Award-Winning Journalism

Iowa Public Radio produces hundreds of news stories and talk shows every year. From hard-hitting stories that affect your every day to lighter fare that celebrates life in our state. Every year, a number of these stories — and the reporters, hosts and producers that produce them — are recognized for their excellence in journalism by statewide, regional and national organizations.

2026

Iowa Broadcast News Association Contest Winners

Iowa Public Radio won first place in three categories, and four awards overall, in the annual IBNA awards, honoring the best newscasts and sportscasts across Iowa radio and TV stations.

• First Place, Feature: "Moving house and home to get back to the family farm" by Sheila Brummer
• First Place, General Reporting: "Logistical problems of distributing food to kids" by Katarina Sostaric
• First Place, Series: "5 years after COVID" by Sheila Brummer, James Kelley & Natalie Krebs
• Second Place, Feature: "USDA cuts hit farmers, schools and food banks" by Rachel Cramer

Eric Sevareid Awards

IPR took home six Sevareid Awards from the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association's annual celebration of the region's best journalism.

• First Place, Soft Feature: “Moving house and home to get back to the family farm” by Sheila Brummer
• Merit, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: “Some trans Iowans still have hope after losing state civil rights protection” by Meghan McKinney
• Merit, General Reporting: “Sand highlights faith on the campaign trail” by Katarina Sostaric
• Merit, Hard Feature: “Automated license plate reading cameras spark questions” by James Kelley
• Merit, Lifestyle or Specialty Program: “A therapist's journey with Alzheimer's” by on River to River
• Merit, Talk/Public Affairs: “Learning about life with autism” on Talk of Iowa

2025

Public Media Journalists Association Awards

Western Iowa Reporter Sheila Brummer took home first place at the 2025 PMJA Annual Awards. Her piece on a Sioux City Symphony oboist's efforts to create a new instrument won in the "Use of sound" category.

Eric Sevareid Awards

It was a record-setting year for Iowa Public Radio at the Sevareid Awards. IPR won 10 total awards and four first prizes — both all-time highs — at the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association's annual showcase for the best in radio, TV and online journalism. Western Iowa Reporter Sheila Brummer earned four awards for her outstanding reporting throughout the year.

• First Place, Audio: “A worldwide search for the perfect sound” by Sheila Brummer
• First Place, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: “ELL learners become school teachers” by Sheila Brummer
• First Place, Documentary/Special: “Sandhill crane migration” on Talk of Iowa
• First Place, Team Multimedia Storytelling – News: “Iowa's summer of pickleball” by Josie Fischels (story) & Lucius Pham (video)
• Merit, General Reporting: “Ukrainian refugees in Sioux City” by Sheila Brummer
• Merit, Hard Feature: “Push for embryo rights worries IVF patients and doctors” by Natalie Krebs
• Merit, Investigative: “Help for homeless students can fall short” by Meghan McKinney
• Merit, News Series: “Long recovery from northwest Iowa flooding” by Sheila Brummer
• Merit, Podcast: Unsettled
• Merit, Talk/Public Affairs: “Making the world better for people with autism” on River to River

2024

Public Media Journalists Association Awards

Iowa Public Radio earned five honors in the PMJA Annual Awards, which celebrate the outstanding work of journalists who inform, engage, and empower communities through their work.

• First Place, News Feature: "Davenport Remembers Branden Colvin" by Zachary Oren Smith
• First Place, Visual Storytelling: All Access: IPR's Music Magazine
• Second Place, Climate/Environment Feature: "Safety Concerns About Carbon Capture Pipelines" by Grant Gerlock and Harvest Public Media
• Second Place, Health/Medical Feature: "Fixing Understaffed Nursing Homes" by Natalie Krebs and Side Effects Public Media
• Second Place, Narrative Podcast: Caucus Land

Edward R. Murrow Awards

IPR won four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, among the most prestigious honors in broadcast and digital journalism:

• Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: "Is Iowa Safe for Families with Trans Kids?" by Catherine Wheeler
• Hard News: "A Year After Dobbs: Abortion in Iowa" by Katarina Sostaric
• Feature Reporting: "Depicting Diversity with Butterflies" by Sheila Brummer
• News Series: "The Carbon Question" a series by Harvest Public Media with contributions from Grant Gerlock & Katie Peikes

Iowa Broadcast News Association Best of 2024

Iowa Public Radio received six awards in the annual IBNA awards, which recognize the best newscasts and sportscasts in radio and TV.

