CapRadio won the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Digital in the Large Market Radio category. It was also part of the California Newsroom collaboration that won Investigative Reporting and Continuing Coverage awards.
Sacramento, CA - May 17, 2022: On Wednesday, May 11, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced that Capital Public Radio (CapRadio) is the recipient of a Regional 2022 Edward R. Murrow Award for Digital in the Large Market Radio category. The Edward R. Murrow Awards recognize the best journalism produced by radio, television and digital news organizations around the world.
CapRadio was honored in this year’s Digital category for its overall digital presence and coverage of the people, policies and events that shaped 2021. During another tumultuous year that included the ongoing pandemic, a devastating wildfire season and a historic recall election, CapRadio prioritized its digital efforts on providing audiences with information and resources to navigate life with confidence.
“With our audience-focused digital strategy, we’re constantly evaluating how to provide information to our communities in the most relevant and accessible ways,” said Chris Hagan, managing editor of digital content at CapRadio. “The Digital Content team did a phenomenal job of listening to our audiences and identifying those opportunities, working cross-functionally with the talented staff across departments to deliver this content. I’m honored that we were recognized with this award for the second year in a row.”
CapRadio’s digital award was based on major reporting initiatives that revolved around the COVID-19 pandemic, California wildfires, the 2021 California recall election and a reporting project about sexual assault in Sacramento, including:
COVID-19 Pandemic
Early on, the Digital Content team identified issues with the state's vaccine rollout. They worked to gather timely, accurate information, first about eligibility and then access, collecting hundreds of questions from the public about vaccines that were used to shape a guide on how to get a COVID-19 vaccine in California. To mark one year since the state's stay-at-home order, the team spent a day answering questions from the public, emailing dozens of people and helping schedule appointments.
California Recall Election
The pandemic also fueled a recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom. With the last gubernatorial recall in 2003, the Digital Content team put together a guide explaining the process. The guide offered a single destination for audiences to find recall information, and was featured on the NPR.org homepage and shared widely on social media. Additionally, they collaborated with the Marketing team to develop a misinformation video and ballot guide for social platforms.
California Wildfires
Once again, wildfires were a major issue in California last year. The Digital Content team started a single page where people could find official information. They also created a similar resource for the Caldor Fire, the historic blaze that threatened Lake Tahoe, so residents could track evacuations and find Cal Fire briefings. Visual Journalist Andrew Nixon spent more than a month driving through Northern California to document the fires and their effects. His photos were also featured on the NPR Instagram page and its photos of the year story.
Sexual Assault in Sacramento
Even through breaking news and historic events, many intractable issues still needed attention. One that CapRadio focused on in 2021 was sexual assault and how survivors can seek healing after trauma. As part of CapRadio's After the Assault podcast, the Digital Content and Digital Products teams put together an interactive guide to reporting sexual assault in Sacramento County, not just the steps to take but what to expect throughout the process. The guide was driven by feedback from a cohort of survivors working with the Podcast team.
In addition to the digital award, CapRadio was part of the California Newsroom collaboration that won an Investigative Reporting award for the Dangerous Air story, which dives into the adverse health effects caused by wildfires, and a Continuing Coverage award for Bankrupt, which investigates wildfire survivors and their ongoing struggle to receive restitution from PG&E.
The Regional Murrow Award winners are now under consideration for the National Murrow Award competition. A complete list of Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards winners can be found at rtdna.org.
About CapRadio
CapRadio serves California’s Capital Region, Central Valley and Sierra Nevada as the public-supported alternative to for-profit media. As the NPR Member station based in Sacramento, CapRadio connects with communities through seven broadcast stations, live streaming, podcasts, digital communities, live experiences and more. Known for its award-winning newsroom, CapRadio is recognized as a leader in community-engaged journalism and state government reporting, and CapRadio Music is the exclusive broadcast source of classical and jazz in the region. With more than 500,000 weekly listeners on-air and online, CapRadio provides a trusted and indispensable source of information, music and events.
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CONTACT:
Chris Bruno
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