The KUNR news team has earned three 2019 regional Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, or RTDNA.
Our series Priced Out, on the lack of affordable housing in Northern Nevada, nabbed the best news series distinction for small market radio in region 2. This coverage was an "all hands on deck" situation for our small newsroom, and we reported on the issue from several lenses, capturing political, economic, and public health implications. We also made sure to talk to real, everyday Nevadans impacted by rising rents and home prices. Along with producing more than 30 in-depth features and interviews, our team created videos, audiograms, and a ten-episode podcast examining these issues. The series culminated in a live event that provided the community with access to various housing experts.
KUNR and our media partner Noticiero Móvil, a bilingual media outlet run by the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, won a regional Murrow in the "excellence in innovation" category for our unique partnership providing bilingual radio and digital content for the region. That coverage includes stories by student reporters from the Reynolds School who produce content in both English and Spanish. Their stories include sound-rich features and interviews on issues that matter to the local Latinx community.
Our Arts & Culture Reporter Holly Hutchings has earned best feature for her look at the evolution of Dickerson Road in Reno into an art hub. Her story is called Transforming An Industrial Road Into An Artists' Haven. Her reporting transports listeners to this gritty locale where artistic expression is being incubated. Our favorite moment in this story is entering a noisy auto garage, where along with getting a car fixed, customers can marvel at its art gallery. This moment captures a microcosm of Dickerson: the intersection of its past and future all in one space. Holly is an alumna of both the Reynolds School and NPR's Next Generation Radio program.
