MEDIA RELEASE

More Murrow Awards for KCSN-FM 88.5

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., May 7, 2008) — The news department of Cal State Northridge’s radio station, KCSN-FM 88.5, won five Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) in a recent compe¬tition involving smaller professionally staffed stations in California, Hawaii and Nevada.

Counting the new recognitions, the number of Edward R. Murrow regional awards won to date by KCSN’s news department—which consists of one staff member, news director Keith Goldstein, and a team of journalism students—totals 27.

The five new Murrow awards include "Overall Excellence," "Best Newscast," "Continuing Coverage," "Feature Reporting" and "Sports Reporting."

The "Overall Excellence" win represents the fourth time the KCSN news department has claimed the RTNDA prize. That category included stories on distracted drivers, teenage prostitution, the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, women’s roller derby, red light camera enforcement, the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival and a 30-minute "Evening Update" newscast.

In the "Best Newscast" category, KCSN won for its Sept. 19, 2007 broadcast of "The Evening Update", an in-depth newscast airing from 6–6:30 p.m. The newscast included stories on the 9-1-1 emergency system and the cellular phone demand, and a report by senior James Simson on runaway film production.

Other stories in the "Evening Update" winning newscast reported on the use of larger buses on the Orange Line 14-mile route, mobile hospital response to potential disasters, a blood supply shortage in Southern California, and a new San Fernando Valley area code. A business report was filed by junior Lizette Gomez and a sports report by senior Jason Gomes.

The "Continuing Coverage" award went to KCSN news department’s four-day coverage of the "Southern California Wildfires" in October, 2007.

Senior Jennifer Rock received the "Feature Reporting" award for her piece on the "California Institute for Abnormal Arts," and senior David Lopez received the "Sports Reporting" award for his story on the El Camino Real football team.