KIRO Newsradio wins 2026 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Breaking News Coverage
Aug 13, 2026, 1:02 PM
A mic inside the KIRO Newsradio newsroom. (Photo courtesy of MyNorthwest)
(Photo courtesy of MyNorthwest)
KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM has won a 2026 National Edward R. Murrow Award for breaking news coverage of its reporting on the Seattle U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests that turned violent.
The Radio Television Digital News Association announced the national winners this month, elevating KIRO’s entry from among regional winners across the country.
Reporters James Lynch and Gwen Baumgardner provided live coverage from the scene as the situation escalated, while Tom Hutyler anchored the station’s special coverage that night. Charlie Harger, Manda Factor and Luke Duecy continued the coverage the following morning on “Seattle’s Morning News.”
The national honor adds to the seven Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards KIRO Newsradio won in May, recognizing outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism, including the awards for Overall Excellence, Breaking News Coverage, Sports Reporting, and Investigative Reporting.
“These awards are a testament to the dedication and passion our team brings to their work every day,” Bryan Buckalew, Director of News and Talk Programming for KIRO Newsradio, said. “From breaking news to in-depth investigations, our journalists are committed to informing and serving our community with accuracy, urgency, and integrity.”
Three of the honors reflect the team’s consistent commitment to delivering timely, high-quality coverage across platforms.
The first is Overall Excellence, which was presented to KIRO Newsradio.
The second is Newscast, which was given to “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio.
Lastly, KIRO Newsradio won for Breaking News Coverage for reporting the ICE protests in Seattle.
2 KIRO Newsradio journalists recognized for outstanding work
In addition to these team achievements, two journalists received individual recognition for their outstanding storytelling and reporting.
The first was “Seattle’s Morning News” host Charlie Harger. The second was news anchor and reporter Aaron Granillo.
Harger won in Excellence in Writing for his commentary below.
He also won in the Hard News category for his coverage of “The Boy in the Tent.”
Harger additionally took home an award for Investigative Reporting for “The Mayor’s Letter.”
Granillo was honored in Sports Reporting for his coverage of a heartwarming Mariners story.
“I am honored to be given an individual award and to work alongside a group of hardworking journalists,” Granillo said.
National winners will be celebrated at the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala on Oct. 12 at Gotham Hall in New York City.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
