CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia MetroNews, which covers the state on radio and online, has won three Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards.
The award is sponsored by the Radio Television Digital News Association. MetroNews competes in Region 8, which includes West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The winning entries now will be considered for national honors.
“Local news has always been important to our company,” said Jeff Jenkins, vice president for news at West Virginia Radio Corporation. “We can’t do this unless the company is committed to covering news.
“It’s important to us to serve and inform West Virginia. Our top-notch team is very deserving of this honor.”
Much of the MetroNews coverage that was honored focused on the historic 2018 West Virginia teachers strike, which emptied schools and flooded the Capitol for more than a week. The strike tipped off a wave of similar actions across the country.
West Virginia MetroNews won first place awards for
-
- multimedia submissions that included the teachers strike and other big news stories such as the impeachment of the state Supreme Court. This category is meant to demonstrate the news organization makes the most of online technologies to inform and educate the public and enhance public debate about important daily issues.
- “The Morning News,” which was honored with “Best Newscast.” The three-hour daily news broadcast is hosted by Shauna Johnson and Chris Lawrence
- and for continuing coverage of the teachers strike. This category demonstrates ongoing coverage of a major developing story over an extended period of time.
West Virginia MetroNews has won 26 Regional Murrow Awards since 2002 and 3 National Murrow Awards in 2007, 2011 and 2017.
Leaders of the Radio Television Digital News Association said the awards demonstrate commitment to informing the public.
“Public trust in journalism is threatened by a lack of understanding about the reporting process,” stated RTDNA Chairman Jerry Walsh.
“The Edward R. Murrow Awards are an opportunity for our industry to showcase what well trained, ethical local journalists are doing to better our communities on behalf of the public. We invite viewers and readers to learn more about the reporting process behind each of these stories, and to know this same process is happening every single day in preparation for every single newscast.”