WASHINGTON—The RTDNA Foundation has announced that it will recognize 12 outstanding individuals and organizations at the 2026 First Amendment Awards, celebrating their efforts to promote responsible journalism and preserve the constitutionally guaranteed rights to do so.

All honorees will be recognized March 12 at the 35th annual First Amendment Awards at The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. They will join more than 150 past recipients who stood for the values of the First Amendment.

“At a time when the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment are challenged on every front, the journalists, organizations and individuals we honor today stand as powerful examples of courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to the free flow of information,” said RTDNA Foundation president Tara Puckey. “Their work informs, supports and strengthens our communities, and it definitely protects the core principles that make a free press essential to democracy. We are proud to shine a spotlight on these champions of press freedom and to celebrate their vital contributions.”

Past honorees include local reporters, network anchors, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and multiple U.S. Senators. The awards honor the First Amendment and the bold and brave efforts many take — whether in an instant or throughout their careers — to protect it.

"Exposing wrongs and telling the truth, no matter the consequence, is core to our job as journalists,” said RTDNA Foundation chair Sheryl Worsley. “Sadly, we are seeing more retribution both professionally and personally against those who uncover corruption and bring it into the sunlight. We honor those who have paid a high price while standing up for the First Amendment by raising awareness in their communities."

In addition to recognizing responsible journalism, the First Amendment Awards is the Foundation’s biggest annual fundraiser, enabling the Foundation to ensure the broadcast and digital news profession remains a critical part of our nation’s free press for generations to come and supporting scholarships for journalism students.

This year, those 12 scholarship and fellowship recipients will be recognized at the Watergate Hotel during the First Amendment Awards.

The 2026 First Amendment Award winners are:

• Juju Chang, ABC News. The RTDNA Foundation chose to honor Chang because she has distinguished herself as one of the most compelling storytellers, known for her bold reporting and ability to bring humanity and depth to complex issues. Over a lifetime in journalism — from newswriting to anchoring Nightline — she has demonstrated a commitment to long-form, thorough reporting that elevates the public consciousness in increasingly challenging times.
• Vladimir Duthiers, CBS News. The RTDNA Foundation selected Duthiers, now a featured host of CBS Mornings, for his tireless work covering some of the most difficult topics of our time. A veteran foreign correspondent whose longtime career includes award-winning coverage of crises — from natural disasters to terrorism — Duthiers continues to embody journalistic courage and a commitment to telling stories that would not be heard without his microphone.
• Kevin Goldberg, Freedom Forum. The RTDNA Foundation is honoring Goldberg, vice president at the Freedom Forum, for his tireless work defending and promoting free expression, press freedom and open access to information — values at the heart of the First Amendment. Through advocacy, public engagement and support for journalism innovation, he helps safeguard a diverse and independent media environment.
• Jennifer Griffin, Fox News. The RTDNA Foundation selected Griffin for her trusted and tenacious reporting covering the Pentagon. She joined dozens of colleagues in boycotting the Pentagon’s new press-access rules, standing firmly for transparency and the public’s right to know. Her principled resistance reflects a career spent holding power to account and defending the essential role of an independent press in national security reporting.
• Tom Llamas, NBC News. The RTDNA Foundation chose Llamas, now anchor of NBC Nightly News, for his commitment to carrying forward the strong legacy of NBC’s flagship newscast while expanding its reach to younger and wider audiences. Llamas is the first individual to serve as the solo anchor of both an evening broadcast program and a one-hour primetime streaming newscast, showing a dedication to innovation and to meeting the evolving needs of today’s viewers.
• NPR and PBS News. The RTDNA Foundation selected NPR and PBS News for their perseverance after politicians demeaned them and Congress cut their federal funding. NPR and PBS News continue to provide free, independent journalism to millions of Americans — especially in regions underserved by commercial media — sustaining the tradition of public-interest reporting rooted in First Amendment values. Their enduring commitment to in-depth news, cultural programming, and civic-minded content reflects the vital role of public media.
• Bill Owens, (former) 60 Minutes. The RTDNA Foundation selected Bill Owens, just the third person to run 60 Minutes in its 57-year history, for his principled stand in defense of journalism. Owens resigned as executive producer in April, citing a loss of his editorial independence. Owens worked at CBS News for 37 years and left after President Trump filed a lawsuit against the network and the show on dubious grounds. Owens’ career exemplifies the kind of rigorous, high-impact journalism that sustains public trust and defends the First Amendment’s promise of a free press.
• Manu Raju, CNN. The RTDNA Foundation is honoring Raju, CNN’s Chief Congressional Correspondent and anchor of Inside Politics Sunday, for his dogged, behind-the-scenes political coverage, reinforcing the critical watchdog mission of the press. Raju’s fearless reporting has earned praise from colleagues and criticism from both sides of the aisle, a testament to his steady presence informing the public about Capitol Hill’s most consequential developments.
• Jim Rodenbush, (former) Indiana Daily Student. The RTDNA Foundation selected Rodenbush, former director of student media at the Indiana Daily Student, for his bold and brave stand, refusing a directive from university administrators to censor his students’ right to cover news freely. His termination shortly afterward — and the university’s subsequent decision to suspend the print edition — spotlighted the fragile state of student press freedom and rallied national support for editorial independence.
• Vitus “V” Spehar, Under the Desk News. The RTDNA Foundation chose V Spehar to recognize how Under the Desk News delivers clear, accessible and often under-reported stories from a distinctive “under the desk” perspective. V’s innovative approach has opened new pathways for civic engagement, particularly among younger viewers who may feel disconnected from traditional media. By blending authenticity and creativity, V has expanded the reach of trustworthy journalism in the digital age.
• Citation of Courage is being given to Asal Rezaei, CBS News Chicago. The RTDNA Foundation is honoring Asal Rezaei, a general-assignment reporter for CBS News Chicago, with the Citation of Courage. Rezaei has repeatedly risked her personal safety to shed light on stories of public importance, most recently when she was shot at with a pepper ball at an immigration-detention facility. Her willingness to stand her ground and continue reporting — despite physical danger — exemplifies the bravery and resilience of a free press committed to informing the public, even under threat.
• Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Steve Bertrand, (ret.) WGN Radio. The RTDNA Foundation is celebrating Steve Bertrand with the Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor designated contributions to local news. Bertrand has been a trusted voice on WGN Radio for four decades, anchoring news since 1992 and earning the confidence of generations of Chicago listeners. Over his career, he covered many of the most significant local and national events of the past 40 years while mentoring colleagues and helping define the standard for excellence in local radio journalism. His retirement in 2025 marks the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to informing the public and strengthening the role of local news.

More information on attending the awards is available here.

As the disruptive forces unleashed by artificial intelligence engulf the media and entertainment industry, the prospects for minimizing the potential for harm are growing less certain by the day.

Not that there isn’t an immense amount of work going into mitigating the dangers on the part of station groups, networks, distribution affiliates and industry organizations. But those efforts parallel an exuberant industry-wide embrace of AI that’s driving cost-saving efficiencies, enhanced user experiences and monetization to new heights at an accelerating pace.

