Jan. 17, 2003

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Contact: Dick Nelson, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, (785) 864-0601.

KU student places in national journalism competition

LAWRENCE -- A University of Kansas student recently placed in the top third of competitors in the national Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

Michael Bieke, senior in journalism from Powell, Wyo., placed 19th out of 60 competitors in the video division of the Hearst Foundation's annual broadcast competition.

Bieke submitted two stories for the contest. The first investigated water conservation and pollution and their effects on agriculture in Kansas. That story aired in April 2002 on KUJH, the university's student television station. The second explored recreational drug use by high school athletes and how universities respond when those athletes enter college. It aired on KUJH in September 2001.

Bieke started directing newscasts at KUJH during his freshman year at KU. As a junior, Bieke worked as both a reporter and a producer.

The Hearst Journalism Awards Program consists of monthly writing, photojournalism and broadcast news competitions, with championship finals in all divisions. At the end of the year, the Hearst Foundation adds the points earned by each school and releases a ranking.

The Intercollegiate Broadcast News Competition is open to undergraduate journalism students for coverage of campus or community events, issues, trends or personalities, broadcast on a campus or professional television or radio station.

Bieke is the son of Bob Krenz and Kathleen Bieke, both of Powell, Wyo. He is the weekend newscast director and weekday assistant newscast director at KSNT, an NBC affiliate in Topeka, and he plans to continue working there after graduating in May with a bachelor of science degree in journalism.

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