The Midwest Newsroom and its partners have been honored by two award competitions for reporting that focused on accountability and centered the voices and perspectives of people across the Midwest.
The Edward R. Murrow Awards and the Public Media Journalists Association gave out a combined 10 awards to the Midwest Newsroom in collaboration with KCUR, St. Louis Public Radio, Nebraska Public Media, and Iowa Public Radio.
Judges for both contests reviewed work that was aired and published in 2025.
“I often say that collaboration is a superpower for journalism,” said Holly Edgell, The Midwest Newsroom’s managing editor. “It gives everyone involved the chance to learn and partner while expanding reporting capacity for the benefit of our audiences.”
Murrow Awards
The regional Edward R. Murrow Awards are prestigious journalism honors presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association to local radio, television, and digital news organizations.
They celebrate outstanding community reporting, breaking news coverage, investigative journalism, and overall excellence across 14 regions. All regional winners advance to the national competition, with winners announced in August. Click here to view the complete Region 5 awards list.
The Midwest Newsroom and its partners won Edward R. Murrow Awards awards in the following categories:
Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- A Nebraska boy was bullied and called a ‘cotton picker.’ His mother is demanding accountability
- The Midwest Newsroom and Nebraska Public Media
- Reporter: Jolie Peal
“This story was more than a year of dedication and making sure we told this story right,” said reporter Jolie Peal. “Fellow reporter Elizabeth Rembert and I started working on this story together, conducting several interviews, reaching out to the school and trying to find the right people to talk to as we shared this family’s story. The editors at the Midwest Newsroom helped us ensure we kept searching for the right perspectives and left no stone unturned. I’m so grateful for this recognition of all of our hard work, and I’m grateful the family trusted us to tell their story.”
Hard News
- 'Bring Carol home': ICE snatches rural Missouri mom at immigration check-in
- The Midwest Newsroom and St. Louis Public Radio
- Reporters: Kavahn Mansouri and Chad Davis
Investigative Reporting
- How did a St. Louis man die in ICE custody?
- The Midwest Newsroom and St. Louis Public Radio
- Reporters: Brian Munoz, Kavahn Mansouri and Chad Davis
Sports Reporting
- How a Kansas college runner ended up 'on the verge of death' after 102-degree practice
- The Midwest Newsroom and KCUR
- Reporter: Sam Zeff
PMJA Awards
The Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) Annual Awards are the only national competition devoted exclusively to recognizing the best local journalism and storytelling produced by public media organizations across the United States. Click here to view the complete awards list.
The Midwest Newsroom and its collaborators won PMJA awards in the following categories.
2025 Special Coverage Category — Federal Policy, Local Impact — First Place
- Immigration policies hit the Midwest (multiple stories)
- Reporters: Multiple reporters
Cross-Platform Storytelling — First Place
- An unusual harvest
- The Midwest Newsroom and Nebraska Public Media
- Reporter: Naomi Delkamiller
"There are so many unique stories in the Midwest region, this one among them. I want to thank The Midwest Newsroom for allowing me to pursue this story and the farmers and elevator operators for sharing a slice of their lives with me," said reporter Naoimi Delkamiller. "As news audiences evolve, it is increasingly important to think about storytelling in as many ways as possible. I designed this cross-platform project with that reality in mind and I am honored PMJA recognized my work."
Education Feature, First Place
- Midwest schools learn from 4-day school week
- The Midwest Newsroom and Iowa Public Radio
- Reporter: Nicole Grundmeier
Visual Journalism, First Place
- Many people in north St. Louis may have lacked homeowners insurance when storms hit
- The Midwest Newsroom and St. Louis Public Radio
- Reporter/photographer: Holly Edgell; Data visualization: Daniel Wheaton
Sports Feature, First Place
- How a Kansas college runner collapsed in heat
- The Midwest Newsroom and KCUR
- Reporter: Sam Zeff
Collaborative Effort, Second Place
- Missouri changes solitary confinement policy
- The Midwest Newsroom and The Marshall Project
- Reporters: Kavahn Mansouri, Katie Moore
About the Midwest Newsroom
Based at KCUR in Kansas City, The Midwest Newsroom is an investigative and enterprise journalism collaboration between NPR and public radio stations in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. The regional reporting hub focuses on in-depth journalism, accountability, and systemic issues in the heart of the country.
