"Preventing Disaster: Investigating Hospital Crashes"

Recipient of the Best INVESTIGATIVE REPORT BY A TELEVISION STATION award in The Charles E. Green Awards (2024)

Matt Grant, Josh Hinkle, Dalton Huey, Chris Nelson
KXAN

Judge’s Comments:

The KXAN investigation into hospital safety is an example of the finest works of journalism.

The team spent 10 months investigating crashes at hospitals not only in central Texas but nationwide as well.

They examined data from around the country that showed that many hospitals lack safety barriers, barriers that would have prevented hundreds of crashes from killing or injuring people.

The team used computer assisted reporting to document its findings, data which convinced the Austin City Council to enact a law requiring hospitals and medical facilities to install safety barriers outside their buildings.

Their reporting will no doubt save lives in Austin and also around the country.

Judge: Frank Volpicella

Judge’s Bio:

Frank Volpicella is a veteran journalist and TV news director who recently semi-retired after a 43-year career in TV news. Volpicella served as news director at stations in Atlanta, Austin, Tulsa, Lexington and Huntsville, Alabama. He was news director at KVUE in Austin for 16 years. During his time at KVUE the station won a Peabody award and a national Edward R. Murrow award for Overall Excellence.

Volpicella also worked as a reporter, producer, executive producer, special projects producer and managing editor at stations in Jacksonville, Florida, Oklahoma City and Tampa Florida.

He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism.

To see the award-winning television reporting from KXAN, visit the link below:

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