Wyoming Public Radio Wins Three 2016 Edward R. Murrow Awards

Wyoming Public Radio won three regional Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).

The highly coveted awards recognize the best electronic journalism produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world.

Wyoming Public Radio (WPR) won the Region 3 best feature reporting award for a story by Aaron Schrank that explored the relationship gay athletes and fans have with rodeo. Schrank explored the issue during the annual Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. It is his second regional Murrow award.

WPR energy and natural resources reporter Stephanie Joyce won the award for best investigative reporting for her story on how the decline in oil prices could result in a number of deep oil wells in the state being left unplugged. Joyce worked with the public media collaboration Inside Energy to develop her story.

WPR News Director Bob Beck won the best sports reporting award for his feature on two veteran rodeo bullfighters and their importance to the safety of bull riders. It’s the third time Beck has been honored with a Murrow.

“We have a great newsroom with fantastic reporters, and it’s a thrill to be honored with three very prestigious awards,” Beck says.  

Region 3 includes all commercial and non-commercial radio stations in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Regional winners automatically advance to the national Edward R. Murrow Awards competition, which will be judged in May. National awards will be announced in June.

Wyoming Public Media is a division of the Outreach School and a service of the University of Wyoming. With transmitters and translators throughout the state, WPR reaches nearly every community in Wyoming. For more, go online to wyomingpublicmedia.org.