Public Media Stations and Collaborations Top Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

May 31, 2022

Edward R. Murrow Awards

From wide-ranging coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic to local coverage of the California wildfires, the Surfside condominium collapse in Florida, and the historic winter storm that nearly took down the Texas power grid, public media stations rose to the top of the 2022 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. The honors, given by the Radio Television Digital News Association, recognize outstanding broadcast and digital journalism in 13 U.S. regions in 2021.

Public media dominated the radio categories, winning 275 out of 326, or 84%, of the U.S. radio awards given. Notably, 26 of these winners were produced by public radio collaborations, including the CPB-supported California Newsroom, Mountain West News Service and Gulf States Newsroom. In Region 9, public media won all 19 radio awards, with the Gulf States Newsroom and lead station WBHM claiming 14 of them.

Public television stations won 10 Regional Murrow Awards, led by Arizona Public Media with four.

“Public media is a trusted source of local news in many communities, and that trust is earned through the quality and integrity of the reporting. Winning these Regional Murrow Awards affirms the high standards of public media journalism and underscores its relevance to millions of Americans,” said Kathy Merritt, CPB senior vice president, journalism, radio and CSG services. “CPB is proud to support the work of these stations and journalism collaborations.”

Regional winners become finalists for the National Edward R. Murrow Awards, which will be announced this summer. Complete lists of winners are available at RTDNA.org.

Public media winners, by region:  

Region 1:

  • Small Market Television: Idaho Public Television, 1.
  • Large Market Radio: KUOW, 8; KNKX, 3; Oregon Public Broadcasting, 1; Northwest News Network, 1.
  • Small Market Radio: KLCC, 5; Boise State Public Radio, 2; Jefferson Public Radio, 1; KYUK, 1; Alaska Public Media, 1 (in partnership with Anchorage Daily News, Indian Country Today); Montana Public Radio, 1 (in partnership with University of Montana College of Business).

Region 2:

  • Large Market Television: KQED-TV, 1.
  • Large Market Radio: Southern California Public Radio, 3; KQED, 2; California Newsroom, 2; CapRadio, 1; Nevada Public Radio, 1; Mountain West News Service, 1.
  • Small Market Radio: KUNR, 4 (one in partnership with Washoe County School District & Report for America, and one in partnership with Noticiero Móvil); KAZU, 3; KVPR, 3; KCBX, 1; Northern California Public Media, 1; KCLU, 1.

Region 3:

  • Small Market Television: Arizona Public Media, 4.
  • Large Market Radio: Colorado Public Radio, 6; KJZZ, 4 (one in partnership with the Arizona Daily Star).
  • Small Market Radio: Wyoming Public Radio, 3; Arizona Public Radio/KNAU, 2; KUNC, 2: Arizona Public Media, 1; KHOL, 1.

Region 4:

  • Small Market Television: PBS Wisconsin, 1.
  • Large Market Radio: Wisconsin Public Radio, 4; WUWM, 3 (one in partnership with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee PBS and Milwaukee Public Library).
  • Small Market Radio: South Dakota Public Broadcasting, 6; WXPR, 2; Prairie Public, 1. 

Region 5:

  • Large Market Radio: KCUR, 7; St. Louis Public Radio, 3.  
  • Small Market Radio: KBIA, 7; Nebraska Public Media, 4; High Plains Public Radio, 3.

Region 6:

  • Large Market Radio: KUT, 5; KERA, 4; Texas Standard, 4 (including one in partnership with Texas Public Radio); Texas Public Radio, 2 (including one partnership with Houston Public Media).
  • Small Market Radio: Marfa Public Radio, 5; KTEP, 3.

Region 7:

  • Large Market Radio: WBEZ, 7; Michigan Radio, 3; WFYI, 2; Indiana Public Broadcasting, 1; Ideastream, 1.
  • Small Market Radio: WCMU, 3; Interlochen Public Radio, 2; WSKU, 2; WFIU, 2; Illinois Public Media, 1; WGLT, 1; WNIN, 1; WKAR, 1; WCBU, 1.

Region 8:

  • Large Market Radio: WFDD, 5; Nashville Public Radio, 4; North Carolina Public Radio, 3; West Virginia Public Broadcasting, 2 (including one collaboration with 100 Days in Appalachia); WFAE, 1.
  • Small Market Radio: WEKU, 3; Louisville Public Media, 2; WKMS, 1; WUKY, 1.

Region 9:

  • Large Market Radio: Gulf States Newsroom, 7 (in partnership with WBHM, MPB, WWNO, WRKF); WWNO, 1 (in partnership with WRKF Baton Rouge, the Gulf States Newsroom).
  • Small Market Radio: WBHM, 7; Mississippi Public Broadcasting, 2; Alabama Public Radio, 2 (both in partnership with UA Center for Public Television).

Region 10:

  • Large Market Radio: WGBH, 7; WBUR, 4; The Public’s Radio, 1.
  • Small Market Radio: Vermont Public Radio, 6 (including two with Vermont PBS); Maine Public Radio, 3; New Hampshire Public Radio, 3; WCAI, 2; New England Public Media, 1.

Region 11: Small Market Television: WXXI, 1.

  • Large Market Radio: WHYY, 4; WESA, 2; WXPN, 1.
  • Small Market Radio: North Country Public Radio, 6; WITF, 2; WAMC, 1; WXXI, 1.

Region 12:

  • Large Market Radio: WYPR, 3; WAMU, 2.
  • Small Market Radio: WVTF/Radio IQ, 6.

Region 13:

  • Small Market Television: WUFT-TV, 2.
  • Large Market Radio: WUSF, 6; WLRN, 5; Florida Public Media (in partnership with WLRN, WGCU, WFSU, WUSF, WMFE, WUCF, WPBT/WXEL, WJCT, WEDU, WUWF), 4.
  • Small Market Radio: WGCU, 3; WUFT-FM, 2; WFSU, 2.

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