Public Radio International® and sixteen public radio stations honored with National RTDNA Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting

MINNEAPOLIS, June 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Radio-Television-Digital News Association (RTDNA) awarded its national Edward R. Murrow Award for Network Radio Investigative Reporting to Public Radio International (PRI) and sixteen public radio station partners for their State Integrity Investigation coverage (http://rtdna.org/content/2013_national_edward_r_murrow_award_winners).  The reporting examined the laws and practices that reduce or increase the risk of state government corruption.

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PRI, with partners the Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity, ranked and graded every state on 330 different indicators of government integrity across 14 categories, from lobbying regulation to redistricting and public access to records.  Public Radio stations used that information to explore the history and risks of corruption in their state governments in a series of radio and digital stories. In addition, PRI supported the stations with a social media campaign and a national project website. 

Sixteen public radio stations partnered with PRI in this two-year, $1.5 million investigation:  New York Public Radio; KPCC/Los Angeles; KERA/Dallas; WHYY/Philadelphia; WAMU/Washington, D.C.; WGBH/Boston; WBUR/ Boston; WLRN/ Miami; KUOW/ Seattle; WCFR/ Denver; Oregon Public Broadcasting; WFAE/Charlotte; WVXU/ Cincinnati; KCUR/ Kansas City; KUT /Austin; and New Hampshire Public Radio. These stations aired more than 90 stories, talk show discussions, and town-hall forums. This unique partnership enabled local stations to treat the Investigation not as a "one-day" news story, but as a resource to add context to their political and governmental coverage throughout 2012. 

The State Integrity Investigation has led to reforms in six states so far, with reforms proposed in another ten.  Public radio coverage of the Investigation reached an audience of more than a million listeners. 

About PRI:
For almost 30 years, Americans have identified PRI as the source of news, information and cultural insights essential to understanding our interconnected world. On almost 900 radio stations across the U.S. and on digital platforms that reach millions around the world, PRI continues to innovate in sharing powerful stories, connecting people and cultures around the globe, and helping people affect positive change in their lives and the world.

Through relationships with trusted news leaders like the BBC, the CBC, the New York Times and others, PRI brings new voices, global journalism and cultural perspectives to the American public. PRI produced and distributed radio shows include "PRI's The World®," "Q with Jian Ghomeshi," "Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen," "The Takeaway," "Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?," "The Tavis Smiley Show," and "This American Life." Content from these shows is available on public radio stations, websites, mobile phones and tablet devices, and via podcasts and streaming. PRI helps people understand their place in the world and make informed decisions every day by enabling them to "hear a different voice™." More at pri.org.

About the State Integrity Investigation:
The State Integrity Investigation was a two-year partnership of three non-partisan, non-profit organizations -- Public Radio International, the Center for Public Integrity, and Global Integrity. Employing experienced journalists in each state capital, the Investigation graded and ranked states on 330 metrics of government transparency, accountability and susceptibility to corruption.  No state earned an "A" grade, while eight states earned "F's."  Major funding was provided by the Omidyar Network and the Rita Allen Foundation, with additional support from the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Wyncote Foundation.

CONTACT: Julia Yager, PRI, 612.330.9231, [email protected]

SOURCE Public Radio International

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