Variety of SPJ awards for public broadcasters

Several pubcasting shows and people scored Sigma Delta Chi awards for excellence in 2009 journalism. The honors, presented since 1932, are awarded by the Society for Professional Journalists. From Frontline World, the winner for documentaries (network, syndication, service or program service) is "Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground." For feature reporting top 100 market or network syndication, the prize went to "California's Three Strikes Law: 15 Years of Controversy," by Ina Jaffe, Philip Bruce and Amy Walter of NPR. Mary Kay Magistad was named for "Created in China" from Public Radio International's the World, for top 100 market or network syndication. And for public service in radio journalism, 101+ market or network syndication, it's "A Community Victimized in the Shadows" by WSHU's Charles Lane, Naomi Starobin and Katie Davis. Winners were selected from more than 1,300 entries in categories covering print, radio, television and online. Awards will be presented Oct. 2 during this year's SPJ Convention and National Journalism Conference in Las Vegas.

Create chef scores best restaurant in the world ranking

Claus Meyer (right) of the Create channel's New Scandinavian Cooking has earned the No. 1 spot in the World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy competition for his Noma in Denmark. It's judged by famous chefs, food critics, restaurateurs and "well traveled gourmands," according to APT. Noma's specialty is modern Nordic cuisine, the same dishes that he helps create for the show with host Andreas Viestad and fellow chef Sara LaFountain. Other Create winners: Coming in second was Spain's four-time winner El Bulli, featured on Spain ... On the Road Again; and New York's longtime fave Le Bernadin at 15th place. Behind-the-scene shots of Le Bernadin are featured in Ripert’s cooking series Avec Eric, which explores inspiration for dishes served at his famed eatery. Create is distributed by American Public Television, WNET.org, and WGBH Boston in association with NETA and PBS.

Recent development s.v.p. hire at PBS shared mortgage with Kerger

For our RSS readers: The latest top story from Current.

With PBS under increasing budgetary pressure, President Paula Kerger recently turned to Smithsonian Institution fundraiser Brian Reddington for the important new post of senior v.p. of development and executive director of the PBS Foundation. In January, when she told the PBS Board of Reddington’s selection, she said he was a friend of hers.

Kerger did not mention that she, her husband and Reddington owned a condominium together in New York City from September 2003 to September 2006.

PBS hired Reddington without engaging a search firm or advertising the opening, the network said last week in a statement responding to many but not all of Current’s questions.

Read the full story here.