Award Winning Journalism

KOMU 8 has a rich tradition of excellence in news coverage, creative achievement and community support. Here is a list of just some of the recent accolades that have been awarded to this station.

2021

Radio Television Digital News Association

• Regional Award - Sports Reporting: "EmVP: Glasgow Community Honors Negro League Legend"

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Documentary/Public Affairs for “Police, Protests and Progress: A Candid Conversation”, a KOMU 8 News Special,  Emily Spain, Major King and Ryan Takeo Morimura
• Feature Reporting for “Braving Loss Together”,  Emily Spain
• Investigative Reporting for “An Unsightly Death”,  Annabel Thorpe
• Best Weathercast for “The Reality of a Snow Forecast”, Kenton Gewecke
• Sports for “Negro League Legend Finally Honored”,  Emily Spain
• Station Sponsored Community Event for supporting the State of Inclusivity Conference,  KOMU 8 Creative Services and Staff
• Certificate of Merit for Best Local Website for KOMU.com, KOMU 8 News
• Certificate of Merit for News Series for “Columbia Police Traffic Stop Under Investigation”, Alyssa Jackson
• Certificate of Merit for Social Media Star, Kenton Gewecke
• Certificate of Merit for Commercial Announcement Series for “Lakota Coffee”, Jade Simonson

2020

Mid-America Emmy Awards

• News: Light Feature News Report "EmVP: Elfing"

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Weathercast - Meteorologist Matt Beckwith
• Best Photojournalist - Ryan Takeo Morimura
• Documentary/Public Affairs - Community Under Fire: A Search for Solutions
• Feature Reporting - EmVP: Elmo's Smile
• Public Service Announcement or Campaign - KOMU 8 Cares: A Brighter Tomorrow
• Certificate of Merit for Best News Anchor: Emily Spain
• Certificate of Merit for Best Weathercast: Chief Meteorologist Kenton Gewecke
• Certificate of Merit for Breaking Weather Coverage Event: Jefferson City Tornado
• Certificate of Merit for News Series- Life Support: The Rural Health Care Crisis in Missouri

2019

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Weathercast - Kenton Gewecke, Chief Meteorologist
• Best Local Website - KOMU.com
• Best Commercial Announcement - Braydan Hogue, "Come Play at Midway"
• Certificate of Merit for Best News Anchor - Emily Spain
• Certificate of Merit for Breaking News Coverage - "Missing 4-year-old found dead"

Kansas City Press Club

• Gold Award - News Website - Annie Hammock, KOMU.com
• Gold Award - Investigative Reporting - "Problematic Coroner System"
• Silver Award - Multimedia Package - "KOMU 360 Politics"
• Bronze Award - Feature Story - "Live-Music Industry Changes As Collectors Drop Hammer on Royalty Fees"
• Honorable Mention - Breaking News - "Missing 4-Year-Old Found Dead"

Radio Television Digital News Association

• Regional Edward R. Murrow Award
• Multimedia (Formerly Website) - KOMU.com

2018

Radio Television Digital News Association

• National Edward R. Murrow Award
• Excellence in Website - KOMU.com
• Regional Edward R. Murrow Award
• Excellence in Website - KOMU.com
• Excellence in Social Media

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Local News Website - KOMU.com
• Best Weathercast - Kenton Gewecke
• Best News Anchor - Landon Burke

Kansas City Press Club

• Gold Award - Feature Story - "Out of control music festival was mid-Missouri's biggest draw before eclipse"
• Gold Award - Magazine Story - "Target 8: Cause of Death: Bullying"
• Gold Award - Sports Story - "Target 8: Missouri Gymnastics posts abnormally high departure numbers"
• Silver Award - Feature Story - "Total solar eclipse provides new way to study sun"
• Silver Award - Investigative Reporting - "Target 8: Man suing police after Taser incident in downtown Columbia bar"

