Media Contact:
Neily Braren
Promotion & Marketing Associate, WJCT
904.318.2633 | nbraren@wjct.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WJCT Public Media was recognized along with other member stations in the digital category for “Class of COVID-19: An Education Crisis for Florida’s Vulnerable Students”
August 16, 2022 — Jacksonville, Fla. – Florida Public Media is honored to announce the statewide public media collaboration, “Class of COVID-19: An Education Crisis for Florida’s Vulnerable Students,” has won a national Edward R. Murrow Award.
In this statewide project, public media journalists from across the state explored the high costs of the pandemic for children and young adults who faced some of the greatest obstacles to success.
The national Murrow awards recognizes excellence in journalism. The Radio Television Digital News Association presented Florida Public Media the Digital award in the large market radio group.
Participating stations included WLRN (Miami), WJCT (Jacksonville), WGCU (Fort Myers/Naples), WFSU (Tallahassee), WUSF (Tampa/St. Petersburg), WMFE (Orlando), WUCF (Orlando), WPBT (Miami), WEDU (Tampa/St. Petersburg) and WUWF (Pensacola).
We are delighted to see this statewide collaboration recognized nationally, and to have played a role in its creation,” said David McGowan,President and CEO of WJCT Public Media.
The program highlighted stories across the state including:
- In Tampa, migrant education advocates are worried about nearly 300 students — children of farmworkers — who “haven’t quite surfaced anywhere” in the last year.
- In Tallahassee, Brady Wilson’s hard-won ability to speak in complex sentences devolved to two- or three-word phrases after schools closed last spring. The 18-year-old has Potocki-Shaffer syndrome, which causes developmental delays.
- In Fort Lauderdale, a Broward County Public Schools social worker knows she has to “hit the pavement … and knock on those doors” to find the nearly 800 kids who haven’t logged on or shown up for in-person schooling in months.
The project included a magazine-style narrative radio program, airing statewide, an hourlong statewide television special and a series of stories and interactive multimedia content at classofcovid.org.
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About WJCT Public Media:
WJCT is the community-owned and operated public media organization serving Jacksonville and the First Coast since 1958, using television, radio, digital media, and live events to help community members learn, share, and grow. For more information on WJCT’s in-depth programming content, log on to WJCT Online at wjct.org. Like WJCT on Facebook (facebook.com/wjctjax) and follow WJCT on Twitter (@WJCTJax) and Instagram (@WJCTJax).