RTNDA Awards Eight National Edward R. Murrow Awards to Gray Media Stations, InvestigateTV
August 20 2024 - 8:00AM
Gray Media (“Gray”) (NYSE: GTN) announced today that the Radio
Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) awarded eight National
Edward R. Murrow awards for excellence in journalism to five local
stations and Gray’s national investigative unit, InvestigateTV.
- The national award for Overall Excellence in
the small market category went to WRDW in Augusta,
Georgia.
- Gray earned two national awards for Hard News
reporting. At the national network level,
InvestigateTV, in partnership with ProPublica, was
honored for an investigative series called “Railroaded,” which
exposed the dangers created by trains stalled on railroad crossings
nationwide. The large market local station award went
to WANF in Atlanta, Georgia, for a report called
“Shoot the Hostage,” which revealed how law enforcement may be
allowed to shoot a hostage without facing liability.
- Gray also earned two national awards for Investigative
Reporting. WANF Atlanta was again awarded
in the large market local station category for “In ‘Plane’ Sight,”
an undercover investigation of Drug Enforcement Task Force Agents
searching innocent passengers at airport gates, looking for cash
and keeping the money they seized. The small market
local station award went to WSAZ in Charleston-Huntington,
West Virginia, for “The Secret Next Door”—the surprise
construction of a home for the criminally ill in a residential
neighborhood.
- WAFB in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, won the
national award for News Series in the small market
category. “The Brave Cave” exposed an unauthorized
interrogation facility used by local police.
- The national Podcast award in the large market
category was earned by WSMV in Nashville,
Tennessee, for “Monster Coming Out,” an investigation of a
long-haul truck driver suspected of being a serial killer.
- WANF Atlanta picked up a third national award
in the large market category for its Digital/Online
Coverage, “Shielded”—a four-part investigative series into
special treatment for police officers suspected of committing
violence against their own families.
“We are honored by these awards and proud of the recognized news
teams who exemplify our company’s culture of excellence and
commitment to the viewers we serve,” said Gray Chairman and CEO
Hilton H. Howell Jr.
“At Gray, we create content that makes an impact and celebrate
journalism that makes a difference in our communities,” Gray’s
Chief Operating Officer Sandy Breland said.
“Congratulations to all of our honored newsrooms.”
In May, RTDNA awarded a combined 78 2024 Regional Edward R.
Murrow awards for excellence in journalism to 35 of Gray’s local
stations. RTDNA has been honoring outstanding
achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow
Awards since 1971.
About Gray Media:
Gray Media, or Gray, is a multimedia company headquartered in
Atlanta, Georgia, formally known as Gray Television, Inc. The
company is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television
stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that
collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television
households. The portfolio includes 77 markets with the top-rated
television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second
highest rated television station, as well as the largest Telemundo
Affiliate group with 43 markets totaling nearly 1.5 million
Hispanic TV Households. The company also owns Gray Digital
Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local
clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital
products and services. Gray’s additional media properties
include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media
Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities
Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. Gray owns a majority
interest in Swirl Films. For more information, please visit
www.graymedia.com.
Gray Contact:
Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President, Chief
Operating Officer, 404-266-8333