2017

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Station of the Year

Radio Television Digital News Association

• National Edward R. Murrow Award
• Excellence in Website - KOMU.com
• Excellence in Social Media - "Team Coverage: GOP Gubernatorial Debate"
• Regional Edward R. Murrow Award

Excellence in Website - KOMU.com

• Excellence in Social Media - "Team Coverage: GOP Gubernatorial Debate"
• Excellence in Innovation - "Target 8: Town Square"

2016

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Weathercast
• Best Local Website
• Best Documentary / Public Affairs - "Inside Infertility"
• Certificate of Merit - Complete Newscast

Kansas City Press Club

• Gold Award - Documentary - "Inside Infertility"
• Silver Award - Investigative Reporting - "Target 8: ICU Nursing Shortage"
• Silver Award - General Reporting - "Hitt Street Garage Shooting"
• Silver Award - Breaking News "Mizzou Protests"
• Bronze Award - Sports Reporting - "Target 8: Rams' Future"
• Bronze Award - Feature Reporting - "Dr. Dive"
• Bronze Award - Public Service - "Joplin 4 Years Later"
• Honorable Mention - Sports Reporting - "Father Mike"
• Honorable Mention - Website

2015

Kansas City Press Club

• Gold Award - Beat Reporting - "Inside Infertility"
• Gold Award - Entertainment Reporting - World Series Coverage
• Gold Award - Investigative Reporting - "Target 8: Spice Makers Use New Compounds to Make Product Legal"
• Gold Award - Public Service Project - "Grand Opening of Joplin Schools"
• Gold Award - Sports Reporting - "Love Is Blind"
• Silver Award - Public Service Project - "Town Square: Bullying & The Working Poor"
• Silver Award - Sports Reporting - "Special Season"
• Bronze Award - Sports Reporting - "Mexico Cheerleader"
• Honorable Mention - Sports Reporting - "Waiting Game"

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

• First Place - News: General Assignment, Serious News - "Target 8: Spice Makers Use New Compounds to Make Product Legal"
• First Place - News: General Assignment, Light News - "Waiting Game"

2014

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Documentary / Public Affairs - "No 1 Left Behind"
• Best Special Program - "No 1 Left Behind"
• Best Weathercast
• Best Feature Reporting - World Series Coverage
• Best Local Website
• Best Promotion - "KOMU 8 News Promise"
• Certificate of Merit - Complete Newscast - KOMU 8 News at 6
• Certificate of Merit - Feature Reporting - "Deaf Church"
• Certificate of Merit - Documentary / Public Affairs - "Town Square: Bullying"
• Certificate of Merit - Sports Reporting - "Special Season"

Radio Television Digital News Association

• Regional Edward R. Murrow Award
• Video Sports Reporting - "Love is Blind"

2013

Kansas City Press Club

• Gold Award - Breaking News - "Ryan Ferguson Released From Prison"
• Gold Award - Feature Reporting - "Teen Gains National Attention for Shooting"
• Gold Award - Sports Reporting - "Henry Josey's Road to Recovery"
• Gold Award - Beat Reporting - Education Beat
• Silver Award - Profile Reporting - Hickman High School 70th Reunion
• Silver Award - Public Service Project - Joplin Tornado Anniversary
• Bronze Award - Public Service Project - Poverty in Plain Sight

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Weathercast
• Best Documentary / Public Affairs - "Joplin Tornado Anniversary"
• Best Local Website
• Best Spot News - "Ryan Ferguson Released From Prison"

Mid-America Emmy Awards

• Best Sports-News Single Story - "Giving the H"

2012

Kansas City Press Club

• Gold Award - Public Service Project - Joplin Tornado Coverage
• Gold Award - General Reporting - "Lauren Gray's Deportation Fight"
• Gold Award - Feature Reporting - "Pharm Dog Helps Injured Farmers"
• Gold Award - Sports Reporting - "Hickman Cheerleader Cheers Through Difficulty"
• Bronze Award - Feature Reporting - "Nic Nac Cafe Raises Money for Former Owner"

