Best of Utah 2007 | Media & Politics 

BEST RADIO CRUSH
Kerry Jackson (X96) & Doug Fabrizio (KUER 90.1)
It began years ago, but Radio From Hell’s Kerry Jackson’s purely heterosexual man-crush on Radio West’s Doug Fabrizio hasn’t cooled with time, nor has Fabrizio’s act of cool indifference toward the situation—a classic love story for the ages. Fabrizio’s 2006 expansion into television (he’s too good-lookin’ to be contained by radio, as Jackson will attest) hosting KUED 7’s Utah Now has made him even more of a viable media playa, but we all wonder if the Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name holds a special, secret place in his heart. As for Jackson, hope springs eternal, if not potentially tragic: “He’s handsome, smart, the whole package—he’s everything I want to be. Now that I think about it, I hate him. I may have to kill him to become him. But I don’t think I could do an entire hour of radio on turquoise, so never mind.”

BEST TV NEWS HAIR Readers’ Choice
Kerri Cronk (Fox 13)
There’s a whole lotta blond going on at the Good Day Utah anchor desk, but Dan Evans’ spiky ’do has been outshined by flowing flaxen tresses of partner Kerri Cronk (and looking at the runners-up, we’re not sure where your heads are at, voters). Cronk could also be the first morning personality to ever win this award, which makes the victory even sweeter—at 5 a.m., hair that fab doesn’t just happen, people. Sure, she probably doesn’t spend as much time on her gorgeous golden locks as Evans does on his, but we’ll let them fight this one out. Weekdays, 5-10 a.m.
2. Randall Carlisle (ABC 4)
3. Dick Nourse (KSL 5)

BEST TV NEWS REPORTER Readers’ Choice
Chris Vanocur (ABC 4)
Here’s how you know you’ve become a local institution: when you look up at the lunch menu at Tony Caputo’s deli and see a salad named after you. Over his 20-year career in Utah journalism, Vanocur has provided depth to local news stories in his Sunday morning On the Record program and collected a Columbia University Alfred I. duPont Silver Baton for reporting on the Olympic bribery scandal. One might also consider the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Reporting a pretty high honor as well—but can you eat it?
2. Rod Decker (KUTV 2)
3. Shauna Lake (KUTV 2)

BEST TV FEATURES REPORTER Readers’ Choice
Big Budah (Fox 13)
He just gets bigger every year—in the voting, that is. There’s no subtle subtext with Good Day Utah’s super-size Samoan; what you see is what you get with Big Budah, an eager everyman (more like everykid, really) who’s not afraid to jump into a segment and get his hands dirty (or take a punch in the ring, or get knocked down by a roller-derby girl, etc.). And to think the guy used to toil away unseen and chained to a mic on radio. Weekdays, 6 a.m.
2. Allie MacKay (KUTV 2)
3. Bill Gephardt (KUTV 2)

BEST ACTIVIST Readers’ Choice
Rocky Anderson
“Rocko” may be stretching out his last term as Salt Lake City mayor like Thanksgiving turkey, and it does seem more like a holiday than the administrative taskmaster we know and love. But the gadfly spirit in him comes to glorious life when he talks about impeaching our current commander in chief, even if that means a somewhat ill-fated sparring match with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and the anticipated fencing match with Sean Hannity. Mayor Anderson may be the most contentious, difficult person ever to lead our city and, by quixotic extension, pick at the margins of the larger national political scene, but CW readers love his confrontational style. Long may he rage.
2. Community advocate Pamela Atkinson
3. Utah Sen. Scott McCoy

BEST TV SHOWCASE FOR UTAH METAL
Local Rock Gods
Clifton, Cavityburn, Kill Syndicate, The Rest … if you know these names, you’ve been losing your hearing regularly supporting local bands playing the hardest of hardcore metal. Or maybe you’ve just had your TV turned on at the right time. Local Rock Gods provides area viewers with a glimpse of live performances from these bands and many more at local venues. With OnDemand, you can even control when you watch—as well as controlling the volume. Comcast Channel 111, 11 p.m. nightly. LocalRockGods.com

BEST TV ANCHORWOMAN Readers’ Choice
Hope Woodside (Fox 13)
Whether we qualify “best” with “sexy” or just play it straight, there’s no shaking News at Nine’s Hope Woodside as your perennial favorite TV anchorwoman—this is her 10th (!) win, by the way, and most all of them have been landslides. Simply being “hot” doesn’t carry anyone this far: Woodside has the journalistic cred, assured delivery and trustworthiness that transcends looks. And, yeah, she’s still hot. Weeknights, 9 p.m.
2. Kerri Cronk (Fox 13)
3. Mary Nickles (KUTV 2)

BEST ANTI-STRAKER
Terry Wood (ABC 4)
“This is my 40th year as a broadcast journalist. Thirty of those years I’ve spent here in Utah, and I have never taken a position of advocacy before,” ABC 4 anchor Terry Wood editorialized on the Divine Strake nuclear tests in February of this year. “But, after looking at the facts, ABC 4 has taken a determined stand in opposition. But more than a professional journalist, I am a citizen of Utah. My children live in Utah. My grandchildren live in Utah, as do those of the ABC 4 staff. By the government’s own admission, the mushroom cloud from Divine Strake will pass over Utah. … I am not willing to obediently accept the Department of Energy’s assurance that it will not cause us harm in the years to come. They may be right, but I do not want to take the chance.” Divine Strake was eventually canceled, likely thanks—at least in part—to Wood taking a stand when no one else in local TV would.

BEST WEATHER GUESSER Readers’ Choice
Kevin Eubank (KSL 5)
Sometimes it pays off to go into the family business—but it’s not easy following in the footsteps of a local legend. Kevin Eubank joined KSL last year, and found himself heir-apparent to the prime newscasts when his father Mark retired after 30 years at the station. And based on readers’ response, he’s taken to the KSL 5 green screen like it was a comfortable sweater—or Dad’s trademark white snow-predicting jacket.
2. Damon Yauney (Fox 13)
3. Dan Pope (KSL 5)