1997 Edward R. Murrow Awards (Radio Television Digital News Association)

The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (formerly the Radio-Television News Directors Association) in recognition of what the Association terms "outstanding achievements in electronic journalism." Regional winners of the award are entered into a pool of nominees for the national awards. Below are the 1997 national and regional award winners, which recognizes coverage that aired during the previous 1996 calendar year.

Categories that are not listed either had no entrants or no entries that were deemed worthy of the award. For regional awards, it is worth noting the states included in each region have changed through the years. The lists below indicate which states are included in each region for the 1997 awards. The category currently called Breaking News was called "Spot News Coverage" in 1997, so the lists below have been edited to read Breaking/Spot News to avoid any confusion.

1997 National Edward R. Murrow Award Winners

Local Radio Small Market Division

Overall Excellence: WHO-AM, Des Moines, IA
Newscast: WIVK-AM, Knoxville, TN
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KFGO-AM, Fargo, ND
Continuing Coverage: WSYR-AM, Syracuse, NY
Investigative Reporting: WIVK-AM, Knoxville, TN
Sports Reporting: WJDX/WMSI-FM, Jackson, MS
News Series: WHAS-AM, Louisville, KY
News Documentary: WUAL-FM, Tuscaloosa, AL

Local Radio Large Market Division

Overall Excellence: WBAL-AM, Baltimore
Newscast: WBZ-AM, Boston
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WGST-AM, Atlanta
Continuing Coverage: WFLS-AM, Fredericksburg, VA
Investigative Reporting: WJR-AM, Detroit
Feature Reporting: WBAP-AM, Arlington, TX
Sports Reporting: WBAL-AM, Baltimore
News Series: WLW-AM, Cincinnati
News Documentary: WMNF-FM, Tampa, FL
Use of Sound: KCBS-AM, San Francisco

Local Television Small Market Division

Overall Excellence: WJXT-TV, Jacksonville, FL
Newscast: WOKR-TV, Rochester, NY
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA
Continuing Coverage: KREM-TV, Spokane, WA
Investigative Reporting: WWMT-TV, Kalamazoo, MI
Feature Reporting: KSL-TV, Salt Lake City, UT
Sports Reporting: WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL
News Series: KWTV, Oklahoma City, OK
News Documentary: KREM-TV, Spokane, WA
Use of Video: WAVE-TV, Louisville, KY

Local Television Large Market Division

Overall Excellence: KARE-TV, Minneapolis
Newscast: WCVB-TV, Needham, MA
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WEWS-TV, Cleveland
Continuing Coverage: KATU-TV, Portland, OR
Investigative Reporting: WAGA-TV, Atlanta
Feature Reporting: WFAA-TV, Dallas
Sports Reporting: WITI-TV, Milwaukee
News Series: WXYZ-TV, Southfield, MI
News Documentary: WJLA-TV, Washington
Use of Video: KTVT-TV, Forth Worth, TX

Network Radio Division

Overall Excellence: ABC News Radio, New York
Newscast: ABC News Radio, New York
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: North Carolina News Network, Raleigh, NC
Continuing Coverage: ABC News Radio, New York
Feature Reporting: ABC News Radio, New York
News Series: Wisconsin Public Radio, Madison, WI

1997 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award Winners

Region 1: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Region 1: Radio Small Market

Newscast: KSL-AM, Salt Lake City
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KFQD-AM, Anchorage, AK
Continuing Coverage: KUNM-FM, Albuquerque, NM
Feature Reporting: KTOO-FM, Juneau, AK
News Series: KSL-AM, Salt Lake City

Region 1: Radio Large Market

Overall Excellence: KOMO-AM, Seattle
Newscast: KOMO-AM, Seattle
Continuing Coverage: KEX-AM, Portland, OR
Feature Reporting: KGMI-AM, Bellingham, WA
News Series: KEX-AM, Portland, OR
Sports Reporting: KOA-AM, Denver
Use of Sound: KPLU-FM, Tacoma, WA

