KNXV Phoenix and PBS Frontline-WGBH are local television winners of the 2015 Scripps Howard Awards.
KNXV, an ABC affiliate owned by Scripps, was honored with the Jack R. Howard Award for Television/Cable In-Depth Local Coverage and $10,000 for “Arizona’s Dental Dangers,” its investigations into dentists’ unknown bad behavior. For WGBH, the PBS station in Boston, Dan Edge won the Jack R. Howard Award for Television/Cable In-Depth National and International Coverage and $10,000 for directing Ebola documentary “Outbreak.”
Established in 1953 by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the awards recognize excellence in print, broadcast and online journalism and are open to any U.S.-based news organization. All the winners and finalists were revealed Wednesday.
Two other local stations were named finalists for their in-depth local coverage. KUSA, Tegna's NBC station in Denver, was honored for its investigation into helicopter fuel systems causing fiery crashes. KNBC, NBC's O&O in Los Angeles, spent a year investigating hazardous radioactive materials at a nearby laboratory for its “LA’s Nuclear Secret” report.
Journalism award recipients will be honored on April 28 in Scottsdale, Ariz., while education awards recipients will be recognized during the Associate for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s annual conference in August in Phoenix. Industry experts gathered at the Poynter Institute for two days to judge the journalism entries. Winners collect trophies and share $180,000 in cash prizes.
“Journalism is alive and well and making a tremendous impact on people’s lives,” said Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation. “We can certainly say that with confidence after reviewing all of the outstanding entries and deciding on the winners this year. The commitment to excellence in their craft exhibited by these professionals is overwhelming and inspiring.”
