Today's Miami press release:

		        PERGRAM WINS NATIONAL BROADCAST AWARD

OXFORD, Ohio - Chad Pergram, director of Miami University's
Washington, D.C. summer program that gives students an "inside the 
Beltway" experience, has won the prestigious Joan S. Barone Award for 
Excellence in National Affairs/Public Policy Broadcast Journalism.
Pergram, who was honored for his accomplishments as chief
correspondent for Capital News Connection (CNC), is the first radio 
reporter to win the award since NPR's Elizabeth Arnold 12 years ago. 
Other recipients include Tim Russert, Bob Schieffer, Nina Totenberg  and
Roger Mudd.
Pergram is donating the $2,000 cash prize that accompanies the Barone 
prize to Miami's Washington, D.C. program for the beginning of a
scholarship fund.
	"It is a remarkable honor for a news organization that is
only two years old," says CNC founder Melinda Wittstock.  "Chad's 
exclusive, sound-rich and thought-provoking reporting lifts the dome  off
the Capitol to illuminate the daily deals and decisions that
impact all of our lives, bringing the issues 'home' to local public  radio
listeners in a relevant and engaging way."
Capitol News Connection provides 3.3 million public radio listeners  in
230 markets nationwide with daily coverage focused on the local  impacts
of national decision making - and brings local issues to the  attention of
national lawmakers.  In its brief existence, CNC has  broken a chain of
major stories ahead of its more senior rivals.
Pergram, who earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Miami in  1991
and 1993, is a former reporter and producer for C-SPAN and NPR.  The
eight-week summer program he directs for Miami provides 25
students with an experience that includes a series of guest speakers, 
field trips and lectures offering special insights into government 
followed by Washington-based internships.  In the past, students have 
interned with members of Congress, government agencies and media
outlets including NBC.
Joan Barone was a producer of "The CBS News with Dan Rather" and
"Face the Nation," known for her desire to help viewers understand  how
government decisions were made and what impact they had in the  world.
					-30-


originally sent by
Victoria  Marks
Administrative Assistant
News and Public Information Office
Miami University
513-529-7592
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