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"
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"
- 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"
- 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
- Best Local News Website - KOMU.com
- Best Weathercast - Kenton Gewecke
- Best News Anchor - Landon Burke
- 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
- 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 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
- 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"
- 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"
- 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
- Best Weathercast
- Best Documentary / Public Affairs - "Joplin Tornado Anniversary"
- Best Local Website
- Best Spot News - "Ryan Ferguson Released From Prison"
- 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"
- Best Documentary / Public Service - "Joplin Tornado Anniversary"
- Best News Series - "Lauren Gray's Deportation Fight"
- Best Feature Report - "Pharm Dog Helps Injured Farmers"
- 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"
- Edward R. Murrow Award for Documentary - "The Culture That Crawls"
- Edward R. Murrow Award for Website - "The Culture That Crawls"
- 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"
- 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
- 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
- Service to America Community Award for Radio and TV
- 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"
- Best Weathercast for Mid-Missouri
- Best Feature Reporting
- Severe Weather Coverage Promotion
- Certificate of Merit - Sports
- Certificate of Merit - Documentary / Public Affairs
- 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
- Best News Writing
- Best Feature News Report
- Best Human Interest Feature
- Community Service
- Best Historical Story
- Best Editor
- Best Photographer
- 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
- 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
