Scripps wins six National Murrow Awards

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Oct 11, 2020, 16:30 ET

CINCINNATI, Oct. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For their deeply reported storytelling and impactful journalism, six stations owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) have earned prestigious 2020 National Edward R. Murrow Awards.

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced the honors Saturday evening during a virtual awards ceremony.

KMGH in Denver won "Overall Excellence" in the large-market television category for its investigations, breaking news, powerful Denver7 360 reporting and Denver7 Gives stories. "In a very crowded field with journalistic excellence, this news team excelled providing relevance, enterprise and extraordinary journalism," said the judges. "It is a news operation that should be looked at as an example for stations across the nation who are seeking to be a community leader in their respective markets." This is the second year in a row Denver7 has claimed the "Overall Excellence" honor in this category.

WTVR in Richmond, Virginia, won "Overall Excellence" in the small-market television category. Judges lauded CBS 6 for its "dedication to the craft." They added: "When does a small market television station feel like a major market broadcast news operation? It's demonstrated in the writing and reporting of daily news 24/7. Viewers watching this station simply can't tell the difference when watching this excellent team of journalists perform at the highest levels of broadcast excellence."

WFTS in Tampa, Florida, won in the large-market television category of "Continuing Coverage" for "Up in Flames: Investigating the cause of Kia and Hyundai fires." The station's coverage helped lead to vehicle recalls and a massive settlement for owners.

KNXV in Phoenix won the large-market television "Investigative Reporting" category for "Unlocked and Unsafe." The ABC15 Investigators exposed leaked surveillance videos and documents from inside Arizona's Lewis Prison.

WEWS in Cleveland won in the large-market television category of "Excellence in Sound" for "A Legacy of Honor." The piece examines a long-standing tradition surrounding the units of men and women who perform military honors at soldier funerals and the motivations, purpose and future of one unit as more veterans pass away each day.

KTVQ in Billings, Montana, won in the small-market "Feature Reporting" category for "J.R. Vezain: The Will to Walk," which details the gripping recovery of Montana cowboy J.R. Vezain, who suffered two broken vertebrae and paralyzation after his body was crushed by the rodeo horse he was riding.

"From investigations that held the powerful accountable and demanded solutions to stories that examined the lesser-explored pieces of our world and brought forth important perspectives, the stories recognized by this year's National Murrow Awards are a powerful reminder of journalism's role in our society," said Brian Lawlor, Scripps' president of Local Media. "We are incredibly proud of our winning news teams and their dedication to producing objective, relevant journalism that gives light to the most important issues of our time and improves the lives of those we serve every day."

About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) advances understanding of the world through journalism. As the nation's fourth-largest independent TV station owner, Scripps operates 60 television stations in 42 markets. Scripps empowers the next generation of news consumers with its multiplatform news network Newsy and reaches growing audiences through broadcast networks including Bounce and Court TV. Shaping the future of storytelling through digital audio, Scripps owns top podcast company Stitcher and Triton, the global leader in technology and measurement services. Scripps runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company