• First Place, General Reporting: "Abortion’s future in Iowa a year after Dobbs" by Katarina Sostaric
• First Place, In-Depth/Series: Ten years of Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy
• First Place, General Reporting: "A bird flu vaccine could be on the way" by Katie Peikes
• Second Place, Podcast: Caucus Land
• Second Place, Feature: "Mural uses butterflies to highlight diversity" by Sheila Brummer
• Third Place, General Reporting: "Carbon pipeline raises safety concerns" by Grant Gerlock

Eric Sevareid Awards

Presented annually by the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association, the Sevareid Awards honor the best journalism across radio, TV and online. IPR won first prize twice in 2024 and five awards overall.

• First Place, General Reporting: "Davenport family remembers collapse victim" by Zachary Oren Smith
• First Place, Podcast: Caucus Land
• Merit, Soft Feature: "Mural uses butterflies to highlight diversity" by Sheila Brummer
• Merit, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: "Families with trans kids wonder whether Iowa is safe for them" by Catherine Wheeler
• Merit, News Series: Ten years of Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy

2023

Online Journalism Awards

The OJAs are presented annually by the Online News Association, recognizing excellence in journalism across mediums and industries. Iowa Public Radio earned top honors in "Excellence in Newletters" for its portfolio of newsletters meeting a variety of audience needs and interests.

Public Media Journalists Association Awards

Talk of Iowa earned a second-place finish nationally in the annual PMJA awards for “A frank conversation about preventing youth suicide,” which included interviews with parents breaking the silence of their child's struggles and mental health experts from the University of Iowa.

Eric Sevareid Awards

The Eric Sevareid Awards are presented by the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association, recognizing the best journalism in the Midwest. IPR received eight Eric Sevareid Awards in 2023, recognizing news coverage and talk show content in large market radio.

• First Place, Audio: "Citizen monitors try to save a trout stream" by Clay Masters
• First Place, Soft Feature: "Tiny Byron's draws music lovers and musicians from miles around" by Kendall Crawford
• First Place, Sportscast/Program: "Iowa women and 50 years of Title IX" on Talk of Iowa
• First Place, Documentary/Special: "SNAP benefits disappear, prices rise, and food insecurity increases" on River to River
• Merit Award, Hard Feature: "Time Limits on Sexual Abuse Lawsuits" by Katarina Sostaric
• Merit Award, Hard Feature: "Community help for farmers at risk for suicide" by Kendall Crawford
• Merit Award, Investigative: "'Quiet title' law nearly cost this Iowa woman her home" by Kassidy Arena
• Merit Award, Series: "Carbon Capture and Property Rights" by Clay Masters, Katie Peikes, and Kendall Crawford

Iowa Broadcast News Association Best of 2023

The Iowa Broadcast News Association recognizes the best newscasts and sportscasts each year in radio and TV broadcasts. In 2023, IPR took home six awards in large market radio.

• First Place, General Reporting: "Trying to preserve abortion access in Iowa" by Katarina Sostaric
• First Place, In-Depth: "Sex abuse lawsuit limitations" by Katarina Sostaric
• First Place, Political Coverage: "Democrats decide future of Iowa caucuses" by Clay Masters
• First Place, Farm and Agribusiness: "Bird flu ripples through one Iowa county" by Katie Peikes
• First Place, Feature: "Sundays at Byron’s" by Kendall Crawford
• Second Place, General Reporting: "Federal help could save some Midwest hospitals" by Natalie Krebs

2021

Edward R. Murrow Awards

IPR Reporter Kate Payne received a prestigious regional Murrow Award for her continuing coverage of the derecho that hit Iowa in 2020.

Eric Sevareid Awards

IPR failed to crack the top of the list in 2021, but came close across several categories, racking up seven awards of merit in the annual MBJA awards.

• Merit Award, General Reporting: "Iowa state gov’t beyond the Capitol" by Katarina Sostaric
• Merit Award, Documentary/Special: "Using The Power Of Art To Create Empathy And Change" on Talk of Iowa
• Merit Award, Series: "Systemic racism’s legacy in Iowa" by multiple IPR News contributors
• Merit Award, Talk/Public Affairs: "A Derecho Rescue Story" on River to River
• Merit Award, Hard News Feature: "Living in the Unlivable" by Kate Payne
• Merit Award, Hard News Feature: "Coronavirus Keeps Nursing Home Residents Socially Isolated" by Katarina Sostaric
• Merit Award, Sports: "Coronavirus Disrupts Iowa High School Baseball and Softball" by Amy Peikes

2020

Edward R. Murrow Awards

The Radio Television Digital News Association awarded Iowa Public Radio with two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2020, including the first-ever award for a podcast:

• Feature Reporting: "Specially-Trained Dogs Help Conservationists Find Rare Iowa Turtles” by Kate Payne
• Podcast: "Caucus Land" by Clay Masters, Kate Payne and John Pemble

2019

Eric Sevareid Awards

River to River and two Iowa Public Radio reporters were recognized in the annual Eric Sevareid Awards from the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association.

