KLCC Announcements

KLCC Wins a Record Five Prestigious Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards From RTDNA

KLCC | By Rachael McDonald

Published May 6, 2021 at 10:28 AM PDT

KLCC News has been recognized with five 2021 Regional Edward R. MurrowAwards by the Radio Television Digital News Association. This is the most KLCC has ever received in this competition.

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 electronic journalism.

For the third consecutive year, KLCC received the Regional Murrow Award for Overall Excellence. The entry included a newscast by Love Cross and reporting by Chris Lehman, Brian Bull, Tiffany Eckert, Elizabeth Gabriel, Melorie Begay, and Rachael McDonald.

For the Overall Excellence Award, KLCC submitted a compilation of news reports, newscasts and features from 2020.

Also, for a third time, KLCC won the Regional Murrow Award for Excellence in Writing for submissions by Brian Bull. For this entry, Brian submitted three stories: The Big Bang in Oregon that Still Whales to this Day, 50 Years Later ,New Wave of Social Justice finds Black and Indigenous Activists United, and Ballet Fantastique Gives Famed Colonial Ghost Story the Virtual Treatment.

KLCC also won the Regional Murrow Award for Excellence in Sound for Volunteers Scoured Lane County For Homeless Residents Here’s What They Found, by Elizabeth Gabriel.

And KLCC won the Regional Murrow Award for Local Restaurateurs Expand and & Launch Despite Pandemic, by Melorie Begay.

For her story on local restauranteurs, Melorie profiled several businesses, including the food truck MBOSQ, which opened in west Eugene in 2020, despite the pandemic.

KLCC also won for Excellence in Video for Caesar the No Drama Llama Takes Edge Off Volatile 2020, by Brian Bull.

KLCC is judged in the Small Market Radio Region 1, which includes Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. “KLCC reporters and anchors have demonstrated an amazing ability to bring intelligence and humanity to the confusion of a pandemic, social division, economic uncertainty and breaking news. We’re proud of each of them for their professionalism and dedication,” said KLCC General Manager Jim Rondeau. “It’s the fulfillment of a two-way partnership between our KLCC team and the listener-members who power our local news coverage.”

“The KLCC news team has accomplished great things this year, despite so many challenges,” said KLCC News Director Rachael McDonald. “I’m so proud of the commitment to public service journalism at KLCC. And I’m grateful for the listener support that makes it possible.”

Regional winners automatically move on to the national round of consideration, which also includes digital news organization, network and student competitors.