mikemcguff.com: KHOU 11 wins National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence

Things are going very well for KHOU 11 in Houston. The station just won its second National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2010:

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has recognized KHOU with two National Edward R. Murrow Awards. The station earned top honors for a large market television station with the award for Overall Excellence, recognizing coverage that consistently demonstrates depth and scope.

“Winning the Murrow Award for Overall Excellence is an honor shared by everyone who works at KHOU, said Susan McEldoon, KHOU President and General Manager. “I am proud of their efforts, their good work and of the commitment they demonstrate every day to serving viewers.”

KHOU also received a National Edward R. Murrow Award in the Video News Documentary category for the investigative special “Under Fire: Discrimination and Corruption in the Texas National Guard.”

Together, the pair of Murrow Awards highlights an already exceptional year for KHOU. In the past 12 months, KHOU has won more awards for journalistic excellence than any other station in Texas, in part due to the impact and success of “Under Fire,” which continues to capture national journalistic honors.

“Under Fire” was the presentation of a two-year investigation that exposed ongoing sexual discrimination and financial corruption throughout the highest ranks of the Texas National Guard. Reports by the 11 News Defenders investigative team - reporter Mark Greenblatt, executive producer David Raziq, photojournalist Keith Tomshe and art director Robyn Hughes - led to significant action and reform.

"It's a testament to the commitment our journalists share to not just cover the news,” said Keith Connors, KHOU Executive News Director. “At KHOU we take pride in uncovering the important stories that impact our community."

“Under Fire” has been recognized with a duPont-Columbia Award, the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Medal, a George Foster Peabody Award, a National Headliner Award for Investigative Reporting and it was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize from the Shorenstein Center at Harvard.

Other accolades for KHOU this year include six regional Edward R. Murrow Awards –the most of any large market station in the Texas-Oklahoma region – and 23 Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Awards – again more awards with more first place finishes than any large market station in the state.

The National Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for excellence in electronic journalism. Winners will formally be recognized on October 11 at the RTDNA Awards Dinner in New York. For a complete list of 2010 winners, visit www.rtdna.org.