Region 1: Television Small Market

Overall Excellence: KREM-TV, Spokane, WA
Newscast: KSL-TV, Salt Lake City
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA
Continuing Coverage: KREM-TV, Spokane, WA
Feature Reporting: KSL-TV, Salt Lake City
Investigative Reporting: KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM
News Documentary: KREM-TV, Spokane, WA
News Series: KREM-TV, Spokane, WA
Sports Reporting: KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA
Use of Video: KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City

Region 1: Television Large Market

Overall Excellence: KUSA-TV, Denver
Newscast: KCNC-TV, Denver
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KOIN-TV, Portland, OR
Continuing Coverage: KATU-TV, Portland, OR
Feature Reporting: KUSA-TV, Denver
Investigative Reporting: KSTW-TV, Tacoma, WA
News Documentary: KSTW-TV, Tacoma, WA
News Series: KGW-TV, Portland, OR
Use of Video: KCNC-TV, Denver

Region 2: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada

Region 2: Radio Small Market

No Winners

Region 2: Radio Large Market

Overall Excellence: KCBS-AM, San Francisco
Newscast: KCBS-AM, San Francisco
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KNX-AM, Los Angeles
Continuing Coverage: KNX-AM, Los Angeles
Feature Reporting: KNX-AM, Los Angeles
News Documentary: KNX-AM, Los Angeles
News Series: KNX-AM, Los Angeles
Sports Reporting: KNX-AM, Los Angeles
Use of Sound: KCBS-AM, San Francisco

Region 2: Television Small Market

Newscast: KTNV-TV, Las Vegas
Continuing Coverage: KVBC-TV, Las Vegas
Feature Reporting: KLAS-TV, Las Vegas
News Documentary: KLVX-TV, Las Vegas
Sports Reporting: KGET-TV, Bakersfield, CA

Region 2: Television Large Market

Overall Excellence: KCAL-TV, Hollywood
Newscast: KCOP-TV, Los Angeles
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KPNX-TV, Phoenix
Continuing Coverage: KCBS-TV, Los Angeles
Feature Reporting: KTLA-TV, Los Angeles
Investigative Reporting: KNXV-TV, Phoenix
News Series: KMEX-TV, Los Angeles
News Documentary: KCAL-TV, Hollywood
Sports Reporting: KPNX-TV, Phoenix

Region 3: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Region 3: Radio Small Market

Overall Excellence: WHO-AM, Des Moines, IA
Newscast: WOC-AM, Davenport, IA
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KFGO-AM, Fargo, ND
Continuing Coverage: WHO-AM, Des Moines, IA
Feature Reporting: KIOA-AM, Des Moines, IA
News Documentary: KUWS-FM, Superior, WI
News Series: KFGO-AM, Fargo, ND

Region 3: Radio Large Market

Overall Excellence: WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee
Continuing Coverage: WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee
Feature Reporting: WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee
Investigative Reporting: KWMU-FM, St. Louis
News Series: WCCO-AM, Minneapolis
Use of Sound: WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee

Region 3: Television Small Market

Overall Excellence: WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KAKE-TV, Wichita, KS
Feature Reporting: KAKE-TV, Wichita, KS
Investigative Reporting: WOWT-TV, Omaha, NE
News Documentary: WDAY-TV, Fargo, ND
News Series: KAKE-TV, Wichita, KS

Region 3: Television Large Market

Overall Excellence: KARE-TV, Minneapolis
Newscast: KARE-TV, Minneapolis
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KARE-TV, Minneapolis
Continuing Coverage: WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee
Feature Reporting: KARE-TV, Minneapolis
News Series: KARE-TV, Minneapolis
Sports Reporting: WITI-TV, Milwaukee
Use of Video: KARE-TV, Minneapolis

