Two UFCJC student journalists receive top five honors in the 2025-26 Hearst Journalism Awards Television News competition
University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Journalism seniors Bernardo Montas and Juan Carlos Chaoui, have placed first and fourth, respectively, in the 2025-2026 Hearst Journalism Awards Television News competition. A record 85 entries from 52 universities were submitted for the second television competition of the year.
Montas was honored for his “WUFT News First at Five” stories including “Bradley’s Law: Turning Grief Into Action,” “’I’ll Have to Do This All Over Again:’ How ACPS Rezoning May Affect Students with Disabilities” and “Alachua County’s New School Zoning Maps Set Stage for Possible March Vote, Critics Call for Alternatives.” Montas will now advance to the National Television Championships in San Francisco in June.
Chaoui was honored for two multi-day projects that were broadcast on “WUFT News First at Five:” “ACPS Rezoning Creates Controversy and “Bill Reinforcing State Control of GRU Passes Florida Legislature.” Chaoui will also advance to the National Television Championship as a wildcard.
Innovation News Center Managing Editor and Associate Chair Alicia Coleman and Senior TV News Manager Kalisha Whitman served as advisers for the news stories.
Currently, UF is in third place in the Intercollegiate Broadcast Competition based on accumulated student points.
The Journalism Awards Program, now in its 66th year, added broadcast journalism competitions in 1988. In addition to the broadcast competitions, the awards program includes four writing, two photojournalism and four multimedia contests. The program offers up to $700,000 in scholarships, matching grants and stipends and is open to accredited undergraduate journalism programs from 104 schools within the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Category: College News, Student News
Tagged: 2025-26 Hearst Journalism Awards Alicia Coleman Bernardo Montas Hearst Journalism Awards Television News Competition Juan Carlos Chaoui Kalisha Whitman
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