Image via rtdna.org

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has recognized KVPR with a National Edward R. Murrow Award, one of the highest honors in broadcast journalism. It is the first National Murrow Award in the station’s 44-year history.

The award was for a 2021 KVPR news report by Soreath Hok that investigated the gap between official school attendance records and actual student engagement during distance-learning in the pandemic. The award came in the category of investigative reporting in the small market radio division. The report was produced by KVPR in collaboration with NPR’s California Newsroom.

“This story was one of the most challenging and rewarding pieces I’ve ever worked on. I’m proud that this story went beyond the data to tell a moving narrative about real people and the challenges they faced during the pandemic,” said Hok in a statement. “This is truly a career highlight and such an incredible honor to be recognized with this award. I’m so grateful and humbled to be a part of KVPR’s amazing news team.”

KVPR President and General Manager Joe Moore added, “We’re incredibly proud of Soreath Hok’s reporting on this critically important topic. This investigation helped highlight the shortcomings of distance learning in local schools during the pandemic, and how it ultimately shortchanged students. The National Murrow Awards are a great honor for the station and our newsroom.”

According to the RTDNA, there were more than 5,200 entries this year. In May, RTDNA recognized winners of the Regional Murrow Awards, which automatically advanced to the national competition. KVPR won three Regional Murrow Awards this year for Excellence in Writing, Hard News and Hok’s piece for Investigate Reporting. Additionally, this is the fourth year in a row that KVPR has won Regional Murrow honors.

“The Edward R. Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious in journalism,” said RTDNA President and CEO Dan Shelley in a press release. “More than 750 Regional Murrow winners advanced to the national competition, and over the past few months, an expert panel of journalists has meticulously reviewed and deliberated over every entry. That’s why I’m confident in saying the winners represent the absolute best of the best. So let me be the first to say congratulations to our newest National Edward R. Murrow Award winners.”

To read the report, along with many other award-winning stories, visit KVPR.org. KVPR airs daily local news reports on 89.3 FM in the Fresno area and 89.1 FM in the Bakersfield area.