The Society of Professional Journalists announced the recipients of the 2024 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for excellence in journalism. "Running Towards the Fire – A War Correspondent's Story" will receive the Sigma Delta Chi Television Documentary, Small Market Station Award this fall in Washington, D.C.
"Running Towards the Fire" is a co-production between Painted Rock Productions, Nebraska Public Media and the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Gilbert and Martha Hitchcock Professor of Journalism Barney McCoy produced and directed the film. Christine Lesiak was the project's script consultant.
Several faculty members and students from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications contributed to the project. Assistant Professor of Practice Kristian Anderson served as videographer, primary editor and effects editor. Shari Veil, Jane T. Olson Endowed Dean; Haley Hamel, Director of Business and Operations and Zac Franzen, Alumni Relations and Events Coordinator; were on the business management team. The following CoJMC community members were voice actors in the film: former student Henry Shore (‘24) as Robert Reuben, Associate Professor John Shrader as Ernie Pyle, Technical Director Jamie Wenz as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lecturer Bill Doleman as W.C. Heinz.
The documentary captures the pivotal roles war correspondents played during the Allies 1944 D-Day invasion of Europe and subsequent defeat of Nazi Germany and the Axis powers in 1945. It draws extensively from the previously unpublished memoirs of Robert Reuben.
The Omaha-born war correspondent parachuted into Normandy, France, hours before the D-Day invasion and was the first journalist on the ground. Reuben chronicled the Allies' liberation of France and Belgium and the fighting in Germany that forced the Nazi's May 7, 1945, surrender.
“We’re incredibly proud to see Barney’s work once again recognized on the national stage,” Shari Veil, Jane T. Olson Dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, said. “This award is a testament to his talent and tenacity and to the power of collaboration between our college, Nebraska Public Media and Painted Rock Productions in telling essential Nebraska stories.”
This is McCoy's second television documentary honored with a Sigma Delta Chi Award. In 2018, he received the national award for "Black Jack Pershing: Love and War."
"It's an honor to have our film recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists," McCoy said. "I'm proud to help preserve the legacy of WWII correspondent Robert Reuben, who ran toward danger so the world could know the truth."
Judges chose the winners from entries in categories covering print, radio, television and online. The awards recognize outstanding work published or broadcast in 2024.
Dating back to 1932, the awards originally honored six individuals for contributions to journalism. The current program began in 1939, when the Society granted the first Distinguished Service Awards. The honors later became the Sigma Delta Chi Awards.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.
Learn more about the Sigma Delta Chi Awards and see the 2024 honorees here: https://www.spj.org/sigma-delta-chi-awards-2024-honorees/.
