Student wins prestigious award for local community reporting

James Corrigan, a graduate student in the Newhouse School’s broadcast and digital journalism (BDJ) program, has won a 2021 national Edward R. Murrow Award. One of the most prestigious honors recognizing excellence in broadcast journalism, the Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

James Corrigan reporting from the Stadium

Corrigan won in the Excellence in Audio Hard News category for “Race Relations in the Country and Community on Minds Voters say in Your Election Blueprint,” which ran on WAER.

This is the second national Murrow Award win for Corrigan.

“Overwhelmed isn’t even the word,” he tweeted after learning of the honor. He thanked the BDJ department and faculty—Keren Henderson, Simon Perez and Randy Wenner in particular—for their support and guidance, and noted, “Coming to Newhouse was the best decision I ever made.” He also thanked WAER news director Chris Bolt.

Corrigan’s story delved into the fragile state of race relations in the local community and attitudes of BIPOC residents ahead of the 2020 election. “This was the most meaningful story I’ve worked on by a far,” he tweeted.