• First Place, Investigative Reporting: "Iowa Providing Fewer Family Planning Services After 'Defunding' Abortion Providers" by Katarina Sostaric
• Merit Award, Soft Feature: "Iowa Swept Away By Curling" by Kate Payne
• Merit Award, Talk/Public Affairs: "What It's Like to Be Trans in Iowa In Today

Iowa Broadcast News Association Best of 2019

The news team earned first-place honors for a series on education, along with awards for three other stories written by IPR reporters.

• First Place, In-Depth/Series: "Education in Iowa" by multiple IPR News contributors
• First Place, General Reporting: "Some Downtown Cedar Rapids Businesses Won't Wait For Permanent Flood Control System" by Kate Payne
• Honorable Mention, Feature: "Waterloo Company Makes ‘One-Horse Wonders'" by Pat Blank
• Honorable Mention, Ag Reporting: "The Uncertain Future of Soybean Futures" by Amy Mayer

2018

Eric Sevareid Awards

Iowa Public Radio's news and talk teams earned five Eric Sevareid Awards in 2018, including two first prizes.

• First Place, Audio: "Fancy Cheese May Save Some Small-Scale Dairies" by Amy Mayer
• First Place, Spot News: "Iowa Lawmakers Unveil Collective Bargaining Change" by Joyce Russell
• Merit Award, Audio: "Unlocking Saturn's Mysteries with Sound" by John Pemble
• Merit Award, Hard News Feature: "More Iowans Choose Faith-based Health Plans" by Joyce Russell
• Merit Award, Talk/Public Affairs: "Iowa Veteran Talks About Being Trafficked as a Teenager" on Talk of Iowa

Iowa Broadcast News Association Best of 2018

Iowa Public Radio's whole news team was honored with IBNA awards for radio broadcasts in 2018.

• First Place, In-Depth/Series: "Guns in Iowa" by multiple IPR News contributors
• Second Place, Farm and Agribusiness: "Biology Meets Math: How Big Data Will Improve Seed Development" by Amy Mayer
• Third Place, General Reporting: "How Small Town Papers Have Kept Community Trust" by Clay Masters

Public Radio News Directors Incorporated Awards

Talk of Iowa won first place for Charity Nebbe's interview with Amber Causey, an Army veteran and survivor of human trafficking. The interview was named the best among all local public radio stations across the nation.

2017

Edward R. Murrow Awards

Sarah Boden won a regional Murrow Award for "Iowa Supreme Court to Consider Challenge to Felon Voting Law." Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious in news. They are presented annually by the Radio Television Digital News Association to recognize outstanding local and national news stories in broadcast and digital journalism.

Eric Sevareid Awards

IPR reporters earned three merit awards at the annual Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association ceremony:

• Merit Award, Investigative Reporting: "How 'Big Ag' Came to Be" by Amy Mayer
• Merit Award, General Reporting: "Stealing Seniors' Security" by Pat Blank
• Merit Award, Use of Audio: "Iowa's Only Racetrack Bugler" by Rick Fredericksen

Iowa Broadcast News Association Best of 2017

Iowa Public Radio's entire news team, as well as individual reporters, took home four IBNA awards:

• First Place, In-Depth/Investigative Reporting: Three-part series on water quality issues by Clay Masters
• First Place, Feature Reporting: “Video Game Places Player in a Cancer Drama” by John Pemble
• Second Place, Farm/Agriculture Reporting: “Planting season is a high-stakes bet” by Amy Mayer
• Second Place, Political Coverage: Ongoing coverage of the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, presidential campaigns and election night by IPR News team

2016

Eric Sevareid Awards

Four IPR reporters earned three merit awards in the annual MBJA showcase:

• Merit Award, General Reporting: Avian flu coverage by Amy Mayer
• Merit Award, Hard News: “Transgender Life in Smalltown Iowa” by Sarah Boden
• Merit Award, Audio: “Audio Letters from the Vietnam War” by John Pemble and Rick Fredericksen

2015

Edward R. Murrow Awards

Iowa Public Radio was honored with two Murrow Awards — one each for talk and news:

• News Documentary: "Behind the Numbers on Your Hospital Bill" on River to River
• News Documentary: "Technology, Infrastructure Reduce Food Waste on the Farm" by Amy Mayer

2014

Edward R. Murrow Awards

Joyce Russell won a 2014 Murrow Award for her story, "HUD Claims Housing Discrimination in Dubuque," which examined race relations and discrimination against the Black community in low-income housing.

