The Dirk Koning – George Stoney Award for Humanistic Communication

Vermont Access Network 


Vermont Access Network continues to bolster and support access media across Vermont by building a vision for the future of the field and procuring resources for their communities.

In the last ten years, VAN has successfully advocated before the state's Public Utility Commission to preserve funding streams and gain equitable access to digital technologies from Charter and Comcast. VAN has also negotiated a statewide HD channel to showcase Vermont issues.

VAN has worked with the Vermont Legislature since 2019 to obtain state funding in light of declining cable revenue. Over the past six years, VAN, working with Action Circles, has walked a steady advocacy path that including a state study on the future of community media funding, recognition as an "essential service" during the COVID epidemic, $2.4 million in one-time funding and ongoing financial support for all access management organizations in the State.

Through their work and collaboration, Vermont Access Network moved initiatives forward to help all Vermonters access information that they need, a model to be shared with other states around the US.

Previous Winners

2025 - Vermont Access Network 
2024 - Raquel Quezada, Cambiando el Mundo de Personas con Discapacidad  
2023 - Chad Johnston, CreaTV
2022 - Maine Community Media Association
2021 - Peter Albert Williams, Northampton Open Media
2020 - Alan Bushong
2019 - Open Media Foundation
2018 - Curtis Henderson, Jr.
2017 - jesikah maria ross, Capital Public Radio
2016 – Ed Markey, U.S. Senate
2015 – Adrianne Furniss, Benton Foundation
2014 – Suzanne St. John-Crane, CreaTV San Jose
2013 – David C. Olson
2012 – Prometheus Radio Project
2011 – Susan Fleischmann, CCTV
2010 – Barbara Popovic
2009 – Randy VanDalsen
2008 – Margie Nicholson
2007 – Lauren-Glenn Davitian
2006 – Sam Behrend
2005 – Reclaim the Media, and Fred Cohn
2004 – Homer Baldwin, WCTV, Wadsworth, OH
Amy Goodman, “Democracy Now!”
2003 – Wanda Baer
2002 – The City of McMinnville, Oregon
2001 – The City of Brunswick, Ohio and Brunswick Township, Ohio
2000 – Dirk Koning, Grand Rapids (MI) Community Media Center
1999 – Sheriff B.J. Barnes
1998 – Anthony Riddle and Paula Manley
1997 – Eric Barnou
1996 – Shea & Gardner
1995 – Tremeleau County Cable Commission
1994 – Alan Dachman
1993 – Joe Van Eaton and Bob Devine
1992 – Herb Schiller
1991 – Dee Dee Halleck
1990 – The Benton Foundation
1989 – Alternative views, Austin, TX
1988 – Michael Myerson
1987 – Tom Borrup
1986 – Eugene Shirk, Mayor of Reading, PA
1985 – Nicholas Johnson
1984 – Roxie Cole
1983 – Diana Peck
1982 – Reverend Everett Parker
1981 – Jean Rice
1980 – Sue Miller Buske