BOSTON (May 12, 2020) – Recognizing its depth of work in local journalism, WGBH News has been awarded five 2020 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards including one for Overall Excellence, reflecting the breadth and scope of the local news operation’s radio and digital coverage.

Awarded by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), the Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards pay tribute to important and high-impact local journalism and are among the most prestigious awards in the news industry. Regional winners automatically advance to the national Edward R. Murrow Awards, which are judged in June.

“We strive to be a reliable source for trusted news and information on multiple platforms—with an intense focus on Boston and Massachusetts as well as the wider world,” said Phil Redo General Manager for Radio and Local News at WGBH. “Our priority is to deliver high-impact stories that help our audiences better understand the issues affecting their communities and themselves. We are truly honored to be recognized with these Murrow awards—and particularly the Overall Excellence award — which demonstrates the full capacity of our newsroom and our commitment to producing high-quality news for our audiences across the state.”

In addition to the award for Overall Excellence, WGBH News was honored with Murrow awards in the following categories:

● For the second year in a row, WGBH News was honored for its web presence in the Multimedia category, showcasing stories that include “ The Long Journey North: The Forgotten Story Of The Reverse Freedom Rides Of 1962,” “ Missing at the Mic: Why are Boston’s Latino parents underrepresented in school decisions?” and “ The Big Squeeze,” a series on the affordable housing crisis in Massachusetts.

● Digital Managing Editor Laura Colarusso and Senior Digital Producer Emily Judem were honored in the Innovation category for their story “ The Original Old Boys Club,” which found Massachusetts lagging when it comes to electing women to political offices. Colarusso and Judem spent a year compiling and analyzing exclusive data breaking down the gender makeup of municipal leaders across the Commonwealth.

● Reporter Gabrielle Emanuel was honored in the category of Feature Reporting for “ How Making History Unmade a Family,” sharing the intimate story of Hillary and Julie Goodridge, whose landmark case Goodridge v. Department of Public Health made them the face of the same-sex marriage movement while taking a toll on their relationship.

● Emanuel was also recognized in the Hard News category for “ State Officials Warn Infants, Pregnant And Breastfeeding Women To Avoid Some Bottled Water Brands.” The report detailed high levels of the chemical PFAS in bottled water being sold by Spring Hill Farm Dairy in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

About WGBH News
WGBH News is among the fastest-growing local news providers in greater Boston and draws on the talent of a multi-platform newsroom that includes 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR, television and digital reporting. The WGBH newsroom continues to invest in substantive local coverage and has established dedicated desks for higher education, politics, innovation, and investigations as well as unique partnerships to expand on that commitment, including with WNYC’s The Takeaway, The World from PRX and The GroundTruth Project. WGBH News partners with WCAI, the Cape, Coast and Islands NPR station and New England Public Media in Western, Massachusetts to connect the Commonwealth with trusted journalism. WGBH News also maintains bureaus at the Massachusetts State House and in Dorchester, Boston’s largest neighborhood. A Worcester bureau will open in Summer 2020.

About WGBH
WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur and more than a dozen other primetime, lifestyle and children’s series. WGBH’s television channels include WGBH 2, WGBX 44, and the digital channels WORLD and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region’s diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black and High School Quiz Show®. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR®; 99.5 WCRB Classical Radio Boston; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of digital content and programs for public radio through PRX, including The World and Innovation Hub, a leader in educational multimedia with PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content, and a pioneer in services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org.
###