October 2020
Florida Farm Bureau has recognized Tom Flanigan of WFSU Public Media in Tallahassee as the 2020 Newsperson of the Year.
Flanigan received this honor for his superior news coverage of Florida’s farm families and production agriculture.
Flanigan hosts a live listener call-in show, “Perspectives,” where he discusses pertinent community issues including several agricultural topics such as beekeeping, cattle and the farmers’ role in food bank donations.
Flanigan was nominated by Leon County Farm Bureau president, Sharon Spratt. “Mr. Flanigan’s support of Florida agriculture is invaluable to the agricultural community and the mission of the Florida Farm Bureau as the voice of agriculture,” said Spratt.
Flanigan is the program director for news at WFSU. He joined the radio side of the operation as a state government reporter in 2006. He now assists the newsroom staff, not only as a reporter himself, but also by sharing his many contacts and experiences to assist other reporters in their work. His journalism career included commercial radio news departments at stations in Maryland, Texas and Florida.
Flanigan and his wife Betty live in Tallahassee.