News Release

WUNC wins fourth straight ‘overall excellence’ award, nets other accolades
 
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC, a service of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, recently garnered 15 regional and national awards for excellence in broadcasting and news reporting for reports during 2006.

The station received eight Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio-Television News Directors Association, including, for the fourth straight year, the overall excellence award in regional competition. The Murrow awards are given to individuals who demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow, the late broadcast journalist, made a standard for the broadcast news profession.

“These awards reflect the breadth of coverage at North Carolina Public Radio- WUNC,” said Connie Walker, news director.  “It’s especially rewarding to be recognized by our peers for our daily news coverage as well as special initiatives like the ‘North Carolina Voices’ series and ‘The Story with Dick Gordon.’”

Other recent awards include commendations from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television, the Education Writers Association and the National Association of Black Journalists.

North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC broadcasts at 91.5 FM in the Triangle and Triad, at 90.9 FM in Rocky Mount/Wilson and at 88.9 FM on the Outer Banks. 

Following is a list of all awards recently made to North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC:

Radio-Television News Directors Association Edward R. Murrow Southeast Regional Radio Awards

Overall Excellence

• North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC

Continuing Coverage

• “Ahmed’s Diary,” Dick Gordon and The Story

Feature Reporting

• “Card #10,” Emily Hanford and North Carolina Voices:  Studying High School

Feature/Hard News

• “What is Terrorism?” Rusty Jacobs

News Series

• “North Carolina Voices:  Studying High School”

Sports Reporting

• “Evans Quads,” Leoneda Inge

Spot News Coverage

• “Apex Chemical Fire,” Lorne Matalon and Jessica Jones

Use of Sound

• “Florida Panthers,” Lorne Matalon

Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television - Gracie Allen Award

Public Radio Programming – Series 

• “North Carolina Voices:  Daily Lessons - Inside Western Guilford High School”

Public Radio Programming – Soft Feature

• “Claudette Colvin,” Leoneda Inge

Education Writers Association - National Awards for Education

Reporting
Second Prize, Radio Division

• “North Carolina Voices:  Daily Lessons - Inside Western Guilford High School”

National Association of Black Journalists Region III Chuck Stone Salute to Excellence Awards

Features Reporting

• “From Behind Bars to Passing the Bar,” Dick Gordon and Cori Princell

Documentary/News Series

• “Let’s Talk,” Dick Gordon and Cori Princell

Use of Sound

• “Extreme Makeover,” Leoneda Inge

Sports News

• “NCAA Waiver,” Leoneda Inge

North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC Web site: http://wunc.org/front-page

North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC contact: Connie Walker, (919) 966-5454, cwalker@wunc.org
News Services contact: Karen Moon, (919) 962-8595, karen_moon@unc.edu