Fox 8 honored with national SPJ awards for breaking news and “Outside the Office” investigation

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Fox 8 was honored with two prestigious national awards from the Society of Professional Journalists on Tuesday (July 9).

The WVUE-Fox 8 newsroom won SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi Award for Best Television Breaking News Coverage (All Market Sizes) for its coverage of the Marathon Petroleum refinery fire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents near Garyville on August 25, 2023.

The panel praised Fox 8’s vigilance and candor in reporting directly affecting families in St. John the Baptist Parish and beyond, saying, “WVUE had strong on-the-ground reporting with striking images, yes. But the standout aspect is the clarification of why officers did not alert some people and did not respond to inquiries.”

Fox 8’s lead investigative team, consisting of anchor and reporter Lee Zurik, producer Dannah Sauer and photojournalist Jon Turnipseed, were also honored, winning the top award for investigative television reporting (small market) for the high-impact series “Outside the Office.”

The investigation into Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s use of a city-owned French Quarter apartment and her hours spent there with former NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie prompted federal authorities, the city’s inspector general and the NOPD to investigate, and ultimately led the City Council to seize the mayor’s keys and put the apartment back on the market.

Here too, the SPJ jurors were effusive in their praise.

“The word ‘tenacity’ is not often used, but it is certainly appropriate here, with an investigative execution and commitment that should serve as an example in markets of any size,” they wrote.

Fox 8 won nine regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in May, including the prestigious Overall Excellence award for the 11th time in 14 years. Both its coverage of the Marathon refinery fire and Zurik’s Outside the Office investigation also won Murrow Awards.

Dating back to 1932, SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi Awards are among the industry’s most prestigious awards, recognizing excellence in professional journalism across all media.

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