TOLEDO, Ohio — RTDNA today announced the regional winners of the 2021 Edward R. Murrow Awards. More than 750 awards recognize over 350 local radio and television stations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and four countries.
Among the winners is WTOL 11's news series "Cook Brothers: Reign of Terror," reported by lead investigator Brian Dugger and photojournalist Eric Rerucha.
The retrospective takes an in-depth look at the most notorious serial killers in Toledo history.
At the beginning of the 1980s, Anthony and Nathaniel Cook terrorized the streets of Toledo over a 16-month period. Police believe Anthony killed at least 10 people, with Nathaniel likely helping him with four of the killings. Their murderous rampage shattered lives and families. Four decades later, those families - and survivors - are still trying to put those pieces back together.
You can watch the winning series here:
Reporting of the Cook Brothers' saga also led to the duo's coverage of the "Murder on Brown Road" cold case, which is up for a regional Emmy Award and can be viewed here:
The "Cook Brothers: Reign of Terror" news series is now under consideration for a National Murrow Award.
This marks the second year in a row the Dugger-Rerucha team has earned a Regional Murrow Award. Last year, the pair was honored for their "Guilty Without Proof" saga, which can be viewed here:
“The regional RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Award recipients we announce today produced extraordinary journalism that brought clarity and context to 2020’s biggest news stories,” said RTDNA Chairwoman Andrea Stahlman. “The winning work demonstrates dedication, determination and a commitment to the highest ethical standards enshrined in RTDNA’s Code of Ethics.”
In addition to 50 Overall Excellence awards, the regional honors recognize dozens of digital projects, more than 40 examples of investigative reporting and over 100 examples of continuing or series coverage of ongoing stories.
In a new category for 2021, more than 40 news outlets earned regional Murrow Awards for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including examples of bilingual reporting, contextual coverage of inequality and discrimination, and newsroom-convened community discussions.
“Local journalists across the country guided Americans through a pandemic, ongoing racial reckoning and a fraught election cycle, despite facing unprecedented operational challenges and an astonishing number of physical attacks during 2020,” said Dan Shelley, RTDNA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. “The persistence of the regional Murrow Award winners we recognize today is a testament to these journalists’ commitment to their First Amendment duty.”
Regional winners automatically move on to the national round of consideration, which also includes digital news organization, network and student competitors.
Among the most prestigious awards in news, the Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community. Murrow Award winning work demonstrates the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.
About RTDNA
RTDNA is the world's largest professional organization devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism. Founded as a grassroots organization in 1946, RTDNA’s mission is to promote and protect responsible journalism. RTDNA defends the First Amendment rights of electronic journalists throughout the country, honors outstanding work in the profession through the Edward R. Murrow Awards and provides members with training to encourage ethical standards, newsroom leadership and industry innovation.