March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 40 F

WMAR’s Stepner and Harrison win Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for story on Odenton hockey team

WMAR-2 Sports reporter Shawn Stepner and photojournalist Don Harrison have been recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in Sports Reporting for their story, “Hockey, Greater Than Hate.” The story follows a Maryland 14 and under Odenton team who banded together to fight racism and harassment.

“Hockey, Greater Than Hate” shares the story of the Metro Maple Leafs hockey team in Odenton, Maryland, who created a campaign, “Hockey Greater Than Hate,” after player Divyne Apollon II was racially taunted during a game. Stepner and Harrison followed the story of how the team took an act of hate and used it to make a difference in their community.

This is the third Regional Edward R. Murrow Award that Stepner has won in the sports reporting category. “Being recognized with these awards gives us a great sense of satisfaction and pride, but what is really important to us is telling the inspirational stories of these athletes,” said Stepner.

“To see a team rally behind a teammate who was treated so poorly because of his race is something people need to see,” said Harrison. “These young athletes inspire us with hope. Being able to share their message is what I love about being a journalist in Maryland.”

“Inspirational stories like this are such a gift to our storytellers and our mission as a local news organization,” said Kelly Groft, news director at WMAR. “Meaningful storytelling and authentic connections are how we can reflect and inspire our community.”

The Radio Television Digital News Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of electronic journalism. National winners, including large and small digital news organizations and network news organizations, will be announced in June.

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