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Documentary / Public Service - "Joplin Tornado Anniversary"
• Best News Series - "Lauren Gray's Deportation Fight"
• Best Feature Report - "Pharm Dog Helps Injured Farmers"

Mid-America Emmy Awards

• Best Historical / Cultural News Story - "Concentration Camp Wedding Dress"
• Best Human Interest News Feature - "Baby Chloe's Diamond in the Sky"
• Best Interactivity - "U-News"

2011

American Advertising Federation

• Gold ADDY Award for Ad - "Service Noodle - The Noodle Is Here"
• Silver ADDY Award for Ad - "Poppy Baby"

Radio Television Digital News Association

• Edward R. Murrow Award for Documentary - "The Culture That Crawls"
• Edward R. Murrow Award for Website - "The Culture That Crawls"

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Documentary - "The Culture That Crawls"
• Best Sports Story - "Cooper Catches"
• Best Public Service Campaign - "Check Out Hunger"
• Best Station-Sponsored Community Event - Honor Flight
• Best Special Program - Honor Flight
• Best Feature Reporting - "Model Plane"
• Best Promotion - "Winter Storm Proof Of Performance"

Kansas City Press Club

• Best Feature Reporting - "Model Plane"
• Best Photojournalism - "Seafire Plane"
• Best Sports Story - "Cooper Catches"
• Best Regular Franchise Series - "Sarah's Stories"
• 1st place - Feature Reporting

Mid-America Emmy Awards

• Best Historical / Cultural Story - "Model Plane"
• Community Service - Honor Flight
• Best Photography
• Best Video Editing

2010

Mid-America Emmy Awards

• Best Photographer / News (No Time Limit) - Scott Schaefer

National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation

• Service to America Community Award for Radio and TV

Society of Professional Journalists

• Television Station of the Year
• Silver Award for Newscast - "KOMU 8 News at Six"
• Gold Award for Feature Reporting - "Honor Flight: Sarah's Stories"
• Honorable Mention for Feature - "Shop with a Cop"
• Gold Award for Photojournalism - "Dance Boots"
• Gold Award for Sports - "Tiger Toilets"
• Silver Award for Sports - "50-Mile Runner"
• Gold Award for Public Service Project - "Show Me Honor"
• Gold Award for Documentary Program - "Call to Honor"
• Gold Award for Regular Franchise Feature - "Sarah's Stories"

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Weathercast for Mid-Missouri
• Best Feature Reporting
• Severe Weather Coverage Promotion
• Certificate of Merit - Sports
• Certificate of Merit - Documentary / Public Affairs

Radio Television Digital News Association

• Regional Edward R. Murrow Award
• Video Sports Reporting

2009

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Best Weathercast for Mid-Missouri
• Best Feature Reporting
• Best News Series
• Best Special Program
• Best Sports Story
• KOMU 8 News and Weather Promotion
• Certificate of Merit - Best Website
• Certificate of Merit - Best Documentary / Public Affairs Piece

Mid-America Emmy Awards

• Best News Writing
• Best Feature News Report
• Best Human Interest Feature
• Community Service
• Best Historical Story
• Best Editor
• Best Photographer

Radio Television Digital News Association

• National Edward R. Murrow Award
• Feature Reporting Excellence
• National Press Photographer Association
• Feature Photography
• In-depth Photography

2008

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• Gold-Small Market Television
• Station of the Year
• Best Documentary
• Best Sports Feature
• Best Newscast
• Gold / Silver Awards - General Reporting
• Gold Award - Investigative Reporting
• Feature Reporting
• Photojournalism
• Gold Award - Sports Feature
• Gold Award - Documentary
• Feature Franchises
• Certificate of Merit - Best Weathercast
• Certificate of Merit - News Series
• Certificate of Merit - Complete Newscast

Radio Television Digital News Association

• Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
• Investigative Reporting
• Videography
• Writing
• Documentary

2007

Missouri Broadcasters Association

• First and Second for Best Newscast
• Best Complete Newscast
• Best Weathercast
• Best Feature Reporting