Blue Ridge Public Radio has been honored with two national Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), one of the most prestigious recognitions in broadcast and digital journalism.
- Small Market Radio – Overall Excellence: Hell or Highwater: BPR's Hurricane Helene coverage by BPR staff
- Large Market Radio – Investigative Reporting: Sold on a Promise, a collaborative investigation by BPR, WFDD, and CityView
The Murrow Awards are the embodiment of the values, principles, and standards set forth by Edward R. Murrow, a journalism pioneer who defined the highest quality of broadcast journalism.
Murrow Award–winning stories put public interest above all else and provide a catalyst for public discussion. Of the awards given to journalists, the Murrow Awards are among the most respected in the world.
"This is truly a huge honor for BPR. It reflects the dedication of our journalists to telling meaningful, impactful stories that are relevant to people in Western North Carolina. I couldn't be happier for the newsroom and the station," said Shula Neuman, Interim News Director for BPR.
The Overall Excellence award for BPR's Hurricane Helene coverage recognizes the comprehensive, multi-platform coverage BPR delivered before, during and after Hurricane Helene — coverage that kept Western North Carolina informed and connected through breaking news, investigative reporting, social media, photography and community resources.
The Investigative Reporting award for Sold on a Promise honors a collaborative investigation into failed housing partnerships intended for unhoused people across North Carolina, revealing how taxpayer money was spent and promises were left unfulfilled.
This national recognition follows an extraordinary year for BPR, which has also earned:
- Best in Show at the Green Eyeshade Awards for Helene coverage, plus nine additional Green Eyeshade wins
- Four regional Murrow Awards, including Overall Excellence and Investigative Reporting
- Second place nationally in the Public Media Journalists Association’s Audience Engagement category
- The inaugural Public Media New Voices Award for BPR’s Rural Communities Reporter Gerard Albert III
Since their inception in 1971, the Murrow Awards have honored news organizations that demonstrate the spirit of excellence Murrow set as a standard for the profession.
