinkle, and Rachel Garza
KXAN-TV, Austin
Honorable Mention: Prescription
for Savings
Terri Gruca, Scott Guest, and
Erica Faccone
KVUE-TV, Austin
Large-Circulation Print
No winner selected
Small-Circulation Print
Winner: Missouri City
Doctor Hosts Baby in Need of Heart Surgery
Joe
Southern
Fort Bend Star
Honorable Mention: Are
Freestanding ERs Driving Up Costs?
Matt
Goodman
D CEO Magazine, Dallas
Honorable Mention: Daughter
Provides Ultimate Gift to Father
Laura
Garcia and Anna Ramirez
Victoria Advocate
In-Depth Print
Winner: A Dallas ER Doc
Confronts Racism
Jamie
Thompson
D Magazine, Dallas
Honorable Mention: Rural
Hospital Series
Bill Hanna
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Radio
No winner selected
In-Depth Radio
Winner: Ease
in Anti-Overdose Drug Access Leads to More Lives Saved
Paul Flahive
Texas
Public Radio, San Antonio
Honorable Mention: THINK:
Inheriting Cancer
Krys Boyd,
Jeff Whittington, and Stephen Becker
KERA
FM, Dallas
Honorable Mention: Lead
Exposure: It’s More Than a Water Problem
Sam
Baker
KERA FM, Dallas
Online/Mixed Media Package
Winner: Frozen in Time
Sonia Azad, Taylor Lumsden, and Jeff Anastasio
WFAA-TV, Dallas
Online Single Article/Blog
Winner: For Foster Kids,
a Push to Make Medical Care Treat Psychological Pain
Edgar Walters
The Texas
Tribune
Texas Health Journalist of the Year
Winner: Wendy
Rigby
Texas Public Radio, San Antonio
Honorable Mention: Lauren
Silverman
KERA FM, Dallas
Honorable Mention: Matt
Goodman
D Magazine, Dallas
TMA is the largest state
medical society in the nation, representing more than 50,000 physician and
medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county
medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to
improve the health of all Texans.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation,
representing more than 50,000 physician and medical student members. It is
located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the
state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. TMA
Foundation raises funds to support the public health
and science priority initiatives of TMA and the Family of Medicine.
--30--
Contact: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Marcus Cooper (512)
370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org
Connect with TMA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Check out MeAndMyDoctor.com for interesting and timely news on health care issues and
policy.