Region 4: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas

Region 4: Radio Small Market

Overall Excellence: KVOO-AM, Tulsa, OK
Newscast: WOAI-AM, San Antonio
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KVOO-AM, Tulsa, OK
Continuing Coverage: KVOO-AM, Tulsa, OK
Feature Reporting: WOAI-AM, San Antonio
News Documentary: WUAL-FM, Tuscaloosa, AL
News Series: WUAL-FM, Tuscaloosa, AL
Sports Reporting: WJDX-FM, Jackson, MS
Use of Sound: KVOO-AM, Tulsa, OK

Region 4: Radio Large Market

Overall Excellence: KTRH-AM, Houston
Newscast: KTRH-AM, Houston
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KTRH-AM, Houston
Continuing Coverage: KETR-FM, Commerce, TX
Continuing Coverage: KKDA-AM, Grand Prairie, TX
Feature Reporting: WBAP-AM, Arlington, TX
Use of Sound: KTRH-AM, Houston

Region 4: Television Small Market

Overall Excellence: KOTV, Tulsa, OK
Newscast: KOTV, Tulsa, OK
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL
Continuing Coverage: WSFA-TV, Montgomery, AL
Feature Reporting: WDSU-TV, New Orleans
Investigative Reporting: WALA-TV, Mobile, AL
Investigative Reporting: WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL
Investigative Reporting: WDSU-TV, New Orleans
News Documentary: KFOR-TV, Oklahoma City
News Series: KWTV-TV, Oklahoma City
Sports Reporting: WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL
Use of Video: WWL-TV, New Orleans

Region 4: Television Large Market

Newscast: WFAA-TV, Dallas
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: KTRK-TV, Houston
Continuing Coverage: KRIV-TV, Houston
Feature Reporting: WFAA-TV, Dallas
Investigative Reporting: KXAS-TV, Fort Worth, TX
News Series: WFAA-TV, Dallas
Use of Video: KTVT-TV, Fort Worth, TX

REGION 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia

Region 5: Radio Small Market

Newscast: WMBD-AM, Peoria, IL
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WSOY-AM, Decatur, IL
Continuing Coverage: WJBC-AM, Bloomington, IL
Feature Reporting: WSIU-FM, Carbondale, IL
News Documentary: WSGW-AM, Saginaw, MI
News Series: WSIU-FM, Carbondale, IL
Use of Sound: WSGW-AM, Saginaw, MI

Region 5: Radio Large Market

Overall Excellence: WBBM-AM, Chicago
Newscast: WIBC-AM, Indianapolis
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WBBM-AM, Chicago
Continuing Coverage: WBBM-AM, Chicago
Feature Reporting: WBBM-AM, Chicago
Investigative Reporting: WJR-AM, Detroit
News Documentary: WHBC-AM/FM, Canton, OH
News Series: WLW-AM, Cincinnati
Sports Reporting: WNDE-AM, Indianapolis
Use of Sound: WBEZ-FM, Chicago

Region 5: Television Small Market

Overall Excellence: WHIO-TV, Dayton, OH
Newscast: WNDU-TV, South Bend, IN
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WTOV-TV, Steubenville, OH
Continuing Coverage: WHIO-TV, Dayton, OH
Feature Reporting: WQAD-TV, Moline, IL
Investigative Reporting: WWMT-TV, Kalamazoo, MI
News Documentary: WTOL-TV, Toledo, OH
News Series: WICS-TV, Springfield, IL
Sports Reporting: WICD-TV, Champaign, IL
Use of Video: WWMT-TV, Kalamazoo, MI

Region 5: Television Large Market

Overall Excellence: WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH
Newscast: WKRC-TV, Cincinnati
Breaking/Spot News Coverage: WEWS-TV, Cleveland
Continuing Coverage: WXIN-TV, Indianapolis
Feature Reporting: WTHR-TV, Indianapolis
Investigative Reporting: WMAQ-TV, Chicago
News Series: WXYZ-TV, Southfield, MI
Sports Reporting: WTHR-TV, Indianapolis
Use of Video: WOIO-TV, Cleveland