Michigan Radio has been recognized with three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in the Large Market Radio category. The station won awards in the News Documentary, Podcast and Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion categories. The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) to honor outstanding achievements in electronic journalism.
The winning entries from Michigan Radio are as follows:
In the News Documentary category, the award went to Michigan Radio’s Kate Wells for Nine days in a Michigan abortion clinic, as election looms. The story aired last October, two weeks before the election in which voters were asked to decide whether to guarantee access to reproductive freedom in the Michigan state constitution. For this story, Michigan Radio reporter Kate Wells spent several days in a Michigan abortion clinic, speaking with women about what led them there. In addition to reporter Kate Wells, other Michigan Radio staff named as contributors to this story were Sarah Hulett, Lindsey Smith, Laura Weber-Davis, Mercedes Mejia and Paulette Parker.
Michigan Radio’s Collision Course, a special Stateside series reported and produced by Tracy Samilton, Rachel Ishikawa and the Stateside staff, won the in the Podcast category. It is about the reforms of Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law and how it’s upending the lives of thousands of people, including Red Wings hockey legend Vladimir Konstantinov.
In the Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category, the award went to Michigan Radio’s Stateside program for their work on Malcolm X was from Michigan. The show explored Malcom X’s family history and polarizing legacy in the struggle for Black empowerment. Stateside staff members include host April Baer, Executive Producer Laura Weber Davis, Director and Producer Mercedes Mejia and producers April Van Buren, Erin Allen, and Mike Blank.
Regional winners of the Murrow Awards advance to the National Edward R. Murrow Awards competition, which will be judged in August. A complete list of the 2023 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards winners can be found here.
Michigan Radio competes in Region 7 in the Large Market Radio category, which consists of public and commercial radio stations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
The Radio Television Digital News Association is the world's largest professional organization devoted exclusively to electronic journalism. RTDNA has been honoring excellence in journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971, and the Edward R. Murrow Awards are among the most respected journalism awards in the world.
