GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) is recognizing the work of the KARE 11 team with 10 regional Edward R. Murrow awards.
"The Radio Television Digital News Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971," the RTDNA website states. "Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of electronic journalism."
Among the honors, KARE 11 was recognized with the award for Overall Excellence for the third year in a row.
In addition, the KARE 11 team was recognized for Continuing Coverage for its reporting on the Jayme Closs case, the kidnapped Barron, Wisconsin girl who was found alive in early 2019 after being held captive for 88 days.
Reporter Lou Raguse and producer Ellie Coatar won the first ever regional Murrow award for a Podcast, for their eight-episode compilation of KARE 11's reporting in the Closs case, "88 Days: The Jayme Closs Story."
The KARE 11 team was also awarded for Excellence in Social Media for its coverage of President Donald Trump's rally at Target Center in Minneapolis in October 2019.
Reporter Boyd Huppert was honored once again for his incredible storytelling with the Murrow award for Excellence in Writing.
KARE 11 photojournalists Chad Nelson, Jeff Wiltgen, David Porter and Rob Collett received the award for Excellence in Video for their work with Boyd Huppert on one man's effort to build the world's largest ice carousel, "A New Spin on Winter."
"Breaking the News" anchor Jana Shortal's emotional story "What Grieving Kids Want You to Know About Grief" was recognized with the Murrow award for Feature Reporting.
The KARE 11 investigative team for two of its in-depth stories; "The Trail of the Money Mule," produced by reporter A.J. Lagoe, executive producer Steve Eckert, and photojournalists Gary Knox, Ben Garvin and Ron Stover, was recognized with the Murrow Award for Hard News coverage.
In addition, A.J. Lagoe, Steve Eckert, Gary Knox, Ron Stover, and Aaron Adelson were honored for Investigative Reporting for the series "Funding Fee Fiasco."
Anchor Randy Shaver and photojournalist Jeff Wiltgen were awarded for Sports Reporting for the story "Casey & Emmett," which told the story of Gophers placeholder Casey O'Brien and his unlikely friendship with a young Iowa Hawkeye fan, after the two bonded over surviving cancer.
Regional Edward R. Murrow Award winners also advance to a national competition, with winners announced later in the year.
