WVPB Earns 2 National Edward R. Murrow Awards

West Virginia Public Broadcasting has earned two National Edward R. Murrow Awards for demonstrating the spirit of excellence that famed journalist Murrow set as a standard for the profession of electronic journalism.

Trey Kay, host of Us & Them, won in the Excellence in Innovation and News Documentary categories for Grandfamilies of the Opioid Crisis.

Roxy Todd, producer of Inside Appalachia, won the Excellence in Video category with support from Education reporter Liz McCormick and members of the Video Production team — Janet Kunicki, John Hale and Daniel Walker. They won for Despite Increasing Demand, Some W.Va. Apple Farmers Struggle.

Chuck Roberts, executive director of WVPB, said he is thrilled for the winners. “It is so great that our people have been recognized for their hard work,” Roberts said. “The folks in the newsroom and our video production department are some of the most talented people you could ever meet. Sharing the stories of the people of West Virginia and Appalachia is more than a job to them, it’s their passion. These national Edward R. Murrow Awards are the result of that passion. I am so proud to work with these people every day.”

Andrea Billups, news director of WVPB, says this group of reporters makes her proud. “We are thrilled to earn these national honors, which acknowledge our excellent reporters and our resolute commitment to the mission of public radio and strong journalism. Media in our country has been under fire from many different angles, but we are resolute in doing the kind of work that gives voice to those who have none — and is a watchdog of those who need one. We share these awards with the many people across our state and region who continue to support public radio and media, and understand its value in a challenging era,” Billups said.

WVPB competes in the Small Market Radio Division, Region 8, which includes West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. The Radio Television Digital News Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971.  

WVPB’s two national Murrow Award winners include:  

Excellence in Video, Despite Increasing Demand, Some W.Va. Apple Farmers Struggle, by Roxy Todd, producer of Inside Appalachia, with reporting assistance from Education reporter Liz McCormick and video production expertise from Janet Kunicki, John Hale and Daniel Walker. Inside Appalachia looks at the apple industry in West Virginia as the cider industry experiences a surge. Some people think it’s an economic development opportunity the state is overlooking.  

News Documentary, Grandfamilies of the Opioid Crisis, by Trey Kay, host of Us & Them, with assistance from Samantha Gattsek. In this episode, we explore how chemical addictions and the opioid crisis have divided millions of U.S. families. Addicted parents can abandon responsibilities for their children, and when a grandparent steps in, it creates a new kind of family structure some call a grandfamily, a generational divide.