Broadcast journalist, author Jeff Stein
In honor of about 30 years of exceptional work in broadcast journalism, The University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication graduate Jeff Stein (B.A. 1985) received the Iowa Broadcast News Association’s (IBNA) Jack Shelley Award on May 2 from 97-year-old Shelley himself.
Shelley is a former WHO Radio news director and journalism professor emeritus at Iowa State University, whose namesake award is IBNA’s highest honor.
"To have Mr. Shelley, at age 97, make a special effort to come and insist on making a speech to present the award, it’s something I cannot describe," Stein said.
Although Stein is the IBNA’s executive secretary, he was unaware that he had earned the award.
"It never occurred to me that anything I would do would warrant this award," Stein said. "When I look at the list of names who have won the award, I think one of these does not belong."
Stein’s humility refers to the extraordinary broadcasters who have won the award in the past, including Dean Borg of Iowa Public Television and Iowa Public Radio, Liz Mathis (B.A. 1980) of KCRG-TV and Ron Steele (B.A. 1973) of KWWL-TV.
Stein’s list of accomplishments has earned him a spot among the top broadcasters in Iowa.
Working as a broadcaster since he was in high school, Stein started with KFJB Radio in Marshalltown. While earning degrees from the J-MC School and the College of Law, he worked as an anchor and producer for Iowa Public Radio station WSUI. Today he continues his broadcast career by working as a political analyst for KWWL-TV and providing media and political commentary to KASI Radio in Ames and KSTP Radio in St. Paul⁄Minneapolis.
Stein said regardless of awards, his commitment to broadcasting would remain constant.
"If you’re in it to win awards, you’re not going to," Stein said. "I had no expectations of this award, and it has been a humbling experience."
’One week in June’
Drawing on his Iowa roots and journalism background, Stein wrote "One Week in June: The Iowa Floods of 2008," a set of several essays and 220 full-color photos that document the 2008 floods’ impact on Iowa.
The floods of 2008 "The floods showed that even when we are at our worst, we are at our best." Provided by Jeff Stein
"The book is the first one of its kind that ties all of the towns’ stories together," Stein said, noting the chronological way the book approaches the floods, starting in Charles City and proceeding downstream. The book includes popular photographs from the media, but mostly offers readers new photographs that they have not seen yet.
WDG Communications Inc., a local publisher, approached Stein about the book after the company"s downtown Cedar Rapids offices were flooded. Stein agreed to collaborate on the book in early April 2009, and the book was on the presses by Memorial Day, right after the first anniversary of the floods.
"The usual turnaround for such a book might be six months, but for this, it was about six weeks," Stein said.
He was eager to write the book because of its potential impact.
"If this book helps people heal and local businesses recover, I will be proud of the book," Stein said. "To live in a community where we experienced record flooding, to have lived in Iowa all my life, I hope we did it justice."
While Stein knows it may be painful for some Iowans to relive the floods, he emphasizes that the book is not a story of defeat.
"People have told me that they are getting the book for loved ones who survived the floods," Stein said. "Once you come through it, you have this reminder of success and recovery, not of loss and devastation."
"One Week in June" is available at Barnes & Noble stores throughout Iowa and online. The book has experienced success, becoming the Cedar Rapids Barnes & Noble best seller the week after the first anniversary of the floods.
"We didn’t even wait for the water to go down before we started to clean up," Stein said. "That’s what we do—it’s the Midwest way of life. Overall, [the floods] showed that whatever we are given, we can handle [it] without the government, without waiting for handouts. [The floods] showed that even when we are at our worst, we are at our best."