No one among the many industry leaders calling for corporate policies, industry standards and government regulations that would establish guardrails against misuse of AI question the wisdom of maximizing the AI upside. “We certainly welcome AI innovations that enhance operational efficiencies and localism, enabling stations to better serve their communities,” says NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.

Hype and Unproven Expectations
AI dominated the 2024 NAB Show, bringing to light benefits impacting everything from creative to production, encoding, packaging, distribution, advertising, and anything else where data analytics comes into play. But with the guardrails coming together slowly on a learning curve impeded by hype and unproven expectations, the situation calls to mind scenes from old westerns that left moviegoers on the edges of their seats watching good guys trying to stop runaway trains.

As Deloitte managing director Judah Libin notes, AI adoption, including the use of large language model (LLM) generative AI tools that exploded into prominence two years ago, is proceeding at “a pace that far exceeds the speed at which our societies and regulatory frameworks can adapt, creating significant gaps in our understanding and governance.” Making matters worse, Libin adds, the technology poses “profound ethical and societal dilemmas, from the creation of deepfakes to the inherent biases in AI-generated outputs.”

When it comes to formulating laws relating to AI, those dilemmas are especially daunting for a Congress locked in election-year combat. Unlike in Europe, where the EU Parliament has passed the “AI Act” with final approval expected by year’s end, Congress has made little headway beyond holding some hearings and taking a preliminary look at a handful of bills.

Nobody is more focused on the need for legislative action than LeGeyt, who has had a front-row seat at two Senate hearings on AI issues. During an appearance before a Senate Subcommittee in January, the NAB president highlighted examples of AI-related abuses in three major areas of broadcast industry concerns, including copyright infringement, misuse of AI-generated likenesses of radio and TV personalities that spread false information, and other uses of deepfakes that make it hard to distinguish between truth and fiction.

“I have seen the harm inflicted on local broadcasters and our audiences by Big Tech giants whose market power allows them to monetize our local content while siphoning away local ad dollars,” LeGeyt tells TV Tech. “The sudden proliferation of generative AI tools risks exacerbating this harm. To address this, NAB is committed to protecting the unauthorized use of broadcast content and preventing the misuse of our local personalities by generative AI technologies.”

Along with pursuing Congressional action, NAB is deeply engaged in fostering self-governance.

“Our technology team is working closely with these new innovations to equip local stations with the best tools to integrate into their operations,” LeGeyt says.

Of course, with whatever help NAB and the various standards organizations can provide in developing tools and standards, it’s up to broadcasters to execute, notes Deloitte’s Libin. “The burden is on broadcasters to organize, monitor and regulate themselves, then focus on industry standardization,” he says. A “clear governance structure and ethical guidelines” are essential, as is “rigorous and continuous testing.”

In the Newsrooms
A big part of self-governance is centered in broadcast newsrooms. Fostering such efforts has been a top priority at the Radio Television Digital News Association, the first national journalistic association to issue guidelines on news outlets’ use of AI, according to RTDNA president and CEO Dan Shelley.

Issued a year ago, the guidelines focus on how AI is used in newsgathering, editing and distribution with attention to ensuring accuracy through contextual and source validation, avoiding violations of privacy and maintaining clarity when AI is used to modify content. The association says newsroom policies should also keep faith with audiences, informing them of AI usage with assurances that everything is reviewed for adherence to journalistic principles by journalists.

Things are moving in the right direction. “There are infrastructures in place with experts thinking hard and acting very carefully when it comes to testing and implementing AI technology in local newsrooms,” Shelley says.

But staffing up with AI specialists is just part of the labor-intensive aspects of keeping AI on track. Everyone involved in news broadcasting has a role to play, underscoring the fact that, as Shelley stresses, “no matter how good AI becomes, it will never replace human intellect and the sensibilities to produce the best results obtainable.”

Humans in the Loop
Such views pervade discussions about AI in industry leadership circles, leading many to suggest rank-and-file fears of job losses are overblown. Ironically, the hype factor is contributing to job security.

In this Wild West tableau, rampant hype is wreaking havoc with broadcasters’ and everyone else’s efforts to put AI to good use. “One thing that drives me nuts is the amount of hype we’ve seen in the past two years,” says Yves Bergquist, director of the AI & Neuroscience in Media Project at the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). “Keeping humans in the loop is extremely important.”

Yves is co-chair with AMD fellow Fred Walls of the task force on AI standards and media mounted by ETC and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Earlier this year the task force produced what SMPTE President Renard Jenkins calls “the most comprehensive document looking at both the technical side as well as the impact and the ethical and responsibility areas of this particular technology.”

Participating in a recent webinar with Jenkins and Walls, Yves says research shows that the true capabilities of AI systems in the vast majority of cases “are a fraction of what they’re trying to advertise.’ When it comes to getting to the truth of what can be done, “not enough people talk about how hard this is.”

Jenkins notes AI-assisted facial recognition is one example of where AI isn’t living up to a widely accepted 85% performance standard. “People go into using AI thinking it’s going to save us a lot of money,” Jenkins says. “Most of the time, the reason it fails to deliver is there isn’t enough time put into figuring out what it can really do.”

Societal and Ethical Considerations
One of the most daunting tasks involves identifying biases that are inevitably built into LLM models. While part of the challenge involves eliminating the most egregious biases by using reference material in facial recognition, it’s also important to be transparent about the unavoidable biases that arise from cultural disparities.

The blending of ethical and performance issues in bias assessment is just one example of how addressing ethics and performance is really two sides of the same coin, Yves notes. “I have yet to see a requirement related to ethical AI that isn’t also a requirement of rigorous AI practice,” he says.

This is reflected in the dozens of standards and policy framework initiatives identified in the AI task force report that are underway at ISO-EPS, IEEE, ITU, W3C and other organizations. It’s an impressive list, but there’s obviously a long way to go, especially when it comes to setting the ethical frameworks on which performance standards must be built.

SMPTE’s report spells out the challenge: “While stakeholders in the development of this plan expressed broad agreement that societal and ethical considerations must factor into AI standards, it is not clear how that should be done and whether there is yet sufficient scientific and technical basis to develop those standards provisions. Moreover, legal, societal, and ethical considerations should be considered by specialists trained in law and ethics.”

How fast the industry gets to having real guardrails will greatly depend on how big the perceived risk becomes, which “will help to drive decision making about the need for specific AI standards and standards-related tools.” How much comfort can be gained from a realization that the scarier AI gets, the more likely we are to act is debatable.

But even that modicum of relief from anxiety is yet to be found when it comes to reducing the alarms generated by the threat posed by “deep fakes,” in which AI is used to create alternative audio and video that doesn’t represent reality. When asked about progress toward creating tools capable of identifying professional caliber deep fakes, Walls replies that while efforts to develop such tools abound, the pace of deep fake AI development is such that it “will be really hard to tell if something is a deep fake or not.”

