Graham Media Group's stations KSAT-San Antonio, WDIV-Detroit, WKMG-Orlando, and WSLS-Roanoke have been honored in their regions with the prestigious 2024 Edward R. Murrow Awards by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).
Since 1971, the RTDNA has celebrated excellence in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards, reflecting the high standards of journalism exemplified by Edward R. Murrow. These awards honor his legacy of integrity and dedication to the truth.
KSAT-TV in San Antonio, Texas, received recognition for its comprehensive digital coverage of the tragic events in Uvalde. The RTDNA revealed the Region 6 honorees, highlighting outstanding achievements in electronic journalism from Oklahoma and Texas. This honor propels KSAT-TV into the national competition, with winners to be announced in August.
"Our Uvalde coverage, titled 'One Year In: Uvalde,' was driven by a commitment to honor the 19 students and 2 teachers whose lives were taken too soon,” stated Ashlee Parker, Vice President, and General Manager at KSAT-TV. “Our work is dedicated to their memory, and we remain steadfast in our mission to support and uplift the victims, their families, and the entire Uvalde community.”
WDIV-TV in Detroit, Michigan, was honored in the News Documentary category for its coverage titled “Does Line 5 Threaten Great Lakes?” This documentary explores the potential risks posed by Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 pipeline, which runs under the Straits of Mackinac. Concerns focus on the possibility of a catastrophic oil spill in the Great Lakes, with severe environmental and economic impacts. The 70-year-old pipeline has sparked controversy, legal battles, and public outcry, highlighting the ongoing debate over its safety and the measures needed to protect the Great Lakes.
“Congratulations to Karen Drew, Marianne Krist, Justin DePrekel, Ben Bell, and Hans Ihlenfeldt for their outstanding work on a critical topic in our state,” stated Jennifer Wallace, News Director at WDIV. “Winning the Murrow Award is an extraordinary honor, as it represents the pinnacle of journalistic achievement. This award underscores the importance of journalism as a service, and we strive to be the genuine local voice that passionately informs and celebrates our communities. A huge congratulations to this team for their dedication, hard work, and innovative ideas that made this impactful body of work truly stand out.”
WKMG-TV in Orlando earned two Murrow Awards in Region 13. The first, for Excellence in Innovation, recognizes the transformation of its streaming service, News 6+, particularly the morning-time period with three new livestream shows. "Trooper Steve on Patrol," hosted by traffic safety expert Steven Montiero, addresses problem areas submitted by viewers and answers questions about road safety. Montiero also participates in community events. "Breakfast with Bridgett," hosted by morning anchor Bridgett Ellison, provides a lively take on daily headlines, sitting down with local leaders and guests to discuss significant community topics. "Weather Wise," with meteorologist Jonathan Kegges, offers in-depth discussions on weather phenomena and real-time, hyper-local weather information.
"We strive every day to transform and innovate in the way we produce and present news to our community," said Jeff Hoffman, Vice President, and General Manager of WKMG-TV. WKMG also received the Best Podcast award for “Your Florida Daily,” hosted by Katrina Scales.
WSLS-TV in Roanoke, VA, won four awards in Region 12. These include Feature Reporting for an episode of John Carlin’s Outdoors titled “Kinzie Dickman Takes Adaptive Skiing to a New Level,” which highlights a woman regaining her ability to ski after a car accident. The station also received the Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award for the 2023 Black History Month special, Hidden History, narrated by former and current WSLS 10 anchors. In the Hard News category, WSLS-TV was recognized for a piece on Blaine Sirry, a Roanoke woman who survived a violent attack and shared her story as a warning to others.
Additionally, WSLS won the Excellence in Innovation award for the Solutionaries segments by 10 News Anchor Jenna Zibton and Photojournalist Jeff Perzan, featuring stories on a body farm at George Mason University, initiatives to keep children safe online, and improvements to infrastructure on Interstate 81.
The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), the world’s largest professional organization devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism excellence.
For links and a complete list of winners, click or tap here.