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Best Local TV Sports Anchor
Frank “The Big Guy” Sulkowski, WJCL
No local on-air sports personality brings the level of passion and intensity to Savannah airwaves like The Big Guy, WJCL Sports Director, a very popular perennial winner with our readers. Currently getting ready to spearhead coverage of YOUR ATLANTA HAWKS as they head to the NBA Eastern Conference championship for the first time in franchise history, Sulkowski played football back in the day for East Tennessee State University, and is a proud graduate of Georgia Southern University closer to home. Runner-up: Ken Slats
Best Local Twitter Feed Best Local Instagram Feed
Visit Savannah
Savannah’s chief tourism marketing organization was ahead of the curve with social media and is pretty widely regarded, not just by our readers, as the folks in town who truly “get it.” While a lot of that success is testament to their staffer Amy Brock—transitioning into a new position with Visit Savannah—we remain confident the new person running Visit Savannah’s social media will keep up the great work. Runner-up, Twitter: Brew/Drink/Run Runner-up, Instagram: Savannah Sweet Tease Burlesque Revue
Best Local TV Meteorologist
Best Local Radio Station
Not your typical garden variety TV weatherperson, Pat is what you definitely call a “Meteorologist.” The man has forgotten more about climate than any of us will ever know. His highly informative yet very accessible style has made him beloved of local viewers since joining WTOC in 1980. But despite his longevity, Pat is nothing if not 100 percent current: Almost alone among local high-profile people, he energetically states the case for the existence of climate change and the need to take steps to mitigate it. And also, Pat and his wife Mary are just really great people. That counts for a lot, too.
This is actually a HUGE win for your local Public Radio affiliate. They won last year for “Best Talk Radio Station,” but this is whole ‘nother level of coolness, the Big Enchilada of Audio. While a certain amount of controversy came about when longtime staffers at FM 91.1 were let go a couple of years back, the reimagining of the station as a more current, newsdriven organization more in line with large metro-area public radio has clearly paid big dividends, at least with our readers. With a staff of three full-time journalists working out of the local office—that’s a pretty big staff by modern standards, by the way—GPB Savannah is now a media player every bit on par with other news orgs in town, like the daily paper, the TV stations, and us as well. — Jim Morekis Runner-up: WRHQ 105.3 FM
Patrick Prokop, WTOC
Best Local Columnist
Jessica Leigh Lebos
Our own Community Editor won out this year for her insightful contributions to the inner workings of Savannah life and culture. Runner-up: Bill Dawers
GPB Savannah
Best Talk Radio Station
WTKS 1290 AM
Best Local Blog
Hissing Lawns
Connect Savannah may not be super-conservative, but the fact remains that this is still a pretty conservative area, and Bill Edwards and the rest of the WTKS gang offer the best in right-leaning commentary, from Limbaugh to Beck to Hannity, not to mention Edwards’ own engaging and relevant local interview show. Runner-up: GPB Savannah
Blogging has changed a lot over the past five years—oh hell, over the past five minutes—but Hissing Lawns (hissinglawns.com) is keepin’ it real with previews and recaps of local and regional shows, from The Jinx to Shaky Knees. While a Bill Dawers project, guest contributors like Larry Jack Sammons and Andy Berger and photographers like Tom Cartmel provide entertaining and insightful content. Runner-up: Yo, Yenta! ( Jessica Leigh Lebos, yoyenta.com)
Best Local Radio Personality
Kotter
The voice of Rock 106.1 FM is also its Program Director. His “Work Release Program” with Marshall is quite simply one of the best things on local airwaves, radio or TV. Check out their podcast with Best Facebook Page Winner The Stone Stairs of Death! Runner-up: Bill Edwards
Best Local Facebook Page
The Stone Stairs of Death
We’ve never seen instant domination in a category quite like this one. Soon after starting the page, Stone Stairs garnered Likes faster than your News Feed can show another shot of Kim Kardashian’s ass. Last year The Stone Stairs easily wrapped up this category, and this year the voting wasn’t even close. While the page started off as a politically incorrect chronicle of “the Savannah Shitshow,” as it’s called in Stone Stairs verbiage, with daily pics of foolish tourists (“touronetards”) and downtown drunks (“douchetards”), the page has evolved into covering more actual issues, aggregating links about local politics and in the comments section promoting a vigorous dialogue. You can tell the level of Stone Stairs’ increasing news-breaking notoriety by one metric: Local politicians who used to comment there now keep their mouths shut and enjoy it from afar, knowing that whatever they say on Stone Stairs will be broadcast far and wide. — Jim Morekis Runner-up: Old Savannah Tours
Best Morning Radio Show
Kidd Kraddick in the Morning
This Texas-based syndicated show is featured locally on 97.3 KISS FM. Runner-up: Tim Leary and the Morning Showgram
Best Local Website
Connectsavannah.com
We have to say we’re very happy with the upgrade to our site, especially the improvements to the mobile version. Runner-up: hissinglawns.com
Best Local App
WTOC
The area’s leading newcast also has its highest-voted news app. Runner-up: Sav Happs (Connect Savannah)
MAY 20-26, 2015
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