Taking it all into account, we can only hope that the old Western analogy holds to reel’s end, when the sound of screeching brakes signals the good guys have saved the day.

 WASHINGTON, D.C.—As part of the recent Board of Directors election, Allison McGinley, news director at WKMG-TV in Orlando, has been installed as the chair of the Radio Television Digital News Association, the group announced. 

McGinley will serve in that role for one year. 

“It will be an honor to lead the RTDNA board Into 2022,” McGinley said. “Ours is a renowned organization with a deeply rooted mission: to promote and protect responsible journalism, to defend the freedom of the press and the safety of those in the field, and to train and encourage the ethical standards in newsrooms everywhere.”

She succeeds outgoing chair Andrea Stahlman, news director at WLKY-TV, who will move into the role of chair of the Radio Television Digital News Foundation for the final year of her three-year leadership cycle.  

“Andrea, you have led through unprecedented times, and you have done so with empathy, strength, and vision,” McGinley said of Stahlman. “You encouraged open discussion while deftly finding and coalescing common ground. You supported change and evolution without neglecting the importance of foundation or history. We thank you for guiding our board and our association. We thank you for your time and talent.”

As part of the election, Tim Scheld, news director, WCBS-AM in New York, has been elected chair-elect and begins a three-year leadership cycle. 

The results of the other RTDNA Board of Directors races were as follows: 

Directors-at-large: Ellen Crooke, vice president news, TEGNA, and Kimberly Wyatt, news director, WEAR-TV

Region 1: Tie. RTDNA will conduct a runoff election the week of Sept. 27. Region 1 members will receive ballots via email by mid-week. 

Region 2: Jennifer Seelig, director of news & programming, KCBS, San Francisco

Region 7: Jam Sardar, news director, WLNS-TV

Region 8: Robert Thomas, vice president/news director, WKYT, Lexington, Ky.

Region 11: Alex Silverman, brand manager/program director, KYW Newsradio, Philadelphia

Region 12: JJ Green, national security correspondent, WTOP, Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced that it will hold its RTDNA2021 conference in person in Denver on September 23 and 24, 2021, with an agenda that will feature hands-on training, intimate discussions, and community engagement activities designed to get attendees immersed in the Mile High City. 

The organization noted that this year’s retreat, themed “The Year of the Team,” is an opportunity for current and aspiring news leaders across the country to reconnect and reflect on the values of community, connection, service and leadership.

“When approaching our annual conference this year, we listened to what our members said they wanted in a post-pandemic world in terms of professional development,” said RTDNA executive director Dan Shelley. “We have developed a curriculum that helps them restore, rejuvenate, refresh and find ways to be more productive, more satisfied, and more well-rounded as they practice the craft of journalism.”

Registration, with discounts for those signing up by Tuesday, August 10, is available at www.rtdna21.rtdna.org.

WASHINGTON—For the fifth year in a row, representation of people of color in local TV news improved, hitting a record 27.4% of the local news workforce, marking a dramatic improvement from 16.5% in 1995, the RTDNA reports 

But the survey, which is the fifth and final installment of the 2021 RTDNA/Newhouse School of Syracuse University Survey, also found that there is a notable gap in representation between the overall U.S. population and the local TV workforce, with TV news less diverse by about 12.2%. 

In fact, the gap has increased since 1990, when the overall population was less diverse. That year, people of color in the overall workforce was 25.9% and people of color represented 17.8% of the TV news workforce, a gap of 8.1%. 

Today, people of color represent 39.9% overall and 27.7% in TV news, producing a gap of 12.2%.

The survey found that stations in top 25 markets are the most representative, but that there has been improvements in smaller markets. Stations in the Midwest were the least diverse, followed by the Northeast, while stations in the South and West were most representative. 

For the first time in more than 25 years, all local TV newsrooms had women on the news teams but their proportion fell from 44.7% last year to 43.9%, reflecting the troubling impact of COVID-19 on women in the workforce. 

Overall, African Americans represented 12.3% of the local news workforce, followed by Hispanics (12.2%), Asian Americans (2.8%) and Native Americans (0.4%).

In terms of management, about 79.9% of news directors were white, followed by African Americans (6.5%), Latinos (10.3%), Asian Americans (2.7%) and Native Americans (0.8%). That represented a record high for people of color as news directors, though the representation gap remains large. 

People of color also hit record levels as general managers (9.8%), though this is way below their proportion of the overall workforce (39.9%.)

For the complete report visit the RTDNA.

WASHINGTON—Local TV found an increased role during the Covid-19 pandemic, and surprisingly, despite financial troubles across many industries from 2020, local TV news ended 2020 with both a record high in employment and increased salaries. However, 2021 has already seen some of those gains be erased.

Local TV news added 500 jobs during 2020, more than making up for the 300 jobs lost in 2019. With the 500 news jobs (a 1.8% increase), total full-time jobs in local TV news rose to 28,000, beating out the previous high set in 2009.

The specifics as to how the local TV industry got their aren’t simple though. More stations loss staff than added in 2020, with a record 30.2% making staff cuts; 22.9% grew. The growths were enough though to have the job total increase overall.

Staffing averages were up across most market sizes, regions and network affiliations. The big four networks were most likely to have gained staff. Stations in bigger markets, non-network affiliates and stations in the Northeast were most likely to have made cuts.

Digital staffing was up on average, with many news managers saying they have more staff dedicated to digital. Other newsroom roles saw gains as well, including photographer, producer, editor and social media producer/editor.

Solo journalists are being used more at least some of time, per RTDNA, but fewer newsrooms “mostly or only rely on solo crews.” Small markets overwhelmingly use solo journalists, with mid-markets doing so increasingly.

Solo journalist and producer roles were the most in demand positions in 2020, with nearly a quarter of created jobs for solo journalists. Solo journalists, digital roles and producers made up about three-quarters of new hires.

As the number of jobs went up, so did the salaries. After falling for the first time in seven years in 2019, local TV news salaries were once again on the upswing, increasing on average by 3.5% (2.1% after accounting for inflation). This represented the largest increase since 2016, RTDNA says.

Salary increases were made for 70% of local news position; 20% saw decreases and 10% stayed the same. Increases were mixed across markets, but those in markets 101-150 faired the best, with the top 25 seeing salaries for most positions falling.

Average and median starting salaries both rose to the highest they’ve been in the history of RTDNA’s survey. Average starting salaries increased $2,100 to $32,600, and media starting salaries were up $1,200 to $31,200. However, the starting salary for a college graduate ($50,944) was well below average, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employees.

Despite all the growth in 2020, the start of 2021 has been rough. RTDNA says that more than 400 jobs were lost through March of 2021.

For more information, visit RTDNA’s website.

WASHINGTON—Local TV news had its biggest year ever, as RTDNA reported a record number of local TV stations aired local news in 2020. According to a survey, 1,116 TV stations shared local news with its viewers.

The data comes from a survey conducted by RTDNA and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University.

