CHICAGO, April 14, 2008 –WGN Radio News has won three regional Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio and Television News Directors Association. The awards were for Overall Excellence, Best Spot News Coverage for last August’s severe storms, and Best Series for Judy Pielach’s report on her battle with breast cancer.

“This was a total team effort,” said WGN Radio News Director Wes Bleed. “Being honored in this way really serves to compliment a fantastic group of journalists. And I’m especially thrilled for Judy, who has won her second straight Murrow.”

The Spot News award was for WGN’s coverage of the storms last August that swept the Chicago area, producing widespread damage, uprooting trees, damaging buildings and causing thousands of power outages. Some residents were without power for days.

Judy Pielach’s 3 part series on her experience with breast cancer was entitled “Why Not Me?” Judy chronicled her treatment and the support of co-workers, family and friends. “It’s especially meaningful because it was so personal,” Pielach said. “It was more difficult to talk about than I thought it would be.” Judy won a Murrow award last year for her series on heroin addiction among suburban teens, entitled “Smack in the Suburbs.”

WGN Radio competed against radio news departments in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Regional winners automatically become eligible for the national awards competition, which will be judged in early June. RTNDA has been honoring outstanding achievement in electronic journalism with the Murrow Awards since 1971.