9NEWS received more awards than any other station in the five state mountain region of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Wyoming. KUSA captured top honors in eight out of a possible 13 categories. 9NEWS Vice-President and News Director, Patti Dennis, said, "In a year of enormous change for journalists across the country, being recognized for a continuing commitment to quality, accuracy, immediacy and relevancy is highly rewarding."

9NEWS Reporter Chris Vanderveen won three Murrow awards for the second year in a row. Chris received awards for Writing, Hard News Feature ("I Regret to Inform You...") and Feature Reporting ("From Barney to Barry"). Photojournalist Corky Scholl won the Videography category, also for the second consecutive year.

Bazi Kanani won the top award for her self-produced News Documentary, "Reaching Rwanda." In addition to writing, producing and on-camera credits, Kanani also shot all the video used in "Reaching Rwanda."

All of the regional honorees will now be considered for National Edward R. Murrow Awards which the RTNDA will announce in June.

The Radio-Television News Directors Association is the world's largest professional organization devoted exclusively to electronic journalism. RTNDA represents local and network news executives in broadcasting, cable and other electronic media in more than 30 countries.

RTNDA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the electronic news profession.

Individual Winners from the 2009 RTNDA Regional Murrow Awards:

Overall Excellence - 9News: Colorado's News Leader - 9NEWS Staff

Continuing Coverage - Windsor Tornado - 9NEWS Staff

Feature: Hard News - I Regret to Inform You... - Chris Vanderveen

Feature Reporting - From Barney to Barry - Chris Vanderveen

Writing - Vanderveen Writing Composite - Chris Vanderveen

News Documentary - Reaching Rwanda - Bazi Kanani

Sports Reporting - Lawnchair Quarterback - Kyle Clark

Videography - Scholl Videography - Corky Scholl