Nexstar’s Local Stations Win National Murrow Awards for Investigative and Hard News
Event summary
- Nexstar’s KXAN-TV (Austin) and WHO 13 (Des Moines) won national Edward R. Murrow Awards in Digital and Hard News categories, respectively.
- KXAN’s winning entry included five investigative projects on topics like human trafficking, education, and immigration.
- WHO 13 was honored for 'Robin’s Voice,' a story about ALS patient Robin Leaper regaining speech through AI technology.
- Nexstar stations also won 34 regional Murrow Awards earlier in 2026.
The big picture
Nexstar’s Murrow Awards highlight its strategic focus on high-impact local journalism amid industry-wide challenges to sustainable newsroom funding. The wins underscore the value of digital storytelling and hard news in differentiating Nexstar’s stations in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
What we're watching
- Content Differentiation
- How Nexstar’s investment in investigative journalism will position it against competitors in the local news space.
- Audience Engagement
- Whether the recognition of hard-hitting stories translates into sustained viewership and digital engagement.
- Regulatory Dynamics
- The pace at which local journalism awards influence regulatory or policy discussions around media consolidation.