The 1,116 TV stations airing local news content is up 18 from the previous all-time high, which was set in 2019. Of the 1,100+ stations, 710 produced their own news content, up five from 2019; 406 stations, meanwhile, aired local news, up 13.

Stations also set a record for hours of local news aired. Stations saw an increase in weekday news that, even with a slight decrease in weekend news, resulted in an overall net gain in average hours of local TV news. A little more than a third (34.5%) of TV stations reported they increased the amount of news they aired in 2020, up 7.3 percentage points from 2019.

Increases in the amount of news produced occurred in all market sizes. All staffs of 21 or more also increased their amount of news in minutes. Among the network affiliates, CBS stations were the most likely to increase their output, while Fox stations actually did not see an overall increase in news output.

All of this came in a year where budgets were mostly cutback because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Only 16.3% of stations reported a budget increase in 2020, compared to 36.8% in 2019. Inversely, 29.3% of stations saw budget cuts, up from 2019’s 9.1%. Stations in the top 50 markets were most affected by budget cuts.

Related, fewer news departments were profitable in 2020, according to news directors, with more reporting losses. However, the percentage of station revenue generated by the news department remained steady.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom, however. Pew Research Center reported that despite losses in ad revenues, gains in retransmission revenue helped lead to double-digit year-over-year revenue increases in the second half of 2020, with several groups setting record revenues.

The impact of Covid went beyond the financials, though. More than 90% of TV news directors said their newsrooms were still being significantly impacted by the pandemic at the end of 2020. More than 80% say at least some staff remain remote, which in some cases may become permanent. For 30%, there were budget cuts and reduced staff sizes, particular among stations in the Northeast. Seven of 10 news directors expect long or permanent changes in their workflow.

For more information, view RTDNA’s full report.

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the regional winners of the 2021 Edward R. Murrow Awards, which recognizes outstanding journalism from TV and radio stations.

RTDNA has handed out more than 750 awards to over 350 local TV and radio stations across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and four countries. The awards include 50 Overall Excellence awards, recognition for dozens of digital projects, more than 40 examples of investigative reporting and more than 100 instances of continuing or series coverage of ongoing stories.

Also, new for the 2021 awards, RTDNA introduced a category for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, recognizing more than 40 news outlets for their efforts. This includes things like bilingual reporting, contextual coverage of inequality and discrimination and newsroom-convened community discussions.

Here is the full list of regional winners.

“Local journalists across the country guided Americans through a pandemic, ongoing racial reckoning and a fraught election cycle, despite facing unprecedented operational challenges and an astonishing number of physical attacks during 2020,” said Dan Shelley, RTDNA executive director and chief operating officer. “The persistence of the regional Murrow Award winners we recognize today is a testament to these journalists’ commitment to their First Amendment duty.”

All regional winners automatically move on to the national round, which also includes digital news organization, network and student competitors.

For more information, visit RTDNA’s website. 

WASHINGTON—Between the election and its aftermath and the protests that took place throughout 2020, the safety of journalists has become an increasingly important issue to the point that the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) added specific questions on safety for the first time in new research.

The 2021 RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey is an annual report conducted among thousands of TV and radio stations across the country. When asked whether there had been any attacks on their newsroom employees in 2020, one in five (20.5%) TV news directors said there had been.

Attacks against journalists were more common in bigger TV markets. In the top 25 markets, 39% said that a newsroom employee was attacked. That number was 29.4% for markets 26-50 and 24.4% for markets 51-100; after that incidents dipped below 10%.

RTDNA found that attacks were more common in the West, as well as among large newsrooms—38.3% of newsrooms with 51 or more staffers said a journalist experienced an attack. Network affiliation made no difference, according to RTDNA.

Almost half of all attacks were against crews covering what news directors described as “riots, protests and civil unrest.”

The survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2020, meaning that the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol, where a number of attacks against the media were documented, are not included in this report.

Some of the responses included details on how crew were surrounded and threatened during civil unrest last May; crew being hit with pepper spray; verbal harassment; vehicles damaged; journalists attacked on-air; reporters being shoved by police ; and more.

A majority of stations (86%) have said they have altered procedures to try and better protect journalists. Such measures include adding professional security for high-risk situations; limiting live shots; requiring more people in the field; giving instructions to bail if threatened; not wearing identifying logos; safety briefings; mandatory 10-minute check-ins; as well as other measures.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith, who has been a proponent of greater protection for journalists, gave this statement in response to the RTDNA survey:

“Broadcast journalists play an essential role in documenting pivotal moments in American history from the front lines. That has never been more important than during the past year. NAB is gravely troubled by this study reporting the unprecedented level of harassment, intimidation and violence directed at journalists covering the historical events of 2020. These unacceptable attacks on our nation’s free press undermine our very democracy by preventing journalists’ ability to report the facts and keep the public informed. We are grateful to the dedicated broadcast journalists bringing the truth to Americans during these dangerous times.”

For more information on the survey, visit RTDNA’s website.

WASHINGTON—The 2020 National Edward R. Murrow Awards, from the Radio Television Digital News Association, announced its full slate of winners via a virtual event that took place on Oct. 10.

Recognizing excellence in broadcast and electronic journalism, The Murrow Awards handed out more than 100 national awards and more than 800 regional awards for digital, network, students and, new this year, podcasts.

There were eight Overall Excellence Awards presented in eight categories:

• Small Market Television: WTVR-TV 
• Large Market Television: KMGH-TV 
• Television Network: ABC News 
• Small Market Radio: KBIA 
• Large Market Radio: KNX AM 
• Radio Network: CBS News Radio 
• Large Digital News Organization: The Washington Post 
• Small Digital News Organization: The Marshall Project 

“We know that this year has been extraordinarily tough,” said Dan Shelley, RTDNA executive director, in his opening remarks. “2020 has brought about challenges that have tested us at every level of our professionalism and humanity and I couldn’t be more proud that you are always there, covering it all. That you—despite the previously unthinkable professional and personal challenges you’ve faced—are continuing to serve your communities with distinction and dignity and professionalism.”

The full list of 2020 National Edward R. Murrow Award winners is available online. 

WASHINGTON—RTDNA, in partnership with the Freedom Forum Power Shift Project, are planning to conduct the “Local Broadcasters’ Town Hall” webinar on May 27 at 1 p.m. ET.

As local broadcast stations have grown significantly in popularity during the current coronavirus pandemic, this town hall-style discussion will highlight the impact of local journalism and share ideas for stories, projects or initiatives to serve communities during the pandemic.

RTDNA is calling for stations to participate in the town hall.

Registration is now open.  For more information, visit the RTDNA website.

WASHINGTON—The 2020 Regional Murrow Award winners, honoring work by local broadcast news, have been announced by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

More than five thousand entries were submitted for this year’s edition, a record. RTDNA handed out 750 awards in 14 regions, representing more than 350 local radio and TV news outlets from 49 states and four countries.

The complete list of 2020 regional winners can be found here.

