Reporter Charles Lane of the WSHU Public Radio Group in Fairfield recently won a 2014 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association.
The Edward R. Murrow Awards “recognize the best electronic journalism, produced by radio, television and online news organizations worldwide.” This was Lane”™s second Murrow award.
Lane was one of 661 winners from more than 4,000 entries in 14 categories that included the likes of breaking news, investigative reporting and website.
Lane won in the category of sports reporting for his story on free diving titled “Some Competitors Say Free-Diving Needs A Safety Sea Change.”
In his report, Lane covered the dangers associated with free diving. The sport involves holding one”™s breath and descending (and returning to the surface) on that single breath.
The sport has led to deaths among free-diving competitors. Lane explored “lung squeeze,” an injury associated with free diving, saying, “”¦ the weight of the water presses the lungs and the air sacs inside. Picture a paper bag full of blueberries; when your hand”™s relaxed, you can compress the bag carefully enough to avoid squashing the berries. But any twists or jerks can cause ruptures.”
The report covered a special work group of the AIDA (the organization governing competitive free diving) investigating the factors that contributed to the death of diver Nick Mevoli. Mevoli was a New Yorker who died last year in the Bahamas while free diving. He previously reached depths beyond 300 feet. His death was covered in Lane”™s report.
Lane also this year won a Fair Media Council FMC Folio Award for his report titled “N.Y. County Outsources Job of Monitoring Sex Offenders.”
Lane has been a WSHU reporter since 2001. He is the past recipient of a National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2009, a Sigma Delta-Chi Public Service in Journalism Award in 2009 and 2011, and a Livingston Award for Young Journalists (Finalist) in 2010.
