WABE 90.1 Wins Four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

WABE reporters earn Best Newscast and Excellence in Writing, Feature Reporting, & Hard News Reporting nods in the 50th Edward R. Murrow Awards

ATLANTA (5/6/2021)— Atlanta’s award-winning NPR station WABE (90.1 FM) today announced it won four regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for reporting, storytelling, and journalistic excellence in a large media market in the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA)’s annual journalism competition.

WABE News won for Best Newscast for its evening broadcast, currently airing at 7:30 p.m. and anchored by Jim Burress. Lily Oppenheimer produces the show, and Pat St. Claire is its editor.

WABE Senior Environment Reporter Molly Samuel won the Excellence in Writing award for “With Big New Park, Atlanta Protects A Forest With A Long History,” which focused on a southeast Atlanta community’s push to develop a large-scale green space in its neighborhood. Samuel also earned Excellence in Feature Reporting for “Amid Debates About Memorials, Advocates Push To Remember Atlanta’s Forced Laborers,” the story of the controversy around the proposed development of the Chattahoochee Brick Factory.

Lily Oppenheimer also won Excellence in Hard News Reporting for her work, “A Weekend Of Outrage, Atlanta’s Police Department Shaken Over Shooting Death Of Rayshard Brooks,” a report on the Atlanta protests in reaction to the fatal police-involved shooting of Rayshard Brooks.

“These wins are exciting and are truly deserved by the incredible journalists at WABE,” said Alex Helmick, WABE’s managing editor. “We will continue to cover metro Atlanta and provide news with context to our wonderful community.“

Among the most prestigious in news, the Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that uphold the RTDNA’s Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise, and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community. WABE won in a field that included news outlets in Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The talent and commitment of our newsroom reporters are why Atlantans who want trusted, inclusive information turn to WABE 90.1,” said Jennifer Dorian, CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta, which operates WABE and ATL PBA (PBS 30). “They are vital to our community, and I am so happy to see their work honored.”