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Connecticut Public honored with national Edward R. Murrow Award

(L-R) Connecticut Public's Walter Smith Randolph, Lori Mack, Eric Aasen, Frankie Graziano and Chief Content Officer Tim Rasmussen accept a National Edward R. Murrow Award on October 09, 2023 in New York City.
Connecticut Public
(L-R) Connecticut Public's Walter Smith Randolph, Lori Mack, Eric Aasen, Frankie Graziano and Chief Content Officer Tim Rasmussen accept a National Edward R. Murrow Award on October 09, 2023 in New York City.

Connecticut Public journalists were honored Monday with a national Edward R. Murrow award at a ceremony in New York City.

The award, among the most prestigious in journalism, is from the Radio Television Digital News Association.

Connecticut Public, the statewide NPR and PBS stations, received the award in the continuing coverage category for reporting about 10 years since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. Twenty-six people were killed, including 20 children. Connecticut Public journalists featured family members, survivors, teachers and lawmakers discussing what has and hasn’t changed over the past decade.

Connecticut Public also featured reflections from Scarlett Lewis, who talked about losing her son, Jesse, and Jimmy Greene, who lost his daughter, Ana Grace Márquez-Greene. In addition, Connecticut Public's coverage included an interview with Monsignor Robert Weiss, a spiritual first responder at Sandy Hook who officiated the funerals of eight of the 20 children.

“We need to keep moving forward, but we cannot forget,” Weiss said.

“I want to thank the family members and those close to what happened, for trusting our team and taking the time to reflect on what’s happened in their lives,” said Eric Aasen, executive editor at Connecticut Public. “Journalists always struggle with how to tell these difficult stories and to mark these occasions in ways that build understanding, avoid exploitation and minimize harm. For the audience we serve, it was important to take time and explore what’s changed and what hasn’t over the past 10 years. I also want to thank my colleagues for their tireless efforts and their sensitive reporting and interviews. Our coverage on air and online was reflective, thoughtful and poignant.”

Explore the list of national winners here. Listen to Connecticut Public’s entry here.

"The Edward R. Murrow Awards serve as a testament to the unwavering dedication of journalists who illuminate the world with their stories,” RTDNA President and CEO Dan Shelley said in a statement. “These awards celebrate not just excellence, but the very essence of journalism that shapes our understanding of events and fosters a more informed society."

In May, Connecticut Public earned five regional Murrow awards that advanced to the national competition. Winning coverage featured a variety of stories, including breaking news, talk show conversations, The Accountability Project investigative team stories, video journalism and digital journalism.

Earlier this year, Connecticut Public journalists earned four Boston/New England Regional Emmy Awards, a national award from the Public Media Journalists Association, and 18 awards from the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

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