Gray Media Wins Big at IRE Awards with Investigations That Drove Real-World Impact
At this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) conference in New Orleans, Gray Media stations took home top honors for journalism that didn’t just tell stories—it sparked sweeping change. From exposing systemic failures in law enforcement to triggering a policy reversal by the U.S. Department of Justice, the winning investigations underline why watchdog reporting still matters.
Three of Gray’s local stations—WANF Atlanta, WSMV Nashville, and KMOV St. Louis—alongside its national unit InvestigateTV, were recognized for their standout work in long-form video journalism.
DEA Policy Change Triggered by WANF and InvestigateTV
WANF and InvestigateTV won Video Division II for their two-year series “In Plane Sight: The Fix.” The investigation unearthed how Drug Enforcement Administration agents had been stopping innocent airline passengers at gates under questionable legal pretenses. The tipping point? A traveler, inspired by the series, recorded an encounter and cited the report’s legal insights during the interaction—leading directly to the DOJ halting the controversial practice.
IRE judges applauded the “innovative investigative techniques and overall production,” adding that the series went beyond informing—it empowered viewers to act.
Sex Crimes System Overhauled After WSMV Investigation
In Video Division III, WSMV4 Investigates in Nashville took the top prize for “Predator: System Failure,” a damning four-year exposé revealing how local authorities mishandled sexual assault complaints. The subject: a serial offender who managed to victimize dozens of women—some after achieving public notoriety.
The series led to his arrest and prosecution, as well as a major overhaul within Nashville’s sex crimes unit. Judges praised the “dogged reporting” that led to tangible justice and a renewed public reckoning.
KMOV Finalist for Exposing Gaps in School Shooting Response
KMOV St. Louis earned finalist recognition for “Secrets of a School Shooting Revealed,” an investigation that broke open a wall of silence surrounding a deadly 2022 school shooting. For two years, officials withheld public records—until KMOV’s team used transparency laws and deep community engagement to reconstruct the day’s events.
Their reporting shed light on missed warning signs and preventable failures, raising urgent questions about how such tragedies might be avoided in the future. IRE judges said the work “challenged authorities” and delivered lessons with life-and-death implications.
A Culture of Impact-First Journalism
“These stories are remarkable examples of the investigative culture at Gray,” said Lee Zurik, Gray’s SVP of News Strategy and Innovation. “Investigative journalism isn’t just what we do—it’s who we are.”
Sandy Breland, EVP and COO, added: “We’re invested in journalism that uncovers truth, finds solutions, and generates real results.”
The accolades underscore Gray Media’s broader editorial ethos: pairing local accountability with national reach, while using multimedia storytelling to drive structural reform. As legacy newsrooms scale back and trust in media teeters, Gray is making a case for why deep, unflinching journalism still matters—and what it can achieve when done right.
