FOX 8 wins 8 Regional Edward R. Murrow awards, including Overall Excellence

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - WVUE | FOX 8 has been honored with eight regional Edward. R Murrow Awards, including the prestigious Overall Excellence Award.

"Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession," the Radio Television Digital News Association.

The awards were announced Wednesday morning:

• Overall Excellence: WVUE Staff
• Continuing Coverage: "Cracking the Code" Lee Zurik, Jon Turnipseed, Tom Wright, Greg Phillips, Nancy Decorte, Jed Lipinski, Manuel Torres (NOLA.com/The Times Picayune) Jeanne Pinder (Clear Health Costs)
• News Series: "Cracking the Code" Lee Zurik, Jon Turnipseed, Tom Wright, Greg Phillips, Nancy Decorte, Jed Lipinski, Manuel Torres (NOLA.com/The Times Picayune) Jeanne Pinder (Clear Health Costs)
• Innovation:  "Cracking the Code" Lee Zurik, Jon Turnipseed, Tom Wright, Greg Phillips, Nancy Decorte, Jed Lipinski, Manuel Torres (NOLA.com/The Times Picayune) & Jeanne Pinder (Clear Health Costs)
• Writing: John Snell for his Coast in Crisis series
• Investigative: "State of Unrest" Lee Zurik, Jon Turnipseed, Tom Wright & Greg Phillips
• Documentary: "State of Unrest" Lee Zurik, Jon Turnipseed, Tom Wright & Greg Phillips
• Hard News: "Transplant Tourism"  Lee Zurik, Jon Turipseed, Tom Wright, Greg Phillips & ProPublica

Zurik looked into controversial health care prices and practices in his "Cracking the Code" and "Transplant Tourism" investigations. "State of Unrest" unraveled questionable spending by the Louisiana State Police and led to a shakeup in leadership and suspensions of some officers.

John Snell continues to shine light on the the challenges the Gulf Coast faces as erosion and other environmental issues chip away at the land.

WVUE | FOX 8 has been honored with 58 Regional Murrows in the past eight years, including Overall Excellence six of those eight years.

The station now qualifies for National Murrow Awards in each of the categories above.

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