RTNDA Honors Work of WFLS News
 News department receives most 2009 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and D.C.
Frank Hammon
WFLS News
Date published: 4/13/2009
The Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) announced that WFLS-FM is the recipient of three Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. That is the most won by a station this year in the small market category for the region comprised of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.
The award for News Documentary was for “Focus: Report from Kuwait.” The program was a look at the work being performed by the Virginia National Guard’s 116th Brigade Troops Battalion. The Fredericksburg-based unit had been deployed several months earlier to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. The report was a collaboration with The Free Lance-Star reporter Rusty Dennen and photographer Mike Morrones who were embedded with the troops. WFLS News reporter Deirdre Blake anchored and produced the program. The program was broadcast last March.
WFLS News anchor and reporter Niche Herman received two Murrow Awards.
The first in the category of Feature: Hard News for “In the Line of Duty” a report from the funeral of Fredericksburg Police Officer Todd Bahr.
Herman also received a Murrow Award in the category Sports Reporting for “Rudy.” The story centered on inspirational football hero Rudy Ruettiger who showed up to offer a pep talk last September to the A.G. Wright Middle School football team.
The Radio-Television News Directors Association 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 spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.
All three regional winners are now finalists in their respective categories for the national 2009 RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award.
Date published: 4/13/2009
| 
Winners of the 2009 RTNDA regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for News Documentary, 
Winner of the prestigious 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 National Clarion Award for 
Winners of Virginia AP Broadcasters 2009 Award for Documentary or In-Depth Reporting, 
Winners of the 2008 Virginia Association of Broadcasters Awards for Best Documentary or Public Afairs Program