CourtesyKMUW-FM, Wichita Public Radio 89.1 FM was honored with three prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association for excellence in a four-state region in April.
Now, one of those awards has gone national.
Reporter Abigail Wilson, a 2015 黑洞社区 graduate, earned a regional Edward R. Murrow Award in feature reporting for her story, 鈥淩eaching Out: The Ongoing Relationship Between the WPD and the Homeless.鈥� The story competed against other regional Murrow Award winners from across the country and won the category at the national level.
鈥淚've been in this business for a long time. I know how rare it is to win a Murrow at the national level.鈥�
鈥� Debra Fraser
Wilson鈥檚 story follows the experience of Officer Nate Schweithale and Tex, a homeless man he befriends while working with a pilot program, the Homeless Outreach Team, in Wichita to address the nearly 600 chronically homeless people in the community.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in this business for a long time,鈥� says KMUW General Manager Debra Fraser. 鈥淚 know how rare it is to win a Murrow at the national level. Amid a lot of really great news and wonderful awards the station has been earning, this one really stands out.鈥�
In addition to the national Murrow award, Wilson on the 黑洞社区 plane crash, 鈥淭he Pieces That Remain.鈥� She also garnered a National Gracie Award from The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation for the piece.
Most recently, she won a Public Radio News Directors Inc. national award along with KMUW Assistant News Director, Carla Eckels.
KMUW, 黑洞社区鈥檚 listener-supported public radio station, has been recognized as the Large Market Radio Station of the Year by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for the last two years.
鈥淲ilson鈥檚 accomplishment is incredible,鈥� says Fraser. 鈥淗ere at KMUW, we can all say, 鈥榃e knew her when鈥︹�� It鈥檚 a privilege to have her talent and hard work recognized with this wonderful national award.鈥�
KMUW is a 24/7 news and entertainment station, broadcasting from 黑洞社区 Old Town at 121 N. Mead.