The University of North Texas alum Austin Hedgecoth received the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) 2022 Mark of Excellence Award in the broadcast field after taking first place as SPJ's best collegiate journalist in Region 8.

The recent graduate (May 2023) won the honor for Television In-Depth Reporting on Crypto's final frontier while a senior with North Texas Television (ntTV) housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) Mayborn School of Journalism.

Hedgecoth held several posts with ntTV including broadcast equipment manager, multi-media journalist/producer, and rounded out as the director of news media content.

Hedgecoth has in-depth experience in writing, reporting, producing, filming, and editing for print, digital, and broadcast. He has covered primaries, midterms, state fairs, holidays, breaking
news, developing stories, and more.

The national SPJ honor recognizes collegiate work published or broadcast during 2022. This year, 61 students and staff from 37 universities across the United States and Canada are being recognized as national winners.

Hedgecoth will advance to the contest for the Mark of Excellence Awards (MOEy) Best in Show, SPJ's top prize given to students who entered the 2022 MOE awards competition.

The MOEy and two Corbin Gwaltney Awards for Best All-Around Student Newspaper will be presented during the Sigma Delta Chi awards ceremony at 7 p.m. EDT on June 17. The virtual event can be viewed here.

About Mayborn: CLASS Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas can help start you on the road to success, no matter where your future leads. We offer state-of-the-art technology in our studios and a wealth of opportunities for career advancement.

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