Nearly five dozen awards in 20 categories were presented to local reporters, editors and photographers during the annual OC Press Club Journalism Awards Gala, and one of the winner was our very own Professor of Television, Pete Weitzner!




During the dinner, the OC Press Club bestowed journalism scholarships on four deserving college students: Alyssa Duranty ($1,000 Vi Smith Memorial Scholarship), Kevin Lara, Daniel Langhorne, and Amanda Starrantino–all from Chapman University.

This year, the OC Press Club presented the 2012 Sky Dunlap Award (named after a tall OC journalist who encouraged civic engagement) to Peter Weitzner, Director of Broadcast Journalism at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Business Anchor for PBS SoCal’s “Real Orange” show, and Host/Producer of The Chapman Business Report, for his longtime contributions to Orange County broadcast journalism and the community.

Prof. Weitzner spoke to the attendees, saying:

Professor Pete Weitzner at the OC Press Club Awards

This award means a lot for two reasons.  It reinforces what I was counseled to do by some good people over the years, and have tried to put into practice–that helping others is the greatest reward in this career…and in life. And receiving this Sky Dunlap from some of the people I most respect in Orange County Journalism, people I’ve known over two decades, is also very affirming.


The OC Weekly’s blogger Gustavo Arellano
also reported
the event, mentioning some of the other highlight winners while lovingly poking fun at Prof. Weitzner’s earnestness:

Voice of OC young gun Adam Elmahrek won for Investigative Reporter of the Year for his digging into evil Anacrime, the Reg’s OC Watchdog blog won for Watchdog of the Year, Chapman University professor Pete Weitzner won the Sky Dunlap Trophy for Lifetime Achievement and promptly went Greer Garson on everyone, and the Reg’s Denisse Salazar and Salvador Hernandez won first place for a great piece on the Mexican Mafia.


Although Prof. Weitzner is usually found behind the camera, this award places him squarely in the spotlight where he belongs, as the local organization recognizes his passion for teaching the next generation of students at Dodge College, enriching our airwaves through his management of the local Channel 6 public broadcast station, and his prolific and storied career in the profesional television industry.

Congratulations to Pete and his cohorts honored in the ceremony!