The winningest TV outlets for this year’s awards included KING-TV in Seattle in the Large Market Television category, netting 11 wins. In the Small Market Television category, Hawaii News Now in Honolulu earned the most awards with five.

“Murrow Award-winning journalism upholds the guiding principles of RTDNA’s Code of Ethics: truth, accuracy, fairness, context, independence, integrity, transparency and accountability for consequences,” said Terence Shepherd, RTDNA chairman. “Displaying technical excellence, creativity and innovation, this year’s winners have empowered audiences across the country to make more informed decisions for themselves and to become closer to their communities.”

All regional winners are automatically moved on to the national round of consideration, which also includes digital news organizations and network competitors.

WASHINGTON—While the FCC is seeking comments on whether new rules should be implemented to measure the quality of live closed captioning, the National Association of Broadcasters took the opportunity to shoot down the notion entirely.

In its reply comments to the commission in regard to the petition (RM-11848), NAB said that “such rulemaking is unnecessary because the existing caption quality standards and best practices, coupled with an extensive compliance program, have yielded high-quality captions. The record does not justify the requested change in approach to ensuring caption quality.”

The NAB details how when the 2014 Caption Quality Order was established the FCC rejected caption quality metrics that would have required video programming distributors to monitor and compare live closed captioning against a quantifiable standard, citing it as an “undue burden.” Instead, the caption quality standards and best practices were created.

“The existing caption quality standards, best practices and compliance program have successfully ensured high-quality captions,” the NAB writes. “NAB finds no justification in the record to change course by imposing an uncertain, inflexible metrics-based scheme. At a minimum, the requested proceeding is far from ripe, given the nascent nature of the Captioning DRRP’s project.”

The Radio Television Digital News Association also filed comments opposing the petition.

“RTDNA agrees with NAB that a change in course at this time is premature and would prove to be counterproductive,” the comments read. “RTDNA respectfully submits that (1) closed captioning has markedly improved under the current best practices framework; (2) a metrics-based system for assessing caption quality would be unduly burdensome to RTDNA’s members and undermine the integrity of their news operations; and (3) premature rules governing the use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology would stymie ongoing innovation in closed captioning technology.”

“News organizations and local stations continue to make great strides toward increasing the accessibility of local news and public affairs programming to the deaf and hard of hearing community,” RTDNA continues. “To be sure, there is still work to be done. … The commission’s approach is working, and there is no evidence to suggest that a metrics-based enforcement scheme would do anything but impede progress. Moreover, the commission should leave the industry free to evaluate new captioning techniques within the context of existing best practices.”

More comments regarding this petition are available on the FCC website.

WASHINGTON—After more than 4,600 entries, RTDNA has determined the winning news organizations for the 2019 National Edward R. Murrow Awards. One hundred local and network television, radio and digital news organizations were recognized for work on 122 journalism pieces across 16 categories. In addition, Student Murrow Awards were handed out in five categories of audio, video and digital reporting.

“The RTDNA National Edward R. Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that uphold our Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community,” said Dan Shelley, RTDNA executive director in the official announcement.

On the television side, the big winners included ABC News for Overall Excellence in the network television category. In the large market category, Overall Excellence was awarded to KMGH-TV in Denver, while KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs, Colo., won the same award for small market television.

Winning the most awards this year was CBS News, which won for Overall Excellence in network radio, as well as awards in network television for Breaking News Coverage, Continuing Coverage, Excellence in Social Media and Hard News; it won additional network radio awards for Breaking News Coverage and Newscast.

The full list of winners is available here.

The national awards will be presented during the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala on Oct. 14 at Gotham Hall in New York City.

WASHINGTON—Local TV stations across the country are making sure they aren’t getting left behind in the digital revolution, putting digital at the front of new innovations they are implementing. This comes from the 25th edition of the annual RTDNA/Hofstra University Newsroom Survey.

The 2019 survey asked for just the second time what’s the most innovative thing a newsroom started doing in the last year. Out of the more than 200 responses that answered the question, digital was the top choice. Nearly half, 45.3%, of respondents said they did something that involved digital, with streaming and OTT being the most popular upgrade. Some responses were also given for digital platforms, digital first and digital specific programming. Alexa and AR technology were also mentioned.

Management was the next popular response at 35.8%, though it covered a wide range of answers. Drones was one of the most popular answers from this group, with many stations saying they increased their drone program or added new licensed drone pilots to their staff. Staffing and technical issues rounded out the top three answers under management. Some other answers addressed the addition of new equipment to the station’s toolbox.

Content rounded out the remainder of the responses (18.9%), but there was still a heavier focus on digital content rather than innovation for on-air content.

The survey also asked how these new innovations were working for stations, which touched on the in progress status of stations going digital first; mixed, but positive, results for OTT and streaming; but ultimately that stations were getting out of digital what was put into it.

To read the full RTDNA survey, including how local TV stations improved journalism at their station in the last year, click here.

WASHINGTON— RTDNA announced the winners of the 2018 Student Edward R. Murrow Awards. The awards, presented in five categories, recognize outstanding work by student journalists. These national award winners were selected from among entries submitted by student journalists across the country and represent the best examples of student reporting in their respective categories.

“These outstanding student journalists represent not only the future of journalism, but also the professional level of reporting that student journalists are already bringing news audiences across the country,” said RTDNA Chair Scott Libin.

The winners are:

Excellence in Audio Newscast: Carolina Connection — April 8, 2017, University of North Carolina School of Media and Journalism

Excellence in Audio Reporting: Bob Hurley’s Biggest Game, James Corrigan, WFUV, Fordham University

Excellence in Digital Reporting: Troubled Water, Carnegie-Knight News 21

Excellence in Video Newscast: Annenberg TV News – October 2, 2017, USC Annenberg Media

Excellence in Video Reporting: In My Backyard, Zach Putnam, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication

The winners will be recognized at the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala at Gotham Hall in New York City on Oct. 22 along with the winners of the 2018 National Edward R. Murrow Awards.

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NEW YORK--The consolidation of TV newsroom operations has slowed and local news continues to run on a record number of stations.

That is according to a new study from the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTDNA). The study is not being released until June 13, but those are a couple of the top-line results, according to highlights obtained by TV Technology sister publications B&C/Multichannel News.

Among the other takeaways are that the quantity of local TV news is at an all-time high as well.

The survey comes as Washington considers ways to battle fake news and the FCC considers whether to allow Sinclair to buy Tribune. Activists argue that that deal threatens local news, or at least threatens to homogenize it via national, must-run, programming from a particular political viewpoint.

The RTDNA study also looked at radio station news and found that commercial stations air "a median" of 50% more local news than noncommercial stations, as did stations with at least three news staffers compared with those with fewer.

Also on the radio side, station groups are increasingly coordinating their local news and fewer are getting news from outside sources.

The study will detail who airs news, how much, and when and where that news comes from. 

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the winners of the 2017 national Edward R. Murrow Awards. 

