Jefferson Public Radio's newsroom is among the winners of the 2021 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. The Murrows are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) to recognize outstanding broadcast and online journalism.
JPR took top honors for Hard News in RTDNA's small market division among public and commercial radio stations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. This is the fourth year in a row JPR has won for Hard News.
The Murrow Award was for JPR reporter April Ehrlich's compelling story about the emotional and psychological impact on the region's small children of the twin traumas of the September wildfires and the pandemic. April spoke with patents, educators and children about how the loss of homes, friends and familiar routines had led preschool and elementary school students to experience panic attacks, depression and other problems.
Read and listen to theaward-winning story here.
"This award recognizes the work our talented journalists continue to do, even during very challenging times, to tell important stories that impact the lives of citizens of Southern Oregon and Northern California," said JPR Executive Director Paul Westhelle. "We're so grateful to our listeners who support local, independent journalism at a time it's so essential to our democracy."
Regional Murrow winners are automatically entered in the national Edward R. Murrow competition. National winners will be announced in June.
