TELEVISION

WTVG-TV, Channel 13, wins 3 Edward R. Murrow Awards for broadcast excellence

WTVG-TV, Channel 13, received three Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association including the top prize for overall excellence.

Competing in the Small Market Television category for region 7 — Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois — WTVG won Overall Excellence for a news station, top newscast for its Action News at Six half-hour broadcast, and for Continuing Coverage of "Toledo's Water Crisis."

WTVG-TV, Channel 13, news anchors Lee Conklin and Diane Larson on set.

WTVG automatically advanced to the national Edward R. Murrow Awards competition, which will be judged later this month.

No other local TV or radio station received an Edward R. Murrow Award.

The industry awards are given annually to the best electronic journalism produced by radio, television, and online news organizations worldwide in 13 regions representing national coverage as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and one region representing international coverage.

The 46th annual Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award nominations were also announced Thursday, with WTVG leading the way. The ABC affiliate received 17 nominations in the smaller TV market 41-plus group, including best Evening Newscast for its 6 p.m. half-hour broadcast, and best Morning Newscast for its 5-to-7 a.m. block of news. WUPW-TV, Channel 36, also received a nomination for its Evening Newscast from 10 to 11 p.m, and WTOL-TV, Channel 11, picked up a nomination for its 5-to-7 a.m. news in the morning category. WTOL was nominated for two additional regional Emmys. The CBS affiliate and WUPW, the Fox affiliate, share the same news team as part of a shared services agreement between the stations.

WTVG's weekend morning and evening newscasts were nominated, as were the station's sports director, David Holmes, and weekend-evening meteorologist Ross Ellet, in the on-camera talent categories for sports anchor and weather anchor.

WGTE-TV, Channel 30, and WBGU-TV, Channel 27, also received two nominations each.

The Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which also includes the Cleveland-Akron market and Youngstown, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Ind., as well as Erie, Pa., will announce its Emmy winners in June.

Contact Kirk Baird at: kbaird@theblade.com or 419-724-6734.