This year there will be 117 national awards in 15 categories including excellence in innovation, breaking news, investigative reporting and more. RTDNA received nearly 4,300 entries during the 2017 awards season.

CBS Radio News and CBS News (television) won the Edward R. Murrow Award for overall excellence at the network level. CBS’ radio team also won in the network newscast category and in breaking news. CBS' television team won in newscast, continuing coverage, writing and investigative reporting.

In the network radio division, National Public Radio tied CBS with three awards, including excellence in innovation, feature reporting and continuing coverage. In network television, CNN matched CBS with five awards, including breaking news, hard news, news series, excellence in social media and excellence in video.

In large market radio, WNYC(FM) and WTOP(FM) each took home two awards. WNYC won for excellence in innovation and hard news. WTOP won for website and overall excellence.

In small market radio, New Hampshire Public radio earned three awards for feature reporting, news series and overall excellence. In large market television, KXAS(TV) was the top local winner with four awards, including breaking news, excellence in sound, investigative reporting and overall excellence. KCCI(TV) won three awards in small market television, for continuing coverage, writing and hard news. WWBT(TV) won for overall excellence.

In other media, the Washington Post won five awards in the large digital news organization division, including continuing coverage, excellence in social media, writing, hard news and investigative reporting. The New York Times won the award for overall excellence. Among small digital news organizations, The Texas Tribune won four awards, for continuing coverage, excellence in social media, investigative reporting and overall excellence.

The winners will be recognized at the 46th RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala at Gotham Hall in New York City on Oct. 9. Tickets will go on sale next month. 

WASHINGTON—Citing a “climate of distrust” and growing attacks on journalism, the Radio Television Digital News Association has announced it has created the Voice of the First Amendment Task Force. This task force, it said, will react to threats to the First Amendment as well as support journalists and educate the public about the importance of a free press to the U.S. democracy.

Among its first efforts, members of the task force are expected to meet with leaders from radio and TV station groups across the country at the upcoming 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas. They will discuss recent threats and develop a plan to protect and promote the role of journalism.

“If the public comes to believe the news media are the ‘enemy of the people,’ one of our country’s most fundamental rights could be lost,” said Task Force Co-Chair Sheryl Worsley. “Freedom of the press helps ensure a check on government and helps America stay free.”

Station groups interested in reaching out to the task force can contact them at pressfreedom@rtdna.org or call RTDNA Executive Director Mike Cavender at 770-823-1760.

WASHINGTON—There will be two more Edward R. Murrow Awards up for grabs in 2017, as the Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the addition of two categories for participants to compete in. The categories are Excellence in Innovation and Excellence in Social Media.

RTDNA describes Excellence in Innovation as an award for “news organizations that innovate their product to enhance the quality of journalism and the audience’s understanding of the news.” Entries will be judged on innovative use of content, engagement, technology and/or audience experience.

For the social media category, RTNDA looks to reward “news organizations that use social media to enhance the audience’s understanding of a single news story or news event/project, as evidenced by the quality of journalism and the quantity and quality of user engagement.”

New categories have also been added to the Student Edward R. Murrow Awards, including Excellence in Audio Newscast; Audio Reporting; Video Newscast; Video Reporting; and Digital Reporting.

In addition, RTDNA has opened the Excellence in Video category to allow radio stations to enter; inversely, television stations are now eligible to enter the Excellence in Audio category.

RTDNA will begin accepting entries for the 2017 Edward R. Murrow Awards in mid-December and close it in February. Regional winners will be announced in April, followed by national winners in June. For more information, visit www.rtdna.org.

NEW YORK–The Radio Television Digital News Association presented its national Edward R. Murrow Awards at its annual awards gala in New York on Monday. Numerous television winners were among them.

Lester Holt, anchor of NBC Nightly News, accepts an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Network Newscast

Notably, ABC News Television and ABC News (radio) each picked up an Edward R. Murrow Award for overall excellence at the network level, for the third year in a row.

Madison, Wisconsin’s WISC-TV took home Edward R. Murrow Awards for overall excellence, best newscast and best feature reporting. In the same small market television division, New Orleans, Louisiana’s WVUE-TV took home Murrow Awards for best news series and best use of video.

On the large television market side, the Canadian station CTV Vancouver took home the Murrow Award for overall excellence. Atlanta, Georgia’s WXIA-WATL-TV took awards for best continuing coverage, best investigative reporting and writing.

Some 400 people were in attendance. The full list of winners can be seen here.

NEW ORLEANS—The Radio Television Digital News Association has taken up residency in the Big Easy for its “Excellence in Journalism 2016” national convention and took the time to honor a pair of distinguished individuals, and elect its board of directors.

Previously announced, Gray Television’s Jeff Marks and CBS and PBS journalist Charlie Rose were honored. Marks was presented with the John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award, while Rose received RTDNA’s highest honor, the Paul White Award. “Charlie Rose and Jeff Marks are outstanding examples of true dedication, both in front of and behind the camera,” said Mike Cavender, executive director of RTDNA.

In addition, the results of the election for RTDNA’s board of directors were announced. Vincent Duffy of Michigan Radio was elected as chair for his second term in that position, while Scott Libin from the University of Minnesota becomes the Chair-Elect after previously serving as a regional director and chair of RTDNA’s Ethics Committee.

The other elected board members include Kathy Walker, news director of KOA-A Denver, to the position of chair of RTDNF; Sheryl Worsley of KSL-AM, Salt Lake City, as regional director for Region 3; Mark Millage of Media Minefield as regional director for Region 4; Scott Brady from KYTV-TV in Springfield, Mo., as regional director for Region 5; KSLT-TV, San Angelo, Texas’ David Wagner as regional director for Region 6; Gary Wordlaw from WVLA/WGMB-TV in Baton Rouge, La., as regional director for Region 9; Andrew Vrees of WCVB-TV in Boston as regional director for Region 10; Terence Shepherd, WLRN-FM, Miami, as regional director for Region 13; Blaise Labbe, WOAI/KABB-TV in San Antonio as director at-large; and E.W. Scripps’ Chip Mahaney as director at-large.

To see the full board of directors, click here.

WASHINGTON—Charlie Rose is joining the ranks of Chris Wallace, Dan Rather, Peter Jennings and Edward R. Murrow as a recipient of the Radio Television Digital News Association’s Paul White Award. Recognizing a lifetime of achievement and service to electronic journalism, Rose will receive the award during the “Excellence in Journalism 2016” event in September.

Rose is the co-host of “CBS This Morning” and a contributor to “60 Minutes.” He also serves as the executive producer and host of “Charlie Rose” on PBS and Bloomberg Television. Rose has also been honored with Emmy and Peabody Awards, the Legion d’honneur, and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. In 2014 he was named to Times’ list of 100 Most Influential People in the world.

“Charlie Rose is a consummate interviewer, a gifted storyteller and an exemplary broadcast journalist,” said Kathy Walker, chair of RTDNA.

