As the pandemic eased and the world resumed familiar patterns – for better and for worse – our news teams marched back into the field and put their unique stamp on the stories that changed the world in 2022.
In this entry for Overall Excellence, you’ll hear a collection of stories ABC News told comprehensively and differently, from Ukraine to Uvalde. Our brand of journalism blends sharp writing, a contemporary voice, vivid sound, compelling interviews, exclusive reporting, on-location urgency, and crucial context.
It also reaches audiences no matter where, or how, they’re listening.
Our coverage of the war in Ukraine is a great example of our approach to 2022’s biggest headlines. Correspondent Aaron Katersky traveled to Europe when it became clear Russia was about to invade. Then, when the first missiles fell, he was inside Ukraine and anchored live radio coverage alongside ABC’s Martha Raddatz. Right before they went on air, she told listeners, she’d received a text message from a Pentagon source framing the moment: “You are likely in the last few hours of peace on the European continent for a long time to come.”
From there, our reporting continued in hourly radio newscasts and regular special reports. The next night, we anchored a primetime radio special that also was available on demand as an episode of the ABC News Radio Specials podcast. In between, our flagship daily news podcast Start Here had exclusive reporting from across the zone. And all along, we published audio reports on abcnews.com and social feeds, while radio correspondents shared their reporting on ABC’s TV and streaming platforms.
We gave that “full” treatment to several other major stories throughout 2022: the massacre in Uvalde, the end of Roe v. Wade, the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Midterm Election – to name a few.
But you didn’t need to catch those hours of programming to hear ABC’s special touch with any given story. This entry also is filled with examples of short, daily reports that quickly convey importance or relevance. Like when Alex Stone reported from California, as wildfires crackled around him, “In recent years, they’ve been different. I’ve seen it. They’ve become more explosive.”
We also devoted significant time to stories we felt deserved more attention or needed better explanation. Our teams went to the southern border to report on the origin of Title 42 as a tool for fighting tuberculosis, not controlling immigration. We went to communities across the US considered “food deserts,” where – for a combination of reasons – people don’t have access to healthy and affordable food. We dedicated hours to Climate & Sustainability coverage, examining changes to our planet, economy and workforce.
ABC News also brought listeners a lineup of long-form audio programming that wasn’t necessarily tied to headlines. Our podcast Reclaimed: The Story of Mamie Till-Mobley looked back at how a grieving mother made sure the world knew her son Emmett’s story. Another podcast, Life out Loud with LZ Granderson, came back for a second season of groundbreaking LGBTQ discussions. The 3-hour show Press Play (both on radio and on demand) explored how we’re having fun in public again, as the pandemic fades.
We’re proud to look back on 2022 as another year in which ABC News did more than ever. We offered new audio programming, from more places, across an expanding number of platforms – and covering a broader range of topics – than in any previous year. The result is what you’re about to hear, summarized in a 40-minute trip around the globe. We believe this is audio storytelling at its best.
We hope you’ll agree, and that you’ll find ABC News deserving of the 2023 Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Network Radio. We thank you for your consideration.
Total Runtime: 38:13
Highlights of live Radio breaking-news coverage and full-length special programs are available on-demand as episodes of the ABC News Radio Specials podcast.
Reporting by the ABC News Radio and Podcast teams appears daily on abcnews.com, with audio of the original report embedded so readers can listen on demand.
Link: https://abcnews.go.com/US/mckinney-fire-explodes-51000-acres-california/story?id=87706026#stone
The ABC Audio Podcast library added several shows including Reclaimed: The Story of Mamie Till-Mobley, a special episode of the hit series The Dropout, when Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced, podcast versions of GMA and GMA3, and a second season of Truth and Lies, the story behind an exposed terror plot in Kansas.
Our ABC Audio social feeds are a 24/7 interactive companion to Radio and Podcast reporting, featuring on-demand audio, exclusive interviews and clips of special programming.
ABC News Radio correspondents regularly provide editorial guidance to the entire news division, and their original reporting appears on all ABC News platforms – broadcast, digital and streaming.
Link: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/video/latest-trump-investigation-91545417