The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has awarded KVPR’s newsroom three 2023 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. The competition involves all radio and television stations in California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam. KVPR’s winning entries now go on to the National Murrow Award competition.
KVPR’s winning reports include “Health and Healing for Cambodian Survivors,” a multi-part series from reporter Soreath Hok that explores the issue of mental health for survivors of the Cambodian genocide. Hok helped KVPR win the station's first-ever National Murrow Award last year.
Other 2023 Regional Murrow Awards for KVPR include “A Central Valley Town Wants to Turn Its Only Library into a Police Station,” a story by KVPR’s Kern County reporter Joshua Yeager about McFarland, and “Farmworkers in California Push for New Voting Rights” a series of stories by Esther Quintanilla about legislation that would change farm labor union election rules.
KVPR’s awards are in the categories of Excellence in Innovation, Hard News, and Continuing Coverage, respectively. All of KVPR’s awards are in the small market radio division.
“These awards reflect the dynamic coverage that KVPR provides to audiences in Central California, and they also demonstrate the continued deep commitment by the news staff to tell stories that make a difference in this region,” said KVPR News Director Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado. “Through this type of storytelling and reporting, KVPR news staff aims to establish a better understanding of the place we call home. I am proud that their efforts are recognized and appreciated.”
KVPR President and General Manager Joe Moore says the recognition is a great honor for the station. “This is the fifth year in a row KVPR has been honored with at least one Regional Murrow Award. It’s exciting to see that the RTDNA recognizes the same excellence that our audience hears when they listen to KVPR on a daily basis. We’re excited to bring this type of coverage to the San Joaquin Valley,” said Moore.
The RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of broadcast and digital journalism. Murrow Awards are presented to news organizations, not individuals (except in the student categories). All awards are presented based on the specific body of work submitted. Regional Murrow Awards are presented to small and large radio, television and digital outlets based on 14 geographic regions. Regional winners are automatically considered for a National award. Network competitors are judged at the national level.