The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) honored News 12 Networks with regional awards for journalistic excellence for Large Market Television in region 11, which covers New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

News 12 Networks was recognized in three categories: digital, excellence in innovation and news series.

News 12’s multimedia coverage of Gilgo Beach Unsolved examined the evidence, investigation and human toll of the Gilgo Beach serial killer case in a television documentary and multimedia project on News12.com. The online display features longform narrative that strings together more than 20 years’ worth of anecdotes and details, archival footage from the News 12 vault, custom graphically designed maps to show details of body placement, large pull quotes of substantial meaning, a virtual timeline, and photo galleries. This presentation won the Regional Murrow Award in the digital category.

News 12’s “The New Normal” won the Regional Murrow for “excellence in innovation.” The daily half hour show that ran uninterrupted during the pandemic is a product of exceptional integration between News 12’s linear and digital teams. The show became a safe haven for facts in a time of misinformation. Starting live on Facebook, the show’s popularity propelled it to the linear channels across the network. This is about multi-platform information and communication for our audience at the most important time of our lives, including the real-time relay of questions and answers through social media on topics that matter most to the audience.

In the “news series” category, “Leaving to Live: New York’s Organ Crisis” won. This was a four-part, six-month 'Turn to Tara' investigation, that investigated the confusion and chaos surrounding the organ wait list in New York, and the reason why so many patients are simply packing up their bags and fleeing the state.

“News 12’s journalistic commitment to play a vital role in the lives of our viewers was so well represented in these three efforts. The collaboration between our on-air and digital “New Normal” teams provided daily breakthrough life-saving information to keep our viewers safe during the pandemic,” said Jacques Natz, General Manager, News 12 Networks. “That same excellence in multi-platform storytelling was evident as two of the New York area’s finest journalists Tara Rosenblum and Eileen Lehpamer were honored, along with their storytelling teams, for uncovering powerful life and death stories that were duly recognized by the RTDNA judges.”

Regional winners automatically advanced to the national Edward R. Murrow Awards competition which will be announced in summer 2021. For a complete list of winners, visit https://www.rtdna.org/.