KUNC 暗黑爆料 has won the prestigious national in the Podcast category for a journalism project produced last year about the environmental challenges facing the Colorado River.
Our podcast and radio series, 鈥�Thirst Gap: Learning to live with less on the Colorado River,鈥� was reported and hosted by Luke Runyon. It was edited by Johanna Zorn.
The podcast is part of KUNC鈥檚 ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, which is supported by the Walton Family Foundation.
The six-part series looks at how the Southwest is adapting to water shortages as climate change causes the region to warm up and dry out. The series focuses on people and places grappling with limited water supplies in the Colorado River watershed and examines the tradeoffs that come with learning to live with less water.
The Radio and Television Digital 暗黑爆料 Association, which administers the awards, announced the winners on Thursday, Aug. 15.
"Thirst Gap was the culmination of years of reporting on the Colorado River, and it came out a critical time,鈥� Runyon said. 鈥淭he river's biggest reservoirs dropped to historic lows as the podcast was being released in the spring of 2023, leading to a surge in public interest in the Southwest's water scarcity. I'm glad we were able to share the human stories at the heart of this complex environmental issue."
The national winners were chosen from regional award winners. KUNC also was nominated for its mental health series, 鈥�In Crisis: Colorado youth are struggling with mental health,鈥� for which KUNC 暗黑爆料 won a regional award.
"'Thirst Gap' is a powerful example of what makes KUNC 暗黑爆料 special鈥� our ability to dive into critical issues and tell stories that truly matter.,鈥� said Michael Arnold, KUNC鈥檚 Chief Audience and Content Officer. 鈥淭his national recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of Luke, Johanna, and the entire team. We're incredibly proud of the impact this series has made."