NBC News tops the list of winners of this year’s National Edward R. Murrow Awards, earning five awards, including the honor for overall excellence, the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) announced this week.
“CBS Evening News” received the award for network newscast. “60 Minutes” was honored in three categories, including hard news feature, feature reporting and investigative reporting.
In all, 51 news organizations are being honored with 79 awards for excellence in electronic journalism.
To earn an award in overall excellence, a station or network must consistently demonstrate depth and scope in its coverage. Overall excellence award winners this year include NBC News (network television); KIRO-TV, Seattle (television, large market); and KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (television, small market).
Awards for investigative reporting went to five news organizations whose work resulted in local and national policy changes. Three St. Louis-area stations earned Murrow Awards. Nickelodeon won its first ever Murrow Award for network news documentary.
News coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and their impact at home was the subject of several entries and garnered Murrows in a variety of categories. The Murrow for sports reporting went to ESPN for its story of how a soldier’s love of soccer created a lasting legacy. NBC News coverage of U.S. forces at the front in Afghanistan was honored for continuing coverage.