Named for the first news director at CBS, RTDNA has been handing out the Paul White Award since 1956.

The “Excellence in Journalism 2016” ceremony will take place on Sept. 19 at 5 p.m. CT at the Sheraton New Orleans.

WASHINGTON —The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the winner of the 2016 John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual’s contributions to the journalism profession and freedom of the press: Gray Television Director of Talent Development Jeffrey Marks.

A longtime news director and television station general manager, Marks became known worldwide for being the public face of WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, Va., in the wake of the killing of two journalists on live TV.

“Under the most difficult of circumstances, Jeff Marks spoke to his station’s audience with clarity and comforted his colleagues with compassion and grace,” said Mike Cavender, executive director of RTDNA. “He demonstrated remarkable leadership through adversity.”

“No one could have been prepared for what happened, but he gave strength to his team when they needed it most,” added Kathy Walker, chair of RTDNA. “His perseverance will long be remembered.”

The award will be presented on Monday, Sept. 19 at 5 p.m. ET at Excellence in Journalism 2016, at the Sheraton New Orleans. The ceremony will be followed by a reception.

Marks now serves as director for talent development for Gray Television, the owner of television stations in 50 U. S. markets. He is responsible for assisting the stations with a wide range of training and recruiting tools. He served for more than eight years as president and general manager of WDBJ7 in Roanoke. Before Roanoke, he served as general manager of WAGT-TV in Augusta, Ga., WLBZ-TV in Bangor, Maine, and News 12 New Jersey, an all-news regional cable channel.

He began his career as a radio and television journalist in his home state of Kentucky and also served as executive producer for news at WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. His first news director position was at WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine, where the station’s newscasts grew to the #1 market position during his tenure, a position the station still holds nearly 30 years later. Marks was elected chairman of RTDNA , and served eight years on its board. He was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 2015.

He has coached journalists at the Poynter Institute in Florida and several universities and has traveled overseas on numerous occasions to train broadcasters. He has lectured and trained in multiple cities throughout the countries of Romania, Ukraine and Georgia.He holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the University of Kentucky.

Named for the founder and first president of RTDNA, the John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award was established in 1959 to recognize an individual’s contributions to the journalism profession and freedom of the press. Past Hogan Award recipients include Jorge Ramos, Christopher Glenn, Don Fitzpatrick, Hugh Downs, Walter Cronkite, Terry Anderson, Rob Downey, Col. Barney Oldfield, David Sarnoff and Frank Stanton. 

WASHINGTON—Seven broadcast and news organizations were honored by the Radio Television Digital News Association as the 2016 Kaleidoscope Award winners for what the organization describes as “outstanding achievements in the coverage of diversity.”

The winners are:

Television

Network Television/Syndication Service/Program Service: “Fault Lines: Ferguson: Race and Justice in the U.S.” – ESPN Films (New York)

Large Market Television: “KARE 11 News” – KARE-TV (Minneapolis)

Small Market Television: “Living Transgender in RVA” – WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.)

Radio

Network Radio/Syndication Service/Program Service: “Not the ‘Right’ Kind of Gay” – WNYC Radio Rookies (New York)

Large Market Radio: “So Well Spoken” – KQED (San Francisco)

Small Market Radio: “Civil Rights – Gay Rights” – Alabama Public Radio (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Digital

Online New Organization: “Criminalizing Kids & Environmental Justice, Denied” – The Center for Public Integrity (Washington)

The winners will be recognized on Sept. 19 during the Excellence in Journalism 2016 conference in New Orleans. The winning entries can be viewed on RTDNA’s website.

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the winners of the 2016 Student Edward R. Murrow Awards. The awards recognize outstanding work by student journalists across United States in three categories: audio, video and digital.

“This year’s winners demonstrate a level of excellence we want to encourage in journalism programs across the country,” said RTDNA Chair Kathy Walker in the announcement.

Noel Gasca, winner in the audio category, is a freshman at Emerson College in Boston and has produced work for KUOW in Seattle. Gasca won for her story “Ivy,” an audio adaption of her 2016 Gracie Grand Award-winning story “Why This Teen Stopped Hiding Her Dad’s Abuse.”

The video category winner, Vivian Feke, produced a story titled “Making a Difference.” Feke has just graduated from Kent State University with a dual degree in broadcast journalism and criminal justice. She served as general manager for two years at her school’s television station, which was awarded College Station of the Year honors by the College Media Association.

Student journalists Alexandra Garretón, Jake Nicol and Chris Schodt from the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism won in the digital category for their story “Wiped, Flashed, and Rekitted.” Both Garretón and Schodt are California-based freelance journalists and Nicol works as a video journalist for the Wall Street Journal. All are recent graduates.

To see the winning entries, visit the Student Murrow Awards winners page at rtdna.org. The winners will be recognized at the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala at Gotham Hall in New York on Oct. 10. Winners of the national Edward R. Murrow Awards for professionals will be announced later this month. 

WASHINGTON—Fewer TV stations are creating more news than ever before for more TV stations, according to the Radio Television Digital News Association. The RTDNA’s annual local broadcast news survey found that a record 1,053 U.S. TV stations are carrying local newscasts. That's up eight from a year ago, but the number of stations supplying those newscasts—714—is down by three from 717. The amount of news those stations generated also hit a record at a weekday median of 5.5 hours. The average—also 5.5 hours—tied with the 2012 figure for the amount of local news.

Stations in the top 25 markets had the greatest increase in the amount of local news they are doing this year compared to last year, the RTDNA said.

“After three years of slow drops in the percentage of TV stations increasing news, the numbers this year went the other way. The percentage increasing the amount of news went up by almost 7 points; the percentage cutting back was cut in half.” writes Bob Papper, emeritus distinguished professor of journalism at Hofstra University who compiles the survey.“This past year, a majority of top 25 market stations increased the amount of news. All market sizes except 26 to 50 went up, and stations in the West were a little more likely than others to increase the amount of news.”

NBC topped the list among affiliate groups, with 179 NBC affils creating newscasts—down two from last year. ABC was next and flat at 173. Next was CBS with 172, or one less than last year. Fox came in fourth with 74 affiliates, up four from last year. The top 10 were rounded out by Univision 36 affiliates; 27 independents; 23 Telemundos, 14 PBS member stations, nine CWs and four American One affiliates.

O’dark thirty was the top time for adding a newscast. Most were added at either 4 a.m. or between 4 and 6 a.m. Sunday morning came next and tied with weekday evenings between 5 and 7 p.m.

Among radio stations, 80 percent of local radio groups said at least one station in the group ran local news—up around one percentage point from last year. Nearly 70 percent of radio stations surveyed said they run local news—75.2 percent of AM stations and 65.6 percent of FM stations—up overall by 3 percentage points from last year. The increase compares to a 4 percent drop last year and an 8 percent drop the year before. The increase in newscasts at AM and FM stations was about the same amount.

The survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2015 among all 1,681 television stations and a random sample of 4,037 radio stations. Valid responses came from 1,286 television stations (76.5 percent) and 484 radio news directors and general managers representing 1,316 radio stations.