Eric Sevareid Awards

IPR received six Eric Sevareid Awards in 2014, including two first-place finishes. Both Talk of Iowa and River to River were honored, in addition to several IPR reporters.

• First Place, Soft Feature: "Refugees find home on the farm" by Amy Mayer
• First Place, Hard Reporting: "HUD Claims Housing Discrimination in Dubuque" by Joyce Russell
• Merit Award, Audio: "Iowa / Hungary Percussion Project Debuts in the United States" by John Pemble
• Merit Award, Documentary/Special: "Iowa Experiments" on River to River
• Merit Award, Documentary/Special: "Crime Victims' Needs" on Talk of Iowa
• Merit Award, Hard Reporting: "Impact of military spending cuts uneven among Iowa's defense companies"

Jack Shelley Award

All Things Considered host and reporter Pat Blank was awarded the Jack Shelley Award by the Iowa Broadcast News Association. The highest individual honor given by the organization, the Jack Shelley Award is given annually to the person with a record of achievement in broadcast journalism in Iowa.

Public Radio News Directors Incorporated Awards

IPR's news and talk teams scored two second-place finishes in the annual PRNDI Awards, which recognize the best of local public radio news in a wide array of categories.

• Second Place, Call-In Program: "The Crime of Stalking" on River to River
• Second Place, Nationally-Edited Soft Feature: "A Unique Digital Music Service, For Locals Only" by Clay Masters

2013

Edward R. Murrow Awards

Iowa Public Radio won two regional Murrow Awards in 2013. Both news and talk teams earned honors:

• News Documentary: "The Bonobo Hope Great Ape Trust Sanctuary" on Talk of Iowa
• Sports Reporting: "Thais Drive ISU Golf Team" by Rick Fredericksen

Eric Sevareid Awards

2013 was a big year for IPR at the annual MBJA awards. The news and talk teams took home six awards of merit and one first-place finish.

• First Place, Audio: "Iowa Filmmakers" by John Pemble
• Merit Award, Audio: "Trumpeter Swans Rebound" by Rick Fredericksen
• Merit Award, Documentary/Special: "Joplin Anniversary" on River to River
• Merit Award, Hard Feature: "Outside Spending"
• Merit Award, Sports Reporting: "The Bulldog Behind the Mascot" by Rick Fredericksen
• Merit Award, Investigative Reporting: "Regents Decline to Renew UI President Sally Mason's Contract" by Dean Borg
• Merit Award, Soft Feature: "Curbside Bus Services Increase in Iowa, United States" by Clay Masters

2012

Edward R. Murrow Awards

2012 was a banner year for Iowa Public Radio, where six stories were recognized with one of the top honors in news: a Murrow Award:

• Audio Feature Reporting: "Fish Farming as Alternative Agriculture" and "Wadena Rocks at 40"
• Audio Investigative Reporting: "Iowa laws make robocalls cheap, easy, anonymous and legal"
• Audio News Series: "Being Muslim in Iowa"
• Audio Sports Reporting: "Women Wrestlers"
• Use of Sound: "Audio Letters from Vietnam" by Rick Fredericksen

Public Radio News Directors Incorporated Awards

The success continued for IPR at the annual PRNDI Awards, where four stories were recognized for their excellence:

• Second Place, Call-In Program: "The Exchange: Stuttering and The King's Speech"
• Second Place, Continuing Coverage: "Missouri River Flooding"
• Second Place, Newscast: 7:30 a.m. December 14th newscast
• Second Place, Soft Feature: "The Low Pheasant Population Hurts More than Hunters"

2010

Edward R. Murrow Awards

IPR earned a coveted Murrow Award in continuing coverage for the story, "The Day the Music Died."

2009

Public Radio News Directors Incorporated Awards

"The Exchange: Karl Rove Visits Iowa City" won second place for call-in programs in the 2009 edition of the PRNDI Awards.