Y. women win broadcast awards

PROVO — This just in: three BYU students have been named some of the best females college broadcasters in the country. Sable Petersen, Kristine Pratt, and Amy West were three of eight students recognized at the Alliance for Women in Media Gracie Awards in Hollywood, an annual event that celebrates broadcast journalism for women, about women or by women.

National Gracie winners included Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, Amy Poehler and Martha Stewart.

All three students were entered into the contest secretly by their adviser, Chad Curtis.

Petersen was named Outstanding Producer in Entertainment/Sports for her work as producer and host of BlueTube, a sports show that took an in-depth look at the upcoming BYU/University of Utah football game and the associated rivalry.

Pratt was named Outstanding News Director for coordinating more than 30 students' contributions into one massive election coverage newscast for the Daily News at Noon, the daily newscast of BYU's communications department.

West's three-part series, "Snake Valley," which looked at the water war between Utah's west desert farmers and Las Vegas' Southern Nevada Water Authority helped her snag a Gracie for Outstanding Reporter/Correspondent. She traveled more than 1,500 miles to interview people for her stories.

West now works for KHAS in Hastings, Neb., and Pratt is currently interning for NBC Sports at Wimbledon.

— Sara Israelsen-Hartley