See more details at the RTDNA website.

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced that it is extending the previous deadline for submission for the 2016 Edward R. Murrow Awards. In order to be eligible, all entries must now be completed by Wednesday, Feb. 17.

The extension also applies to Student Murrows and Kaleidoscope Awards. Judging will occur in March and the regional winners will be announced in April. Regional winners automatically move on to the national competition.

The original deadline for entries was Feb. 5. All entries for the Murrow, Student Murrow and Kaleidoscope Awards that were entered from 11:59 p.m. PST on Feb. 5 to the new deadline will incur a $10 deadline extension charge per entry in addition to the normal entry fee.

To find out more information, or to submit an entry, click here.

WASHINGTON—The latest edition of the Radio Television Digital News Association’s “Cameras in the Courts Guide” has been released by the organization. The revamped guide, which was revised in the fall of 2015, features updated information from every state and courts at the federal level. Rules detailed cover video and still cameras, microphones, laptops, smartphones, and more recent developments like live blogging and tweeting.

RTDNA’s guide includes links to the constitutional provisions, state laws, administrative orders or policies that form the basis of each state’s rules, as well as links to media guides, sources of video and audio coverage.

“It is our goal to have courtrooms in every state and at every level open to electronic journalists and the newsgathering tools they use every day,” said Mike Cavender, RTDNA executive director. “The judicial branch of government conducts the public’s business, and that business should be accessible to all.”

The RTDNA is also calling for more resources to improve future editions of the “Cameras in the Courts Guide.” To find out how to submit information, or find out about the rules for your state, click here.

The “Cameras in the Courts Guide” is produced in cooperation with Wiley Rein, LLP, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm. It is developed by Kathleen Kirby, RTDNA counsel; Kathleen Scott, associate; and Ashley Criss, summer associate.

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Association is calling for entries for the 2016 Edward R. Murrow Awards. Entries can be submitted via RTDNA's online registration system through Febr. 5. Stories told between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2015 on radio, television and digital media are eligible for entry in the 2016 contest. Complete contest rules are available on the Call for Entries site.

Nominations also are being accepted for the 2016 Kaleidoscope Awards recognizing coverage of diversity issues. According to the RTDNA Kaleidoscope Award page, “the purpose of the award is to encourage and showcase journalistic excellence in covering issues of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity. It is presented annually to news organizations that show an ongoing commitment to covering the diversity of the communities they serve.”

The Student Edward R. Murrow Awards entry period also is open.

The RTDNA said it has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the electronic news profession.

past Murrow Award-winning entries. Regional winners will be announced in April and national winners in June.

MOUNTAINVIEW, CALIF.—While honoring electronic journalism since 1971, the Radio Television Digital News Association’s Edward R. Murrow Awards will get in on the act itself with a live stream of this year’s ceremony provided by TVU Networks’ TVUPack TM8200 mobile uplink backpack transmitter.

TVUPack TM8200

The TVUPack is a portable backpack style IP newsgathering product that allows broadcasters to capture and broadcast live HD video over multiple cellular, satellite, microwave, Wi-Fi, WiMax, and BGAN connections. The TVUPack uses Inverse StatMux Plus technology, but it also available with an optional integrated MIMO Microwave for challenging cellular bandwidth environments.

RTDNA previously used the TVUPack TM 8200 to live stream the Paul White and John F. Hogan Awards in September. The Edward R. Murrow Awards will be held Oct. 12 at Gotham Hall in New York. The live stream will be available at www.rtdnaedwardrmurrowawards.org/. 

WASHINGTON – Broadcast trade organizations joined forces to launch the “Alison & Adam Memorial Fund” to support families of the victims of the Roanoke TV shooting.

The National Association of Broadcasters, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced that they will contribute to and accept donations from broadcasters on behalf of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. Commitments of $40,000 have already been offered by broadcaster interests, according to NAB.

Parker and Ward were tragically killed by a former employee in a Wednesday shooting on WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, a CBS affiliate owned by Schurz Communications.

A portion of the contributions will be distributed to family members of Parker and Ward by the NAB. An additional contribution will go to Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, who was injured in the incident.

Any remaining funds will be directed to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based organization dedicated to press freedom and protecting the rights of reporters to work without fear of reprisal. NAB previously donated $10,000 to CPJ following the murders of James Foley and Steven Sotloff, American journalists abducted and murdered while covering the Syrian Civil War.

“Our hearts are heavy with grief over this horrifying act of violence against two individuals with a zest for life and a love of broadcasting,” said NAB President Gordon Smith. “We encourage our member companies to join with NAB in supporting the families of these two young journalists, who were taken way too soon.”

“This unspeakable tragedy has shocked every member of the journalism community,” said Mike Cavender, executive director of the Radio Television Digital News Association. “We hope donations provided through this fund demonstrate a small measure of our support for the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward.”

“This senseless and tragic loss has touched a cord throughout the television industry,” said Bob Mauro, president of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. “Our hearts and prayers are with Alison’s and Adam’s families. We encourage our members to support this effort and hope these donations help them in their time of need.”

Contributions to the Alison & Adam Memorial Fund can be made by sending checks made out to:

NAB Alison and Adam Memorial Fund
C/O NAB
1771 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

NAB is also developing an easy online method of contributing to the Alison & Adam Memorial Fund which will be available on NAB’s Website in the very near future.

WASHINGTON—Following the deaths of WDBJ-TV journalists Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, who were shot and killed during a live broadcast in Moneta, Va., Wednesday morning, the Radio Television Digital News Association was issued a statement.

"RTDNA is horrified and saddened by the senseless deaths of Alison Parker and Adam Ward, the two WDBJ employees," said Mike Cavender, RTDNA executive director. "While the shootings are under investigation, our most sincere sympathies go out to their families and friends and all who worked with them at WDBJ."

"Tragically, these shootings are the worst example in a continuing series of attacks on live television crews," he added, "Safety and security of our people is always of paramount concern, but as these attacks show, such violence can occur even in the most unexpected of situations."

For continued updates on this story as it breaks, please click here. 

WASHINGTON – The Radio Television Digital News Association has released its annual survey of the position of women and minorities in the industry, with the results yield both positive and negative trends.

First, according to the research, the number of women in broadcast newsrooms and in leadership roles has reached record levels. Women now make-up 42.3 percent of the TV news workforce and 39.2 percent of the radio news workforce, both of which are the highest they have ever been. In addition, the number of women and minority general managers has increased overall.

However, that seems to be one of the only areas of growth for minorities, according to RTDNA. The number of minorities in newsrooms has slipped, no longer keeping pace with the growth of the minority population overall. Minority news directors at non-Hispanic TV stations fell by three-tenths of a point, the fourth year in a row those numbers saw a decrease. Radio, meanwhile, saw a decline of 6.5 percent.

To see the full numbers and learn more about RTDNA’s report, visit www.rtdna.org.