WFDD has been recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) with five Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for its work in 2021, and will advance to the National Murrow Awards competition. The Murrow Awards are considered among the most prestigious awards in broadcast and digital news.
The station was honored in the Breaking News Coverage and Continuing News Coverage categories for its reporting on the Mount Tabor High School shooting. WFDD also won awards for Excellence In Writing for Carolina Curious: Are there old-growth forests in North Carolina? and Hard News, with its story on what changed locally one year after the death of George Floyd, whose murder prompted protests across the country and in the Triad.
"We are incredibly humbled that RTDNA has showcased the work WFDD's newsroom has done over the past year," says News Director Emily McCord. "We have a team that is dedicated to the highest quality local journalism, and we feel privileged every day to serve our community and are grateful for their support which makes it possible for us to remain mission-focused every day."
WFDD also was awarded Excellence in Innovation for Dispatches From Within, a 7-part series from Radio 101, part of the station's Hive® education program. In addition to an after-school offering, Radio 101 is embedded as a for-credit, honors-level class at R. J. Reynolds High School, taught by WFDD's Hive® program manager, Gabriel Maisonnave. In the fall of 2021, the 19 students enrolled in this class spent the semester doing in-depth reporting on issues related to youth mental health, all from a youth perspective. These youth reporters, aged 14-17, surveyed over 1,600 other students in the area, and wrote, recorded, and produced seven stories that help paint a picture of the state of youth mental health. “Receiving this award is an immense honor for Hive® and WFDD; it highlights the importance of giving a platform to those directly affected by this issue. We hope that the series creates an impetus for having more of these conversations and helps to alleviate the stigma surrounding discussion of mental health,” said Maisonnave.
WFDD's Assistant General Manager, Molly Davis, commented, “Truth be told, we get very excited about Murrow Award announcements. It's validating to be recognized for the hard work our team does. But more than that, this recognition is a reflection of the trust our community has in us and the place of value we hold in their lives. Because without our listeners, and the support they provide, we would not be able to do this work. These awards belong to our listeners as much as they do to us.”
RTDNA has been recognizing outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of broadcast and digital journalism. WFDD competes in the Large Market Radio division in Region 8, which includes North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The five awards won by WFDD represent 33% of all awards given in this region and category. Regional winners automatically advance to the national Edward R. Murrow Awards competition in October.
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