Award Highlights Nexstar’s Organization-Wide Commitment to Exceptional Locally Produced Programming and Community Service
IRVING, Texas and PEORIA, Illinois (June 11, 2014) – Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST) announced today that the local news operation of WMBD-TV, the Company’s CBS affiliate serving Peoria/Bloomington and Central Illinois DMA, is the winner of a National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Breaking News Coverage (Small Market). The award recognizes WMBD 31 News for its exceptional local news coverage of the devastating EF-4 tornado that ripped through Central Illinois in November 2013 as well as the tremendous public service and life-saving information that the station’s local reporters and meteorologists provided local communities throughout Central Illinois.
The Radio Television Digital News Association’s (RTDNA) has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. In total, there are 99 National Murrow Award winners from 59 different news stations, television networks, and/or broadcast groups. Only 13 National Edward R. Murrow Awards are given to small market television stations and 2014 awards mark the second straight year a Nexstar station has captured a national award.
“Nexstar and WMBD-TV are honored to receive the National Edward R. Murrow Awardfor Best Breaking News Coverage (Small Market) from the RTDNA,” stated Perry Sook, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nexstar Broadcasting Group. “Broadcasters play a critical role in times of emergency for the communities they serve, both as witness to breaking developments and as a relied upon resource for essential, lifesaving news and information. We are extraordinarily proud of WMBD-TV for providing the greater Central Illinois community with vital information before, during, and after the weather emergency. To win a prestigious National Murrow award in the small market category for the second consecutive year is a testament to Nexstar’s commitment to addressing the information needs of local viewers.”
Richard Engberg, VP and General Manager of WMBD-TV added, “I am extraordinarily proud of news personnel and station employees at WMBD-TV and WYZZ-TV for taking the lead in delivering accurate, timely, and lifesaving information to local communities in Central Illinois during the severe weather events this past November. The public service WMBD-TV and WYZZ-TV provided to the Central Illinois community during this weather emergency again highlights Nexstar’s strong commitment to all of the local communities it serves. On behalf of the station’s News Director, Rick Moll, and the outstanding news teams at both stations it is an honor to win this highly-respected National Murrow award. I would like to thankeveryone at WMBD-TV and WYZZ-TV for the work they have done, and continue to do to serve this exceptional community.”