CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia MetroNews/WCHS Radio has won its fourth National Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Directors Association since 2007, RTDNA announced Tuesday.
The Morning News from Feb. 22, 2018 was chosen as best newscast of the year in the Small Market Radio division. The broadcast focused on the beginning of the historic West Virginia teachers strike. The broadcast was co-anchored by Chris Lawrence and Shauna Johnson.
RTDNA announced 122 winners from 100 radio, television and digital news organizations in 16 categories. There were originally 4,600 entries. MetroNews/WCHS won three regional Murrow Awards in April. National Murrow winners are chosen from regional winners in various categories.
“In an era where news is called fake on a daily basis and personal opinion passes for news, we remain committed to fair, honest, well-researched, balanced and accurate news and the recognition for our peers is a punctuation point. We are very protective and proud of that,” West Virginia Radio Corporation President and CEO Dale Miller said,
Tuesday’s announcement marked the fourth National Murrow Award the MetroNews/WCHS news team has earned in the last 12 years. National Murrows also came to the organization in 2007, 2011 and 2017.
“The RTDNA National Edward R. Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that uphold our Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community,” RTDNA Executive Director Dan Shelley said. “Winning a Murrow Award means that a news organization has provided exemplary public service to its viewers, listeners and readers.”
The national awards will be presented Oct.14 in a ceremony in New York City.
MetroNews/WCHS has won 30 Regional Murrow Awards since 2002.