J. Parker Ragland
Special to the Business Press
Two local broadcast teams have received honors named after pioneering broadcaster Edward R. Murrow. . Murrow was an American broadcast journalist who first became prominent for his radio news broadcasts during World War II and later became a notable TV news broadcaster. He would eventually win a Peabody as well as Grammy, among other awards. In honor of his career, Murrow Awards are presented for excellence in broadcast news. In the Large Market Television category, NBC 5/KXAS-TV has received their award for for “Driven to Distraction”–a series that would eventually lead to policy changes within the police department, as many crashes were caused by officers using mobile dashboard computers while driving. The NBC 5 Investigates Team sustained a nine-month-long investigation that revealed many startling incidents of crashes that were results of the misuse of these on-board computers. Such crashes occur at least two times every month in Texas. The story has received much national as well as local acclaim. “We strive daily to tell important stories to our viewers, so to receive national recognition for a job well done is reassuring,” stated Susan Tully, the vice president of news at NBC 5. “The fact that series had impact beyond North Texas is evidence of the quality of work NBC 5 Investigates is doing.” In the Large Market Radio category, KRLD Afternoon News was named the winner of the award for “Best Newscast.” Gavin Spittle, CBS RADIO Dallas-Fort Worth Vice President of News, Talk, and Sports, commented, “This is an amaing honor and a milestone in KRLD’s 87-year history.” Their news director, Paul Mann, went on to say that the experience is “truly humbling.” These awards will be presented formally at a gala on October 14 in New York City by The Radio Television Digital News Association. This organization remains the largest in the world devoted exclusively to electronic journalism.
