KUT News Wins Murrow Award for Drought Reporting
AUSTIN, Texas—June 12, 2012 — KUT News has won a National Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for its continuing coverage of the 2011 Texas Drought.
KUT News’ drought coverage, which was produced and broadcast in 2011, won the audio continuing coverage category in the national large market radio division. This is the third National Edward R. Murrow Award for KUT News.
The drought that began in Texas in 2010 continued into 2011 with no signs of abating. KUT News reported on the drought and its impact on the state throughout the year.
In KUT’s ongoing coverage, Mose Buchele and Matt Largey reported on the effects of the drought on two major industries in the state — farming and ranching, as well as on popular Texas past-times — camping and tourism. KUT News Director Emily Donahue produced a moving firsthand account of a rancher who could barely afford to feed her horses. Largey reported on a creative solution to the lack of rain — trying to make more. Erika Aguilar took a look at how water policy upstream affected rice farmers downstream in South Texas.
Listen to KUT’s coverage online. A complete list of this year’s national winners is available on the RTDNA website.
About KUT
For more than 50 years, KUT 90.5, listener-supported public radio from Austin, Texas, has striven to be the most trusted radio source for news and music in Central Texas. A founding member of NPR, KUT established a news department in 2002. Since then, KUT News has won more than 100 state, national and international awards for journalistic excellence. KUT is nationally known for playing a unique blend of handpicked, homegrown and uniquely Austin music. This summer, KUT will complete the KUT Public Media Studios, which will emphasize creative collaboration and increase community interaction by bringing together creative and editorial production, and delivery of content in one interactive, dynamic space.
About the RTDNA
RTDNA, the world’s largest professional organization devoted exclusively to electronic journalism, has been honoring outstanding achievement in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. RTNDA represents local and network news executives in broadcasting, cable and other electronic media in more than 30 countries.
###
Contact: Erin Geisler, egeisler@kut.org, 512-475-8071
