If you’re not familiar with the name of Edward R. Murrow, Google him and you’ll find out he was one of the first superstar TV investigative reports, actually, he would be the first. His reporting helped to bring down Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy in the midst of his Communist witch hunt in the 1950’s. The Radio and Television News Directors Association (of which I used to be a member) named its reporting awards after Murrow and ESPN won four of them. They’ll be handed out in October. Some very good reporting by ESPN as you can see what it won for and the stories that were deserving of the honors.
ESPN Garners Four National Murrow Awards First Sports Entry to Receive Investigative Reporting Honors
ESPN received four 2011 National Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), including the first for a sports entry in the prestigious Investigative Reporting category. ESPN also won for Audio Feature Reporting and Audio Sports Reporting in the Radio Network grouping, and for Writing in the Television Network grouping.
ESPN’s winning Investigative Reporting entry — Human Trafficking & the World Cup — examined whether the presence of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa had an effect on human trafficking in the country. Outside the Lines’ investigation included interviews with dozens of sources in South Africa and around the world, and undercover footage that alerted police to a house where trafficking victims as young as 15 were allegedly being held and forced to work as prostitutes. Reporting confirmed that more young people were trafficked into South Africa to work in the rapidly growing sex industry prior to the World Cup.
Previous Investigative Reporting Murrow Awards went to CBS 60 Minutes (2010, 2009), ABC News (2008, 2006) and Dateline NBC (2007, 2005, 2004, 2003).
ESPN’s 2011 Murrow Awards
Television Network/Syndication Service
Video Investigative ReportingESPN, Outside the Lines: “Human Trafficking & the World Cup” — John Barr goes undercover using hidden cameras to search for evidence of human trafficking in Cape Town, South Africa.?Producer: Nicole Noren
Writing
ESPN, 2010 FIFA World Cup — In a series of three short video essays on South African history and culture, Jeff Sarokin captures the unifying qualities of the World Cup, offers a glimpse into life in Soweto, the center of South Africa’s struggle against Apartheid, and tells of the origin of Gumboots.Radio Network/Syndication Service
Audio Feature Reporting
ESPN Radio, The Sporting Life with Jeremy Schaap: “A Goal, A Ghost” — Tom Rinaldi tells the story of Haitian immigrant Joe Gaetjens who scored in the U.S.A.’s stunning 1-0 World Cup win over England, but was imprisoned and executed upon returning to his native land. Producer: Jose MoralesAudio Sports Reporting
ESPN Radio, The Sporting Life with Jeremy Schaap, Outside the Lines: “Coach Randolph” — Mark Schwarz takes listeners inside the classroom and the locker room in this exclusive all-access piece on Natalie Randolph, America’s only female high school football coach. Producer: Art BerkoRTDNA is the world’s largest professional organization devoted exclusively to electronic journalism, honoring outstanding achievements with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the electronic news profession. The awards will be presented at the RTDNA Awards Dinner in New York on October 10, 2011.
That’s all.
