WCCO honored with four Regional Murrow Awards

WCCO radio news
Photo credit Entercom
WCCO has won 4 prestigious Regional Edward R. Murrow awards for 2019 including the coveted award for "Overall Excellence", the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced Tuesday. The other awards include:

  • Best Newscast (October 23rd, 2018)
  • Continuing Coverage- Minneapolis Super Bowl
  • News Documentary- "Safe at School: Twin Cities Students Speak Out on Guns" (in partnership with the Star Tribune Editorial Board)

Since 1971, RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards, according to the RTDNA. “Among the most prestigious in news, the Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community. Murrow Award winning work demonstrates the excellence that journalist Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession,” RTDNA says.  Murrow was a pioneer of radio and television broadcasting, first gaining prominence during WWII for CBS.  He went on to become a television star on the CBS Evening News with his editorial pieces and coverage of special events.  

"The hard work and dedication of our newsroom and entire programming staff is amazing.  I'm proud to be on this team and help to deliver stories that matter to listeners all across Minnesota every day.  It's great to be recognized by your peers and the Murrow Awards, especially the Overall Excellence Award, are a great indicator of the talented people who work at WCCO", Director of Content Lindsey Peterson said.

This is the second straight year WCCO has been honored to receive the Overall Excellence Award.  

Program Director John Hanson added, "It's a great honor and I congratulate all involved."

WCCO competes in Region 4 which includes all of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.  "With Minnesota and Wisconsin Public Radio, plus outstanding newsrooms in Milwaukee and Madison, it's always a great way to measure yourself," said Director of Content Lindsey Peterson.  "We're very proud of the news we deliver."

The WCCO Radio newsroom includes Steve Simpson, Adam Carter, Laura Oakes, Susie Jones, Al Schoch and Sloane Martin.  Edgar Linares contributed to the award-winning stories in 2018 before leaving WCCO in February of this year.  Other staff that contributed to these stories include Jordana Green, Dave Lee, Mike Max, Steve Thomson, Eric Nelson and Chad Hartman.  

Here is the full list of winners in Region 4 from the RTNDA.

Large Market Radio:

Excellence in SoundIs Everybody Ready? Barron County Trains Residents on How to Survive a Mass Shooting- Wisconsin Public Radio, Madison, WI

Feature ReportingAs He Loses His Sight, Journalist Known for Rich Detail Embraces New Chapter- Wisconsin Public Radio, Madison, WI

Hard NewsThe Power of the Prison Ministry- WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee, WI

Investigative ReportingMN Rep. Jim Knoblach Ends Campaign Ahead of MPR Abuse Allegations Story- Minnesota Public Radio, Saint Paul, MN

MultimediaElection 2018: #AskMPRnews- Minnesota Public Radio, Saint Paul, MN

News DocumentarySafe at School: Twin Cities High School Students Speak out on Guns- WCCO-AM and The Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN