Gray Stations and InvestigateTV Honored by IRE Awards for Outstanding Investigative Journalism
- Recognition from prestigious IRE Awards demonstrates Gray Media's commitment to quality investigative journalism
- Investigations led to concrete actions, including DOJ policy changes and criminal prosecution
- Company holds dominant market position as largest owner of top-rated local TV stations
- Strong market presence reaching 37% of US television households
- None.
ATLANTA, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) awarded three Gray Media stations and Gray’s national investigative unit, InvestigateTV, for outstanding watchdog journalism at IRE’s annual conference in New Orleans on Saturday.
WANF in Atlanta, Georgia and InvestigateTV won Video Division II for “In Plane Sight: The Fix.” The two-year investigation led to unprecedented action by the US Department of Justice. The DOJ ordered the Drug Enforcement Administration to stop searching innocent passengers at departure gates as a direct result of a video recorded by a traveler who saw the investigation and followed the legal advice reported in the series. The judges’ comments praised the “the innovative investigative techniques and the overall production.”
WSMV in Nashville, Tennessee won Video Division III for “Predator: System Failure.” A four-year investigation by WSMV4 Investigates revealed gross mishandling of sexual assault complaints filed by women in Nashville, exposing a flawed justice system that allowed a sex offender to repeatedly assault dozens of women, gaining national fame and notoriety in the process. The judges were “wowed” by the investigation and pointed out how “dogged reporting led to the arrest and prosecution of the predator and an overhaul of the processes within Nashville’s sex crimes unit.”
KMOV in St. Louis, Missouri was a finalist in Video Division III for “Secrets of a School Shooting Revealed.” For almost two years little was known about what happened the day a 19-year-old shot his way into his former south St. Louis high school, killing a student and a teacher. Through persistent reporting and earning the trust of the victims’ families, the KMOV investigative team uncovered hundreds of public records kept secret by investigators, exposing lessons learned and missed opportunities to prevent the violence. In their comments, judges noted how KMOV’s “reporting challenged authorities and uncovered lessons about how a St. Louis school shooter could have been stopped and lives could have been saved.”
“Gray is invested in journalism that uncovers truth, finds solutions, and generates real results for the communities we serve,” Gray’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sandy Breland said. “Congratulations to all the journalists who were recognized by the judges for their impactful investigations.”
“Investigative journalism isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are,” Gray’s Senior Vice President, News Strategy and Innovation Lee Zurik said. “These stories are remarkable examples of the investigative culture at Gray and the meaningful work happening in our newsrooms all across the country.”
About Gray Media:
Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 37 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 78 markets with the top-rated television station and 99 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station during 2024, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 44 markets. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray’s additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. For more information, please visit www.graymedia.com.
Gray Contact:
Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 404-266-8333
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