Univision Network Honored With Two Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Univision Communications Inc. announced that the Univision Network has been honored for its excellence in journalism with two prestigious 2004 Edward R. Murrow Awards. The first and only Spanish-language network to ever receive this national award, the Univision Network has now been honored a total of five times by the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA). This year, “Univision News” was recognized in the category of Videography and Univision’s daily newsmagazine “Primer Impacto” was recognized in the category of Outstanding News Series.

Univision received two out of the 11 awards given in the category of Network Television, with the other nine awards going to CBS (3), NBC (2), ABC (2) and ESPN (2).

“Primer Impacto” received the award for its series entitled “Mis Padres, Mis Verdugos” (My Parents, My Abusers). The series aired in November 2003 and presented the shocking first-hand accounts of brutal child abuse cases in Mexico.

“Receiving one of the most prestigious awards in electronic journalism for the third time is a marvelous achievement, but it is especially satisfying to receive it for a news series that is of such importance to our community,” said Maria Lopez-Alvarez, Vice President and Co-Director of Univision Network News. “Once again, ‘Primer Impacto’s’ dedication to journalistic excellence has been recognized not only by our viewers, but by our colleagues, as well.”

Univision News received its award for Best Videography for its special “Noticias Univision Presenta: En Busca de un Milagro” (“Univision News Presents: In Search of a Miracle”). This one-hour program aired in October 2003 and featured an in-depth report on the mystery of miracles, including the Catholic Church’s decision-making process of elevating someone to sainthood and the role of divine intervention.

“This award is particularly gratifying as it recognizes the hard work and creativity involved in the gathering and presenting of the images that are so crucial to bringing a story’s facts to life and capturing the viewer’s interest,” said Sylvia Rosabal-Ley, Vice President and Co-Director of Univision Network News. “It is wonderful testament to the high level of professionalism that our news division strives for on a daily basis.”