KBTX honored with 3 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

KBTX was informed on Aug. 8 that along with the Digital and Overall Excellence Murrow Awards they won in May, the station also received the Excellence in Innovation award. This article has been updated to reflect that.

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced that KBTX is the winner of three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, including the highly sought-after award for Overall Excellence.

KBTX’s coverage of the Gonzalo Lopez escape and Texas Department of Criminal Justice investigation also received a Murrow Award for Digital Coverage and Excellence in Innovation.

“KBTX is honored to have been recognized with these two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. In particular, the award for Overall Excellence is a testament to the amazing and important work our team of KBTX journalists does every day to inform the public and tell meaningful stories that resonate with our audience. I am so very proud of our entire team for this prestigious recognition,” said KBTX Vice President and General Manager Lori Bruffett.

The overall excellence award recognizes one station in each region for the depth and scope of its work on-air and across multiple digital platforms. In its region, KBTX is judged against television stations in markets 50 and larger across Texas and Oklahoma.

“Seeing our newsroom recognized for Overall Excellence and Digital Coverage is truly humbling because they’re honors that require incredible teamwork. We’re blessed at KBTX to have a deeply talented group of journalists who believe in the importance of serving the Brazos Valley, whether that means digging deeper to get the whole story, tracking a storm that could put lives in danger, or making sure the shelves stay stocked at the food bank – we’re committed to serving the community we all call home,” said KBTX News Director Josh Gorbutt.

The digital award highlights station’s use of online technologies to inform and educate the public and enhance public debate about important daily issues. Excellence in Innovation is designed to award television news organizations that innovate their product to enhance the quality of journalism and the audience’s understanding of news.

All of KBTX’s winning entries will advance to the National Murrow Award competition:

Overall Excellence: In 2022, KBTX sought to make news more accessible, no matter where you get it. Our elections webpage compiled poll locations, a guide for voters, and sample ballots from across the Brazos Valley. When an escaped murderer spent nearly a month hiding out in rural Leon County, KBTX dedicated hundreds of hours to covering the case. A dedicated site section houses all our coverage of the Gonzalo Lopez escape and investigation, including a timeline and other resources designed to make information easily accessible to nontraditional viewers. The Brazos Valley endured a severe drought and other severe in 2022, including tornadoes and freezes. KBTX meteorologists and reporters worked hand-in-hand to deliver pertinent, life-saving information. Every day, we also covered the issues most affecting the Brazos Valley, from a fight over high-speed rail to investigating scams and government missteps that left neighbors in need of help.Digital Coverage: KBTX created the podcast series RECKLESS: The Gonzalo Lopez Escape to detail documented failures by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after a dangerous inmate escaped a medical transport and killed a family of five. We spoke with an eyewitness to the escape and learned about her and other residents’ frustrations as the search dragged on. A criminal justice expert broke down reports detailing severe understaffing and a reckless disregard for security protocols. KBTX dedicated hundreds of hours to covering the Lopez escape, and a dedicated site section houses all of our coverage, including a timeline and other resources designed to make information easily accessible to viewers.Excellence in Innovation: KBTX created the podcast series RECKLESS: The Gonzalo Lopez Escape to detail documented failures by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after a dangerous inmate escaped a medical transport and killed a family of five. We spoke with an eyewitness to the escape and learned about her and other residents’ frustrations as the search dragged on. A criminal justice expert broke down reports detailing severe understaffing and a reckless disregard for security protocols. KBTX dedicated hundreds of hours to covering the Lopez escape, and a dedicated site section houses all of our coverage, including a timeline and other resources designed to make information easily accessible to viewers.

RTDNA has honored outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism with Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow Awards recognize news coverage that exemplifies ethical journalism, is technically outstanding, and showcases the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.

The Murrow Awards are named after Edward R. Murrow, a CBS News journalist who made a standard for the broadcast news profession. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of electronic journalism.