Two Fox 8 investigations honored with national awards

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - WVUE-FOX 8 is very proud to announce our local Investigative Team consisting of Anchor and Investigative Reporter Lee Zurik, Photojournalist Jon Turnipseed and Producer Dannah Sauer have been honored with the prestigious National Headliner Award for two different investigations.

Founded in 1934 by the Press Club of Atlantic City, these awards compete with every other local station in the country and it’s truly a great honor to be recognized in this way. The annual contest is one of the oldest and largest in the country recognizing journalistic merit in the communications industry.

In the Broadcast or cable television stations “Public Service” category, the investigative series “Drained” was not only awarded First Place but was also given the “BEST IN SHOW” distinction. Making it the best television story of the year among local and network organizations.

Here’s a portion of what the judges had to say about this impactful investigative series:

“WVUE’s crack investigative unit commands our attention annually, but this year’s probe by Lee Zurik into a quirky Louisiana statute that allowed the city of New Orleans and other agencies to ignore court-ordered settlements for eternity was not only shocking in its depth of cruelty, but in its results: Shamed by the Fox affiliate, governing agencies released tens of millions of dollars to deserving victims of malfeasance. Louisiana in general and New Orleans in particular is fortunate to have Zurik and WVUE on guard for public interest.”

In the Broadcast or cable television stations “Investigative Reporting” category, the team’s investigative series “Outside the Office” was also awarded First Place.

Here’s a portion of the judge’s comments about this investigative series:

“Just astonishing: The mayor of New Orleans and her bodyguard disappear into a city-owned apartment for hours at a time; no work gets logged and the mayor attacks the station’s reporter as disrespectful when the story comes out. But the station’s intrepid use of public surveillance tapes tell the story with devastating authority.”

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