Michael Campbell has been the recipient of several awards for his work in journalism through his career. Those awards include peer recognitions through the Virginia Press Association and its annual News and Advertising Contest and by local governing bodies through formal recommendation of his inclusion to the Virginia School Boards Association Media Honor Roll.
Third Place - In-Depth or Investigative Reporting
Despite past accidents, Dinwiddie locals split on VDOT plans to reconfigure busy intersection
The entry served as a compilation of news coverage written by Michael Campbell for The Dinwiddie Monitor focused on plans to reconfigure an intersection residents felt was dangerous, but were divided on what should be done to address its issues. Throughout 2019, Campbell communicated closely with Dinwiddie County leaders, VDOT representatives, public safety officials, and other stakeholders to provide a broad scope of coverage on the subject. Additionally, Freedom of Information Act requests allowed specific financial information sought by locals to be shared with the community, providing further transparency and facts for the community to lean on as they discuss the state agency's plans.
Below is one of several articles included in Campbell's contest entry.
Third Place - General News Writing
Region’s law enforcement honor the fallen at memorial breakfast
The entry served as to showcase coverage of a single event, the Tri-Cities Law Enforcement Memorial Breakfast. This event sees hundreds of first responders uniting over a warm breakfast for fellowship and to honor their fallen brothers and sisters who died in the line of duty across Southside Virginia. Prior to the traditional lighting of candles in front of portraits of the fallen officers, including local police offices and Virginia State troopers, the keynote message was delivered by Jamie Walter, the wife of slain Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Walter as she shared how she and her family turned their mourning over the death of a husband and father into action that led to changes in Virginia's capital murder laws.
Virginia School Boards Association Media Honor Roll
The Virginia School Boards Association Media Honor Roll was created to recognize fair and balanced reporting about our schools and Virginia’s public education system. Each year, in the early Fall, the VSBA Media Honor Roll recognizes media representatives in three categories: print, radio, and television. Michael Campbell has been named to the Media Honor Roll three times in the last four years by local school boards in his coverage area.
